OVERVIEW

The course aims at presenting the main theories in the filed of economic growth and economic development. A general overview of the socio-economic situation in the developed and in the developing countries will also be presented. The concept of economic development is multidimensional and includes economic, social and demographic dimensions. The course will therefore follow a multidisciplinary apporach within the social sciences and will form students able to understand the complexity of globalization and economic development, its limits and its challenges. The module then completes the skills in the economic field offered by the other courses / modules of the course of study and allows students to acquire basic notions of growth and development economics, useful for a better understanding of economic and political phenomena at a global level.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims at introducing students to the recent research, both theoretical and empirical, in economics and other social sciences, concerning the political causes of the success, or failure, of the states. In particular, we will focus the attention on the interaction between political and economic institutions and development, emphasizing: how the states’ economic performance depends on their institutions, and the endogenous emergence of the latter as the outcome of an underlying distributive conflict within the society.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowledge and understanding skills. At the end of the Development module, the students will be able: to know and discuss the main thories of growth and development; to understand the main limits of these models; to understand the variables behind the process of economic development and the relationships between them; to understand the main plans of development implemented in the past and at the present, their strenghts and their limits; to analyse the main plans of development promoted by the main international organisations.

Autonomy of judgment. At the end of the module, students will be able to assess the main implications of the various growth and development policies adopted by individual countries and international organizations. They will also be able to evaluate the different policies adopted over time from a historical perspective.

Communication skills. At the end of the module, students will be able to deal with discussions on issues of growth and development economics, using an appropriate technical language based on basic skills related to the subject.

Ability to learn. The growth and development economics bases provided by the module will be the starting point for further studies to which the students may be interested. The module aims to provide students with the ability to acquire additional skills in development and growth economics, using in-depth materials.

PREREQUISITES

Familiarity with the analytical tools of economics.

TEACHING METHODS

Traditional classes, aimed to stimulate the discussion about current issues

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

 1 Introduction to development economics
1.1 Growth and development in economics
1.2 Growth and development in historical perspective

2 Models and policies of growth
2.1 Classical "capitalistic" models (Smith, Ricardo, Malthus)
2.2 Classical "anti-capitalistic" models (Marx e Schumpeter)
2.3 Contemporaneous models I
2.3.1 Harrod-Domar
2.3.2 Solow without technological progress
2.3.3 Solow with technological progress
2.4 Policies for savings and innovation
2.5 Solow's model and demography
2.6 Demographic policies
2.7 Contemporaneous models II
2.7.1 Models with human capital
2.7.2 Models with natural resources
2.7.3 Economic growth and globalisation
2.8 Policies for human capital, natural resources and foreign trade

3 Economic development: introduction to the "new development economics"
3.1 Domestic and international inequalities
3.2 Institutions, society and culture
3.3 Access to essential resources and services
3.4 Development and environment
3.5 Human development index
3.6 National amd international policies for development

4 Economic growth, economic development and firms.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Todaro, M. P., & Smith, S. C. (2011). Economic development. Boston: Pearson Addison Wesley.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ANDREA VINDIGNI (President)

MARTA SANTAGATA

ELENA SEGHEZZA (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

First semester

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The final exam will be written and composed by three open questions 

FURTHER INFORMATION

periodically consult the aula web