THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2015/2016

University Homepage
DRPS Homepage
DRPS Search
DRPS Contact
DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Social and Political Science : Postgrad (School of Social and Political Studies)

Postgraduate Course: Rethinking Development Economics (PGSP11386)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Social and Political Science CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis optional course introduces students to macro and microeconomic theories and debates in development. The course is aimed at students with little previous exposure to or background in economics and sets out to offer a critical understanding of principals in neo-classical economics as they have been applied to the project of development in the Global South. The course will review key elements of economic theory, in relation to globalisation, poverty, microfinance and social enterprise. Through case studies of specific policies and programmes students will be introduced to debates about economic models and paradigms, including their claims to truth, their ideological underpinnings, and their role in reproducing inequality and injustice.
Course description Students are expected to attend one lecture and one tutorial each week. Each lecture will last one hour and will be followed by a one seminar for structured discussion and debate, to explore key issues and draws on that week's readings issues. The lectures will be delivered by the course convenor, and may include guest talks from in-house and visiting experts, with the convenor attending each week and responsible for overall course coherence.

Week One: Putting the economics into development

Week Two: The Economics of Development and the Development of Economics

Week Three: The Growth Fetish

Week Four: Freedom

Week Five: Industrial Futures

Week Six: No Classes

Deadline for Submission of 1000 word, mid semester paper

Week Seven: Getting the Measure of Poverty

Week Eight: The Economic Lives of the Poor

Week Nine: The Informal Economy

Week Ten: Bankers to the Poor

Week Eleven: Poverty Means Business
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. show an advanced knowledge and understanding of key concepts in development economics and the tools to think critically about them.
  2. show an understanding of key ideas in neo-classical economics and how the history of their application in development policy and programme.
  3. show an understanding of the history and debates surrounding these ideas and those of influential critics
  4. understand the role of macro and micro economic theory in development and practice.
Reading List
Week One: Putting the economics into development

Key Readings
Wolfgang Sachs, (2010) Introduction to The Development Dictionary: A Guide to Knowledge as Power
Ha Joon Chang (2004) Introduction in Rethinking Development Economics

Week Two: The Economics of Development and the Development of Economics

Key Reading
W. Arthur Lewes. 1954. Economic Development with Unlimited Supplies of Labour
John Williamson, 1993. Democracy and the Washington Consensus. World Development


Week Three: The Growth Fetish

Key Reading

Latouch, Serge. 2009. The Territory of De-Growth in Farewell to Growth
John Noye 2004 'Changing Perspectives in Development Economics' in Ha Joon Chang (ed) Rethinking Development Economics. London: Anthem


Week Four: Freedom

Key Readings
Hayek, Freidrich Von. 1944. The Road to Serfdom. Chapter 4.
Chang, Ha Joon. 2010. 'There is No Such Thing as a Free Market' in 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism


Week Five: Industrial Futures

Key Readings
Caitrin Lynch, The Politics of White Women's Underwear in Sri Lanka's Open Economy
Hewamanne, Sandya. 2008. City of Whores. Nationalism, Development and Global Garment Workers in Sri Lanka.


Week Six: Getting the Measure of Poverty

Key Readings
Maia Green and David Hulme, 2005. From Correlates And Characteristics To Causes: Thinking About Poverty From A Chronic Poverty Perspective. World Development. Vol. 33, No. 6, pp. 867-879.
Extracts from the UNDP's Human Development Report 2013


Week Seven: No Class


Week Eight: The Economic Lives of the Poor

Key Readings
Banerjee, Abhijit V, and Esther Duflo. 2007. "The Economic Lives of the Poor." Journal of Economic Perspectives 21 (1): 141-167.
New Yorker, 2010, The Poverty Lab, (May 17th)


Week Nine: The Informal Economy

Key Readings
Hart, Keith. 1973. Informal Income Opportunities and Urban Employment in Ghana in the Journal of Modern African Studies
Meagher, Kate. 1995. Crisis, Informalization and the Urban Informal Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa in Development and Change


Week Ten: Bankers to the Poor

Key Readings

Rankin, Katherine Neilson. 2001. "Governing Development: Neoliberalism, Microcredit, and Rational Economic Woman." Economy and Society 30 (1): 18-37.
Ananya Roy, Global Order: Circuits of Capital and Truth, in Poverty Capital


Week 11: Poverty Means Business

Key Readings
Prahalad, C. K., and S. L. Hart. "Raising the Bottom of the Pyramid: Strategies for Sustainable Growth" 1001: 48109.
Dolan, Catherine S., and Linda Scott. 2009. "Lipstick evangelism: Avon trading circles and gender empowerment in South Africa." Gender & Development 17 (2): 203-218.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Jamie Cross
Tel:
Email: Jamie.Cross@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Jessica Barton
Tel: (0131 6)51 5066
Email: Jessica.Barton@ed.ac.uk
Navigation
Help & Information
Home
Introduction
Glossary
Search DPTs and Courses
Regulations
Regulations
Degree Programmes
Introduction
Browse DPTs
Courses
Introduction
Humanities and Social Science
Science and Engineering
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Other Information
Combined Course Timetable
Prospectuses
Important Information
 
© Copyright 2015 The University of Edinburgh - 18 January 2016 4:40 am