IFCO 2685 - History of the Global Economy
IFCO 2685 · Fall semester 2026-2027
- Language of tuition
- English
- Course type
- Cours magistral
- Number of hours
- 24
- Credits
- 4
Information
Description
This course introduces students to the history of the global economy, stressing the central role that economic history can have in informing current debates on the key challenges facing society today: the future of globalization, the factors shaping inequality, or the role of monetary and fiscal policy in stabilizing the economy. It asks: What were the political and technological underpinnings of increased trade, capital and labour flows over the past two centuries; what were the effects of these flows on income distribution within countries; and what political responses did they provoke? What can explain the deglobalization experienced in the years between 1914 and 1945? Can history inform current debates about industrial policy? What is the relationship between globalization and peace?
Prerequisites
It is a fundamental course. A lot of the readings will assume familiarity with economics, though I will present the arguments in as intuitive a manner as possible in the classroom.
Teaching format
This is a lecture course. Students are encouraged to ask questions in class.
Assessment
There will be a 2-hour written mid-term exam accounting for 40% of the grade and a 2 hour written final exam accounting for 60%.
Readings
Main readings 5
-
Abramitzky, Ran, and Leah Boustan. "Immigration in American Economic History." Journal of Economic Literature 55, no. 4 (2017): 1311-45.
-
Ellison, Martin, Sang Seok Lee, and Kevin Hjortshøj O'Rourke. "The Ends of 27 Big Depressions." American Economic Review 114, no. 1 (2024): 134-68. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20221479. https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.20221479.
-
Martin, Philippe, Thierry Mayer, and Mathias Thoenig. "Make Trade Not War?". The Review of Economic Studies 75, no. 3 (2008): 865-900. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-937X.2008.00492.x. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-937X.2008.00492.x
-
O'Rourke, Kevin H., and Jeffrey G. Williamson. Globalization and History: The Evolution of a Nineteenth-Century Atlantic Economy. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1999.
-
Panza, Laura, and Jeffrey G. Williamson. "Did Muhammad Ali Foster Industrialization in Early Nineteenth-Century Egypt?". The Economic History Review 68, no. 1 (2015/02/01 2015): 79-100. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0289.12063. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0289.12063.
Teaching units
| Unit no. | Unit type | Teaching units | Teachers | Number of hours | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15685 | Cours magistral | History of the Global Economy | Kevin O'ROURKE, Vitaliia ELISEEVA | 24 | 4 |
| 18657 | — | TA History of the Global Eco | — | 16 | — |
| 20907 | Teaching assistant | TA History of the Global Eco | Vitaliia ELISEEVA | 16 | — |
Teachers
- Kevin O'ROURKE
- Vitaliia ELISEEVA
In the curricula
- Formation Académique Commune (FAC) - Semestre d'automne 2026-2027FORMATION ACADEMIQUE COMMUNE (MASTERS)
Contacts and resources
- Contact
- IODICE Marina · LOURDELET Esther