290061 Studies in Development Economics

Details
Institute of Food and Resource Economics
Earliest Possible YearMSc. 1 year to MSc. 2 year
DurationOne block
 
Credits7.5 (ECTS)
Course LevelMSc
Priviously under the title: "Advanced Development Economics"
 
ExaminationFinal Examination

oral examination


No aid allowed

Description of Examination: Individual oral examination based on project report and course curriculum. The project is done during the course and it is possible for the students to do the project and write the report individually or in groups

Weight: Curriculum and project report: 100 %



7-point scale, internal examiner
 
Organisation of TeachingLectures, project work, and execises
 
Block PlacementBlock 1
Week Structure: A
 
Teaching LanguageEnglish
 
Optional Prerequisites290006 Development Economics
 
RestrictionsNone
 
Course Contents
The course covers, among other things, the following subjects:
- Macroeconomics and stabilization policies, including structural adjustment programmes, in the LDCs.
- Growth theory: from Solow model to endogenous growth theory, convergence and the productivity controversies.
- Debt, debt "overhang", debt buyback and direct foreign investment.
- The New Institutional Economics.
- Sustainability, environment and development.
- Farmers' production strategies: profit maximization vs utility maximization.
- Supply responses and the role of prices in farmers' production decisions.
- Peasants' household models and the economics of agriculture in LDCs.
- Gender economics.
Parallel with the elaboration of these issues, students will be working on specific problem-based questions (such as farm size & efficiency, rural financial markets, food issues, globalization & the inequality of nations, aid effectiveness, anti-dumping measures, free capital movement, etc.) The students will present their findings to, and discuss them with, the rest of the class.
 
Teaching And Learning Methods
Traditional lecturing will be limited in this course, and will depend on the students' background and preference. However, traditional lecturing should not exceed one-quarter of the time. The students will be encouraged from the start to present and to discuss selected literature. Furthermore, the students will work individually and with other students on specific problem-areas. Each student/group will have time to present and to discuss the findings with the rest of the participants in the course. The exact content of the course will partially depend on the problems and aspects selected by the students themselves.
 
Learning Outcome
The aim of the course is to deepen the broad knowledge introduced in the undergraduate course Development Economics (290006). The main goal is to equip students with the tools which would enable them to deeply understand, analyze and follow the implications of various development related policies and controversy; to undertake sound micro and macro economic analysis of development questions, paying particular attention to agrarian-related issues.

After completing the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge:
- Deeply comprehend the up to date theoretical and empirical issues in the field of development, trade, aid, poverty alleviation and global income distribution.
- Reflect and appreciate the interplay between the micro and macro spheres in development matters.
- Diagnose and undertake own evaluation of various policy measure related to rural development, structural adjustment programmes and debt relief initiatives.

Skills:
- Apply theory-based analytical tools to discuss, understand and provide solutions to development related problems.
- Undertake sound economic analysis which takes into account the socio-economic and ethical dimensions of the problems, both locally and globally.
- The students will be encouraged to pass their own evaluation of various policy choices and to navigate their ways in actual problems facing developing countries.

Competence:
- Develop abilities to analyse problems related to development and growth with the use of up-to-date economic tools.
- Work in a group and develop abilities to discuss, criticize and deepen economic texts, and work individually to acquire the skills of presenting and defending ideas, as well as to formulate problems and address them appropriately in written essay.
 
Course Litterature
Rao, M. & R. Nallari (2001): Macroeconomic Stabilization and Adjustment. Oxford UP.
Agénor P.R. & P. Montiel (1996): Development Macroeconomics. Princeton UP.
Ray, D. (1998): Development Economics. Princeton UP.
Ghatak, S. (1995): Monetary Economics in Developing Countries. 2nd. Ed., St. Martin's Press.
Ellis, F. (1993): Peasant Economics. Cambridge University Press.
Jha, R. (1994): Macroeconomics for Developing Countries. Routledge, London.
Eicher, C & J.M.Staaz (eds.) (1990): Agricultural Development in the Third World. 2nd ed, John Hopkins UP.
Kanafani, N. (1995): Risk, Utility and Farmers' Production Strategies. Nectar, Brussels..
Jensen, K. and N. Kanafani (1997): An Introduction to Gender Economics - Women in the Household. Nectar, Brussels.
 
Course Coordinator
Noman Kanafani, kan@life.ku.dk, Institute of Food and Resource Economics/International Economics and Policy Division, Phone: 35332269
 
Study Board
Study Committee NSN
 
Course Scope
lectures30
theoretical exercises44
preparation87
project work44
examination1

206