Economics of Development
Study Board of Market and Management Anthropology, Economics, Mathematics-Economics, Environmental and Resource Management
Teaching language: English
EKA: B500043112, B500043102
Censorship: Second examiner: None
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Spring
Level: Bachelor
Course ID: B500043101
ECTS value: 5
Date of Approval: 07-09-2021
Duration: 1 semester
Course ID
Course Title
Teaching language
ECTS value
Responsible study board
Study Board of Market and Management Anthropology, Economics, Mathematics-Economics, Environmental and Resource Management
Date of Approval
Course Responsible
Offered in
Level
Offered in
Duration
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
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
Take-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
2
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
Take-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 examination on premises
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
3
Additional information
Part 2 weights 60% in the final grading of the course.
Re-examination
Form of examination
Oral examination
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.