Economics of Development

Course ID

B500043101

Course Title

Teaching language

English

ECTS value

Responsible study board

Study Board of Market and Management Anthropology, Economics, Mathematics-Economics, Environmental and Resource Management

Date of Approval

07-09-2021

Course Responsible

Name	Email	Department
Paul Richard Sharp	pauls@sam.sdu.dk	Institut for Virksomhedsledelse og Økonomi, Econometrics and Economic History, HEDG, Interdisciplinary Centre on Population Dynamics – Four Faculties Affiliates, Danish Institute for Advanced Study

Offered in

Odense

Level

Bachelor

Offered in

Spring

Duration

1 semester

Aim and purpose

The reason why some countries are rich and other countries are poor, and thus the need for development economics, cannot be understood without first understanding the process of development which led some countries to develop and others to be left behind – after all, all civilizations began as “primitive” agricultural societies. Thus, this course provides the MMA student with an understanding of development from the perspective of economics, with a firm foundation in the historical processes which shaped the world today. Denmark’s development story will be taken as an explicit case, and it will be asked how well such stories can generalize as lessons for present day developing countries.

In other classes, the MMA student learns how markets arise and change, and how organizations can navigate the global and local market conditions, as well as providing an understanding cross-cultural encounters, and globalization processes. Economics provides important tools for analyzing this, and the historical context provides the perspective which is necessary to add context to an ever-changing world. Moreover, the purpose of the course is to give the student a basic understanding of the threats and possibilities the process of development represents and the dilemmas it engenders.

The course represents an important precondition to be able to act in international organizations which interact with developing regions of the world. The student will learn to appreciate key debates on development e.g. the role of global inequality, globalization processes, and some of the hindrances to economic development, e.g. the role of political or institutional factors, seen in relation to geographical and other conditions. Importantly, this course also provides the student with critical perspectives on development.

The course consists partly of lectures as well as group work where it will be possible to go more into depth with one of the topics presented during the lectures.

Content

The historical underpinning of present inequality
Institutions and development
Knowledge, Technology Transfer and Convergence
Denmark as a Development Case Study
Inequality Among and Within Nations
Globalization

Description of outcome - Knowledge

Reflect upon and explain the reasons for why some countries are rich, and others are poor
Reflect upon the linkages between global and local factors influencing development
Identify, explain, and reflect upon the main topics within development and historical development
Explain and reflect upon different explanations for pre-industrial and modern growth, including demography, institutions, knowledge, and technology
Describe the changes in inequality within and between countries over time, and explain how to measure this
Describe and reflect upon the history of globalization and the challenges it presents

Description of outcome - Skills

Analyze and understand the complexities of development with respect to different contexts
Understand the basic economics of historical development
Undertake a critical approach to development projects from a long run and international perspective
Summarize academic work (for example journal articles) relating to development

Description of outcome - Competences

Define areas of investigation in terms of optimizing development projects from a long run and international perspective
Contribute to development projects as an active participant

Literature

Examples:

Excerpts from:

Acemoglu, D. and J. Robinson (2012). Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Crown Business.

Lampe, M. and P. Sharp. (2018). A Land of Milk and Butter: How Elites Created the Modern Danish Dairy Industry. University of Chicago Press.

Lampe, M. and P. Sharp (2020). “How to ‘get to Denmark’: An assessment of Denmark as an economic model for developing countries”. CAGE Policy Briefing no. 29.

Nunn, N. (2014). “Historical Development”. In Aghion, P. And S.N. Durlauf, Handbook of Economic Growth, Vol. 2A, pp. 347-402.

Ogilvie, S. and A.W. Carus (2014). “Institutions and Economic Growth in Historical Perspective”. In Aghion, P. And S.N. Durlauf, Handbook of Economic Growth, Vol. 2A, pp. 403-489.

Persson, K.G. and P. Sharp (2015), “An Economic History of Europe: Knowledge, Institutions and Growth, 600 to the Present”, 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press.

Rodrik, D. (1997). ‘Sense and nonsense in the globalization debate’. Foreign Policy, 19-37.

Rodrik, D. (2018). ‘Populism and the Economics of Globalization’. Journal of International Business Policy, 1-22.

Teaching Method

Lectures and group work.

Workload

Scheduled classes

10 weeks of 3 hours per week

Workload

The teaching activities result in an estimated distribution of the work effort of an average student as follows:

Lectures - 30 hours

Group work on selected topic – 40 hours

Preparation - 65 hours

Total: 135 hours.

This corresponds to an average weekly workload of 6.5 hours during the semester, including the exam.

Examination regulations

Exam

Name

Exam

Timing

Group work (part 1):
Exam: During the semester
Reexam: August

Written exam (part 2):

Exam: June

Reexam: August

Rules

The course can be passed on an average, however, the grade -03 cannot be included in the assessment of the tests. If the overall course is passed, partial tests with the grade 00 cannot be retaken.

Tests

Group work (part 1)

Name

Group work (part 1)

Form of examination

Home assignment

Censorship

Second examiner: None

Grading

7-point grading scale

Identification

Student Identification Card - Date of birth

Language

English

Duration

During the semester.

Length

7 pages per group.

Examination aids

All aids allowed.

Assignment handin

Electronic hand-in via Digital Exam.

ECTS value

Additional information

Group work on chosen topic.

The assignment can be written individually or in groups of up to 4 students, with 3-4 students recommended.

Part 1 weights 40% in the final grading of the course.

Re-examination

Form of examination

Home assignment

Identification

Student Identification Card - Date of birth

Duration

Hand-in in august.

Examination aids

All aids allowed.

Assignment handin

Electronic hand-in via Digital Exam.

Additional information

The reexam is a 4-page summary of a paper (individual work).

EKA

B500043112

Written exam (part 2):

Name

Written exam (part 2):

Form of examination

Written in situ exam

Censorship

Second examiner: None

Grading

7-point grading scale

Identification

Student Identification Card - Exam number

Language

English

Duration

3 hours.

Length

No limit.

Examination aids

All aids allowed.

Assignment handover

The assignment is handed over in Digital Exam.

Assignment handin

Electronic hand-in via Digital Exam.

ECTS value

Additional information

Part 2 weights 60% in the final grading of the course.

Re-examination

Form of examination

Oral exam

Identification

Student Identification Card - Date of birth

Duration

20 minutes with no preparation.

Additional information

EKA

B500043102

External comment

The course is identical with the former course B500038101 Economics of Development. Used examination attempts will be transferred.

Courses offered

Period	Offer type	Profile	Programme	Semester

Teachers

Name	Email	Department	City
Paul Richard Sharp	pauls@sam.sdu.dk	Institut for Virksomhedsledelse og Økonomi, Econometrics and Economic History, HEDG, Interdisciplinary Centre on Population Dynamics – Four Faculties Affiliates, Danish Institute for Advanced Study	Odense

URL for Skemaplan

Odense

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