F1ID 5075 - State Institutions and Socio-economic Development.

Institutions matter for development in low- and middle-income countries. Yet, there remain intense and unresolved academic debates on why (and which) institutions matter and how adequate institutions can be built or strengthened in developing countries.

This course will:

• Introduce students to academic debates on institutional development from a multi-disciplinary perspective and explore the role of the state in social and economic development.
• Provide students with policy and operational perspectives on institutional reforms, based on examples and case studies from developing countries.

Focusing on the ‘fundamentals’ of state-building (e.g. taxation, public administration, public financial management), this course will explore key questions in relation to the role of state (and non-state) institutions in development: what challenges do states face in financing and regulating the economy and services? How should responsibilities be distributed between central and local institutions? How are formal and informal institutions articulated?

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge: Critically engage in theoretical and policy debates on the role of institutions in development
• Knowledge: Build practical knowledge on case studies and projects of institutional reforms from developing countries
• Skills: Think strategically about how institutional reform happens.
• Skills: Understand the elements to consider when designing or evaluating innovative and impactful institutional reform projects.

Professional Skills

• Policy-oriented research & analysis
• Critical thinking
• Written communication
• Teamwork

There are no prerequisites for this course.

The instructors will provide oral feedback on in-class presentations and written feedback on written work

• In-class presentation in groups of 2 or 3 25%
• Policy paper (individual work) 35%
• Final exam 30%
• Participation 10%

• Attendance: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
• Online learning activities (e.g. serious games, data visualizations): 9 hours a semester
• Reading and Preparation for Class: 6 hours a week / 72 hours a semester
• Research and Preparation for Group Presentation: 15 hours a semester
• Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 30 hours a semester