Sample Courses
The list below is illustrative and does not represent the courses that may be available in any given term or year.
INTS 15/GEOG 6: Introduction to International Development
Why are some countries rich and others so persistently poor? What can and should be done about this global inequity and by whom? We address these development questions from the perspective of critical human geography. Focusing on the regions of Latin America, Africa, and Asia, we examine how development meanings and practices have varied over time and place, and how they have been influenced by the colonial history, contemporary globalization and international aid organizations.
ECON 24: Economics in Developing Countries
This course uses economic analysis to understand contemporary issues in low-income countries. We consider why extreme poverty and hunger, child mortality, low-levels of education, gender inequality, environmental degradation, high fertility, and child labor are pervasive in the developing world. We also examine the economic consequences of globalization and infectious diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS. For each topic, we seek to understand the factors and constraints influencing decision-making in developing countries. We use this understanding to discuss the role of markets, civil organizations, government policy, and international institutions.
ECON 39: International Trade
This course deals with the causes and consequences of international trade and factor movements. Topics covered include theories of why nations trade, the consequences of trade for economic welfare and the distribution of income, the determinants of trade patterns, the tariff and other forms of commercial policy, trade policies of selected countries, and the formation of the multinational corporation.
ECON 44: Topics in Development Economics
This seminar considers microeconomic aspects of the causes and consequences of extreme poverty in the developing world. Recent research on topics such child labor, credit, education, environmental degradation, fertility, gender discrimination, health, HIV/AIDs, insurance, malnutrition, social capital, and technology adoption will be considered in depth.