The defining challenges of our times – extreme inequality within and between countries, environmental destruction, pervasive poverty, threats to democracy – do not fall from the sky. They result from public policies and social institutions that in turn are shaped by theories about the process of development. This course offers a critical introduction to the central ideas and theories that have shaped these policy choices. The course addresses questions such as: is inequality necessary for economic growth? Why is the gender wage gap so persistent? Should the understanding of the economy limited to market interactions? How can developing countries grow with environmental sustainability? Is spending in health and education a luxury or an investment? Do international trade agreements create a level playing field for countries? Is a flexible labor market the most effective way to promote employment and wage growth? What is the role of the state in transforming economies? How should the governance of global international economic institutions be reformed to give more voice to the Global South? The course emphasizes the importance of ethical foundations, and the historical inequities of North-South relations. It introduces theories from mainstream and heterodox approaches including structuralism, feminism, capabilities and human rights, and sustainability. The aim is to prepare students to engage critically and creatively in contemporary debates about what works and does not work to promote sustainable and equitable development. NOTE: This course was formerly titled "Development Economics".

The defining challenges of our times – extreme inequality within and between countries, environmental destruction, pervasive poverty, threats to democracy – do not fall from the sky. They result from public policies and social institutions that in turn are shaped by theories about the process of development. This course offers a critical introduction to the central ideas and theories that have shaped these policy choices. The course addresses questions such as: is inequality necessary for economic growth? Why is the gender wage gap so persistent? Should the understanding of the economy limited to market interactions? How can developing countries grow with environmental sustainability? Is spending in health and education a luxury or an investment? Do international trade agreements create a level playing field for countries? Is a flexible labor market the most effective way to promote employment and wage growth? What is the role of the state in transforming economies? How should the governance of global international economic institutions be reformed to give more voice to the Global South? The course emphasizes the importance of ethical foundations, and the historical inequities of North-South relations. It introduces theories from mainstream and heterodox approaches including structuralism, feminism, capabilities and human rights, and sustainability. The aim is to prepare students to engage critically and creatively in contemporary debates about what works and does not work to promote sustainable and equitable development. NOTE: This course was formerly titled "Development Economics".