COURSE PURPOSE
Economics 210a is required of Ph.D. students in Economics. It is recommended that students enroll in the first year of the graduate program. Graduate students in other degree programs may enroll subject to the availability of space and with the instructors' approval. The course is designed to introduce a selection of themes from the contemporary economic history literature. While themes are presented chronologically, the purpose of the course is not to present a narrative account of world economic history. Instead, emphasis is placed on the uses of economic theory and quantitative methods in history and on the insights that a knowledge of history can give to the practicing economist.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Class meetings will consist of a mixture of lecture and discussion. Because discussion will focus on the issues raised, resolved, and left unanswered by the assigned readings, readings should be completed before class. An informed contribution to the discussion will count--perhaps heavily--toward a student's grade.
A research paper is also required. This paper should go beyond summarizing or synthesizing some subliterature of economic history: students should use the tools of economic theory and empirical analysis to pose and answer an historical question. The paper should have historical substance; this is not a requirement in applied economics or econometrics that can be satisfied by relabeling the variables in theoretical models taught elsewhere in the program or by mechanically applying modern statistical techniques to old data. More on the paper guidelines can be found below.
There will also be a--cumulative, open book--final exam at the end of the course. The exam and the paper will carry equal weight.
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