国际发展前沿:理论与实务——2016年春季学期双学位课程介绍

发布日期:2016-02-19 03:39    来源:北京大学国家发展研究院

Frontiers in International Development: Theories and Practices

~ Draft syllabus, subject to minor changes ~

 

Instructor: Dr. Jiajun Xu (jiajunxu@nsd.pku.edu.cn)

 

TA: Ms. Yixuan Liu (yxliu0505@163.com)

 

Time: 13:00 – 17:00 Saturday

Place: 二教315

 

Office Hour: 11:00 – 13:00 Saturday

Venue: 理科五号楼261

(To make an appointment, please contact TA before 5pm each Friday.)

 

Language: English

 

Final Exam Date: 13:00 – 16:20, 11 June 2016

 

Course Objectives:

Frontiers in International Development: Theories and Practices intends to provide an introduction to key concepts and analytical perspectives in the field of international development necessary for critical engagement with a wide range of development challenges. It aims to foster independent thinking among undergraduate students on frontier policy issues about international development. It encourages students to apply analytical tools to conduct policy-oriented studies and write up English reports.

The course targets up to 50 undergraduates who have passion for helping developing countries to achieve sustainable economic transformation and are keen to embark on a professional career in the field of international development. To provide students with opportunities to make dialogues with leading professionals in the field of international development, the instructor will invite experts and practitioners from multilateral development institutions as well as bilateral development agencies to deliver thematic lectures.

To help students to gain first-hand experiences of policy analysis and country consultation, teamwork is required to apply the Growth Identification and Facilitation Framework (GIFF) – an analytical tool of New Structural Economics proposed by Professor Justin Yifu Lin – to selected developing countries. To accomplish this exercise, students need to master how to use core databases and collect essential secondary information from various sources in order to write up policy reports in English. At the end of the semester, group presentations will be arranged in an environment of mock country consultation where representatives from these developing countries will provide feedback on these country studies. Excellent policy reports will be selected to be published in the Working Paper Series of the Centre for New Structural Economics at Peking University and/or edited book volumes.

In order to encourage excellent students to become professionals in the field of international development, the instructor will recommend high-performing students to undertake internships in leading international development institutions such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Class Schedule:

Week

Topics

Date

1-3

Foundations

1

Introduction

Feb. 27

2

Globalization, International Institutions and Development

Mar. 5

3

New Structural Economics: Growth Identification and Facilitation Framework (GIFF)

Mar. 12

4-10

Frontier Development Topics

4

Agenda-Setting: From Multilateral Development Goals (MDGs) to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Mar. 19

5

Rethinking Aid Effectiveness

Mar. 26

6

Industrial Policy Revisited

Apr. 2

7

The Breton Woods Institutions: Adapting to a Changing World

Apr. 9

8

International Finance and Development

Apr. 16

9

International Trade and Development

Apr. 23

10

Rethinking the ‘Good Governance’ Agenda

Apr. 30

11-13

China and International Development

11

Industrialization in Africa: Is China a Flying Dragon?

May 7

12

China’s Ascendancy as a Development Financer: Reshaping International Rules?

May 14

13

China-Related Development Banks: Public Entrepreneurship in Action?

May 21

14-16

Presentations & Examination

14

Group Presentations I (Mock Country Consultation)

May 28

15

Group Presentations II (Mock Country Consultation)

Jun. 4

16

Final Examination

Jun. 11

Requirements:

Each week about two required readings are provided in advance. Each student is expected to have completed all the required readings before class to the point where you can be called on to critique or defend any reading.

Readings:

The course is primarily journal article driven, but the required textbooks are as follows:

 

Lin, Justin Yifu. 2012a. New Structural Economics: A Framework for Rethinking Development and Policy. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank.

———. 2012b. The Quest for Prosperity: How Developing Economies Can Take Off. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press.

Oatley, Thomas H. 2010. International Political Economy: Interests and Institutions in the Global Economy. Pearson Longman.

Frieden, Jeffry, David Lake, and Lawrence Broz, eds. 2010. International Political Economy: Perspectives on Global Power and Wealth. New York: W. W. Norton.

Grading: Class participation (10%):

In order to help students master key databases and familiarise themselves with flagship development reports (such as World Development Report and Human Development Report), the instructor will guide students to learn how to grasp basic skills of data collection and critical reading. Simple exercises will be provided. Students are encouraged to make mini-talks within 5-10 minutes to share their findings at the beginning of each class. Students will earn a score of 5 for each mini-talk.

 

If students are absent from class (without prior noticing and approval by the instructor), they would get a score of minus 5 for each absence. In case of illness, student needs to notify TA to ask for sick leave before class.

 

Team report and group presentation (40%)

 

Final examination (50%)