Development Economics

This course covers key topics in development economics, in particular poverty, social protection, human capital, access to financial services, and income generating activities (labor, entrepreneurship, agriculture). In analyzing these topics, the course will apply a variety of micro-economic theoretical tools and empirical methods using real-world case studies taken from around the developing world. We will consider what policies work to improve the well-being of vulnerable populations. To do so, we will cover the current state of research applying micro-econometric techniques to evaluate the effects of policy interventions in areas ranging from education to social assistance, from agricultural technology adoption to access to credit and micro-enterprise growth.