Development economics

Preliminaries - development economics, an overview (Alain De Janvry Elisabeth Sadoulet)
• What is Development
• The state of development

Economic growth - an overview (Oded Galor)
• From stagnation to growth
• Unified growth theory
• Economic growth diagnostic

Poverty reduction - theory and empirical issues (Ghatak, M., 2015)

Inequality - theory and empirical issues (Galor, O., & Zeira, J., 1993).

Conflict - an overview (Jurgen Brauer J. Paul Dunne)
• Determinants of conflict
• Conflict and development
• Post-conflict

Conoscenze di base in macroeconomia e statistica.

Main books:

Alain De Janvry Elisabeth Sadoulet (2021) Development Economics, Theory and Practice (Second edition). Routledge,
New York.
Oded Galor (2011) Unified Growth Theory. Princeton University Press,New Jersey.

Monographic course: Jurgen Brauer J. Paul Dunne (2012) Peace Economics: A Macroeconomic Primer for Violence-afflicted States. United States Institute of Peace Press, Washington, DC.

Lecture slides

Alesina, A., & Rodrik, D. (1994). Distributive politics and economic growth. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 109(2), 465–490.
Collier, P. (2007). The bottom billion: Why the poorest countries are failing and what can be done about it. Oxford University Press.
Crippa, A., d'Agostino, G., Dunne, P. J., Pieroni, L. (2024). Conflict as a cause of migration. Oxford Economic Papers. https://doi.org/10.1093/oep/gpae037
Crippa, A., d'Agostino, G., Dunne, P. J., Pieroni, L. (2025). The price of war: A cross-country analysis on the conflict-growth nexus. World Development.
d'Agostino, G., Dunne, P. J., Pieroni, L. (2025). Food and peace? Exploring the link between conflict and food insecurity in Africa. Defence and Peace Economics. https://doi.org/10.1080/10242694.2025.2456798
Deaton, A. (2013). The great escape: Health, wealth, and the origins of inequality. Princeton University Press.
Galor, O., & Moav, O. (2002). Natural selection and the origin of economic growth. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 117(4), 1133–1191.
Galor, O., & Weil, D. N. (1999). From Malthusian stagnation to modern growth. American Economic Review, 89(2), 150–154.
Galor, O., & Zeira, J. (1993). Income distribution and macroeconomics. The Review of Economic Studies, 60(1), 35–52.
Ghatak, M. (2015). Theories of poverty traps and anti-poverty policies. The World Bank Economic Review, 29(Supplement 1), S77–S105.
Hausmann, R., Rodrik, D., & Velasco, A. (2008). Growth diagnostics. In N. Serra & J. E. Stiglitz (Eds.), The Washington Consensus reconsidered: Towards a new global governance (pp. 324–355). Oxford University Press.
Rodrik, D. (2010). Diagnostics before prescription. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 24(3), 33–44. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.24.3.33

Didattica frontale/tradizionale

Facoltativa

During the course, students who wish to take part in the project will be required to sit a one-hour written test designed to assess the knowledge and skills acquired during the first part of the course. The test will cover economic growth, inequality, and poverty.

Students who pass the written test will be eligible to take part in the project, which will be developed in collaboration with the instructor. As the final assessment requirement, they will prepare and deliver a comprehensive presentation of the project’s main findings and outcomes. The presentation should clearly communicate the research question, the methodology adopted, the data and empirical analysis conducted, the main results, and the implications of the findings.

For non-attending students, the examination will consist of an in-depth oral examination covering the entire course syllabus.

Preliminaries - development economics, an overview (Alain De Janvry Elisabeth Sadoulet)
• What is Development
• The state of development

Economic growth - an overview (Oded Galor)
• From stagnation to growth
• Unified growth theory
• Economic growth diagnostic

Poverty reduction - theory and empirical issues (Ghatak, M., 2015)

Inequality - theory and empirical issues (Galor, O., & Zeira, J., 1993).

Conflict - an overview (Jurgen Brauer J. Paul Dunne)
• Determinants of conflict
• Conflict and development
• Post-conflict

Conoscenze di base in macroeconomia e statistica.

Main books:

Alain De Janvry Elisabeth Sadoulet (2021) Development Economics, Theory and Practice (Second edition). Routledge,
New York.
Oded Galor (2011) Unified Growth Theory. Princeton University Press,New Jersey.

Monographic course: Jurgen Brauer J. Paul Dunne (2012) Peace Economics: A Macroeconomic Primer for Violence-afflicted States. United States Institute of Peace Press, Washington, DC.

Lecture slides

Alesina, A., & Rodrik, D. (1994). Distributive politics and economic growth. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 109(2), 465–490.
Collier, P. (2007). The bottom billion: Why the poorest countries are failing and what can be done about it. Oxford University Press.
Crippa, A., d'Agostino, G., Dunne, P. J., Pieroni, L. (2024). Conflict as a cause of migration. Oxford Economic Papers. https://doi.org/10.1093/oep/gpae037
Crippa, A., d'Agostino, G., Dunne, P. J., Pieroni, L. (2025). The price of war: A cross-country analysis on the conflict-growth nexus. World Development.
d'Agostino, G., Dunne, P. J., Pieroni, L. (2025). Food and peace? Exploring the link between conflict and food insecurity in Africa. Defence and Peace Economics. https://doi.org/10.1080/10242694.2025.2456798
Deaton, A. (2013). The great escape: Health, wealth, and the origins of inequality. Princeton University Press.
Galor, O., & Moav, O. (2002). Natural selection and the origin of economic growth. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 117(4), 1133–1191.
Galor, O., & Weil, D. N. (1999). From Malthusian stagnation to modern growth. American Economic Review, 89(2), 150–154.
Galor, O., & Zeira, J. (1993). Income distribution and macroeconomics. The Review of Economic Studies, 60(1), 35–52.
Ghatak, M. (2015). Theories of poverty traps and anti-poverty policies. The World Bank Economic Review, 29(Supplement 1), S77–S105.
Hausmann, R., Rodrik, D., & Velasco, A. (2008). Growth diagnostics. In N. Serra & J. E. Stiglitz (Eds.), The Washington Consensus reconsidered: Towards a new global governance (pp. 324–355). Oxford University Press.
Rodrik, D. (2010). Diagnostics before prescription. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 24(3), 33–44. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.24.3.33

Didattica frontale/tradizionale

Facoltativa

During the course, students who wish to take part in the project will be required to sit a one-hour written test designed to assess the knowledge and skills acquired during the first part of the course. The test will cover economic growth, inequality, and poverty.

Students who pass the written test will be eligible to take part in the project, which will be developed in collaboration with the instructor. As the final assessment requirement, they will prepare and deliver a comprehensive presentation of the project’s main findings and outcomes. The presentation should clearly communicate the research question, the methodology adopted, the data and empirical analysis conducted, the main results, and the implications of the findings.

For non-attending students, the examination will consist of an in-depth oral examination covering the entire course syllabus.