F1ID 4000 - Development Economics: Theory and Evidence

This course considers the drivers of economic development and the economic forces shaping the lives of the poor in developing countries. We start with the big picture: how unequal is the global distribution of income, how did we get here, and what are the macroeconomic constraints preventing low-income countries from catching up? We then zoom in on the economic lives of the poor in developing countries: the constraints they face, how markets work (and fail) for them, and how poverty affects their decisions. We cover multiple topics and debates – including health and education, risk and investment, rural markets and institutions, migration, gender, and the environment – and throughout we study examples of real development policies, as well as methods used to evaluate their impact. By the end of the course, you should understand the basics of how development economists measure causal effects and evaluate policy.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the basic drivers of economic development and the economic lives of the poor in developing countries.
• Be able to critically assess core debates around economic development and major policy trends in developing countries.
• Understand the basics of the core concepts of quantitative impact evaluation and how to apply them to empirical situations related to economic development.
• Be able to critically review findings from impact evaluations and research papers in development economics.

Professional Skills

• Critical thinking: Acquire an informed and critical vision of development issues, allowing you to work in organizations connected to policies discussed in class.
• Oral and written communication: Communicating effectively and adequately, based on clear facts and empirical findings using data.
• Critical reading of policy evidence and a basic understanding of the main methods of quantitative impact evaluation

No prerequisites.

Feedback will be provided to students over the semester, through graded quizzes and exams, and emails or meetings with the instructor / teaching assistant upon request.

Grades will be determined based on an in-person quiz and an in-person exam which will cover the material covered in the lectures and readings. The quiz will consist of multiple-choice questions and short conceptual questions. The exam will consist of multiple-choice questions, short conceptual questions, a brief quantitative policy-evaluation exercise, and a mini-essay.

details TBC

• Attendance: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
• Reading and Preparation for Class: 4 hours a week / 48 hours a semester
• Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 40 hours a semester [to prepare for the final exam]
• Other: 35 hours a semester [to prepare for the midterm quiz]