Fall 2019 - ECON 455W D100

Seminar in Economic Development (3)

Class Number: 4821

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 3 – Dec 2, 2019: Wed, 11:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

    Sep 3 – Dec 2, 2019: Fri, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Dec 4, 2019
    Wed, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    ECON 333.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Topics in economic development. Students with credit for ECON 455 may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Quantitative.

COURSE DETAILS:

This seminar-format course introduces students to the current topics and economic theories in development economics. The issues that will be addressed include: the major economic forces that drive development and growth, the structural features that characterize labor, capital and land markets in developing economies, market imperfections and the sources of good policies and institutions. The course will focus on microeconomic foundations but without ignoring the macroeconomic “big picture” and will combine economic theory with basic data analysis. The main goal is to understand how the development process works, why some countries are poor while others are rich, and whether policy can make a difference.

Grading: This is a writing-intensive course so several types of written assignments will account for the majority of the final grade. The first assignment type is a “memo”, which is a very brief (half a page maximum) written comment on a particular point, idea or argument from an assigned weekly discussion paper. These memos will be graded on a rough scale (e.g. “ok”, “not ok”). Second, each student will have to prepare an executive summary of an article from the reading list which he/she will present in front of the class. Finally, the course requires an original term paper to be submitted at the end of the course. The final grade will be determined based on all written assignments, the term paper and a final exam. Interim and final feedback will be provided on all written work.

Grading

  • The (final) weights of each evaluation part are:
  • Six (6) memos on discussion papers 15%
  • Paper summary and in-class presentation 20%
  • Term paper 30%
  • Final exam 35%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

None.

RECOMMENDED READING:

There is no required textbook for the course. An optional reading to supplement some of the covered theoretical topics is: Ray, D., 1998, Development Economics, Princeton University Press, NJ, USA

Some policy-related and empirical topics that we will discuss are also covered on a very accessible level in: Easterly, W., 2001, The Elusive Quest for Growth, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA

There will also be a list of papers to be covered in class which will be available electronically or placed on reserve in the library. Each week a “discussion paper” will be assigned to be analyzed and debated in class. 

Department Undergraduate Notes:

***NO TUTORIALS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES***

Students requiring accommodations as a result of a disability must contact the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) at 778-782-3112 or caladmin@sfu.ca.

Registrar Notes:

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS