DECO 23A22 - Economies and Policies in the Middle East

This course is designed to give an overview of the institutional economic and social structures of the MENA region. This year, the course takes place against a dramatic backdrop of war, and revolutions. These events create a highly emotionally charged context. Our duty in this academic exercise is to step away from current events and study the causes and mechanisms that have contributed to the present state of the region.

The aim of this course will be to bring tools and concepts of political economy to the analysis of the rapidly changing Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The course will focus on the financial surpluses and deficits in the region and their impact on economic and social contracts in the different countries of the region. In the context of the ongoing energy transitions and demographic changes, the course will examine potential consequences on, and needed reforms of, existing economic and political structures.

The grading of the course will emphasize consistent presence and participation, group work presentations, and an end of semester exam that will be a knowledge test based on the topics and data reviewed in class.

Presentations: Any presentation should not last more than 10 to 15 minutes. To achieve that, avoid any descriptive passages and make sure you go to the target to the point of the topic.

Final exam: it will be a Q&A based exam. It is designed to test knowledge and understanding of concepts discussed in class.

Grading: