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Teaching

ECON 4362 - "Development Economics" - Spring 2010

This course introduces students to the cutting-edge field of economic growth and equips them with theory and applications to analyze differences in the level of income among countries. Topics include growth economic theories: classical (Adam Smith, David Ricardo), neo-classical (Ramsey and Solow-Swan growth models), Schumpeterian models, development economics (Stiglitz and Amartya Sen) and new growth theory (Paul Romer and Robert Barro). Other topics include: trade, finance and growth, income distribution, physical capital, human capital, the role of the entrepreneur and technology, barriers to economic growth, productivity, efficiency, convergence, how public policies and institutions affect growth, sources of income inequality and the effect of culture on economic growth. Click on the next icon for the syllabus

ECON 4382 - "International Finance" Spring 2010 & Fall 2010

This course introduces students to international finance and equips them with theory and applications to analyze international monetary issues. Topics include: the foreign exchange market, balance of payments, foreign exchange intervention, monetary and fiscal policy, economic integration and monetary unification, the international monetary system, optimum currency areas, the global capital market performance and policy problems, growth, crises and reform in developing countries. This course fulfills the University’s writing requirement. Click on the next icon for the syllabus . For a list of suggested readings and sources clik here .

ECON-4396 "Topics in Global Development, Technology and Entrepreneurship" - in Geneva, Switzerland (please click here for more info)Summer 2010, 2nd-5 week session July 5th-Aug 2nd

We are witnessing a shift of paradigm in what is traditional known in academic and policy-making circles as international relations to an increasing use of the term “globalization” or other terms involving the word “global”: global health, global trade, global financial crises, global terrorism, global crime and global warming are some of these terms. It seems that after about 360 years of the advent of the nation-state back in 1648 (with the signing of the Peace of Westphalia treaties) the rigid nation-state paradigm of national boundaries and foreign relations left only to the diplomatic circles, is blurring into an interconnected and thus, interdependent set of relationships among new actors. These actors, other than the nation state, have emerged motivated by the benefits, costs, promises and risks that globalization poses. Some of them, the multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations, an increasing number of research policy institutes (also known as thinks-tanks) and a new actor, the entrepreneur, are all obtaining recognition and predominance in driving global public policy. Yet technology is the ultimate driver. Technology, defined as “the use of scientific knowledge into practical purposes” has made possible to interconnect instantaneously markets, entrepreneurs, prices and information, surpassing the slower mechanisms of the public policy making and institutions. There is an urgent need for creativity in streamlining and re-thinking public policies in new ways to cope with global challenges without sacrificing the legitimacy and transparency of the institutions. The arrival of the World Wide Web, the development of nanotechnology, biotechnology and many other technological advances has served as engines to shift the paradigm towards new actors and new global challenges and benefits. This course aims to develop a framework to think in a critical and creative way on innovative institutional arrangements and designs that can better adjust to the fastest reality of technology and its interconnectivity with entrepreneurship, markets and public policy. Click on the next icon for the syllabus

Updated: 04/20/11

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