Course Description

Globally, the pace of economic development is rapid, uneven, and non-uniform. This  course, “Development Economics,” presents a foundational perspective on economic  development through a comprehensive approach relevant to both the developed and  developing worlds. The course addresses the unprecedented progress made in many  parts of the developing world and fully confronts the enormous problems and challenges  that remain to be addressed in the years ahead. Development Economics examines the  economic, social, and institutional processes that shape growth, poverty reduction,  structural transformation, and improvements in human well-being in developing  countries.

The course asks the following questions: What is the meaning of economic  development? What is the relevance of economic development to the developed and  developing worlds? How do we understand the issues, real conditions, and institutions  that characterize the developing world?

The course introduces students to major theories, concepts, and empirical debates  related to economic development, with particular attention to the experiences of  countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, especially India