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Dr Sandra Sequeira CON.6.05

This course is available on the MRes/PhD in International Development. This course is not available as an outside option.

This course is available as an option for students enrolled in the MRes/PhD in International Development only.

This course examines the microeconomic foundations of economic policy-making in developing countries. Classes will combine economic theory and rigorous empirical analysis to better understand the impact of economic development policy on development goals. We will focus on specific examples chosen from development cases worldwide to learn which policies have worked, which ones have not, and how a rigorous analysis of these experiences can inform the design of better economic development policies in the future.

The course is structured around three main themes:

(i) Human Development: health policy, education policy and intra-household dynamics

(ii) Institutions and Markets: labour markets, state capacity for public service delivery and private sector development

(iii) Behavioural Economics and Development Policy Design: the importance of psychology in explaining economic behaviour and how it can inform better development policy design

This course is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars in the WT. Seminars will be 90 minutes duration and lectures will be 120 minutes duration. There will be a weekly workshop run by a Teaching Fellow for students to ask questions about the material.

Seminars start in week 1 and there will be a reading week in Week 6.

Students will be expected to produce 1 piece of coursework in the WT.

A plan for the research paper (1500-2000 words) on which the student will receive feedback and topic approval

Indicative reading: The bulk of the course will be taught using journal articles. A reading list will be handed out by the lecturers at the beginning of their sessions. Useful reference texts include D Ray, Development Economics (1998) which will serve as the course text, and W Easterly, The Quest for Growth.

Essay (100%, 5000 words) in the ST.