Economics 412XSection 1
Global Economics and Development
Spring 2013
WRI C223 MW 10:00-11:15 am
Instructor: Bernard Malamud
Office: BEH 502 Phone: 895 – 3294 Fax: 895 – 1354
Office Hours: MW 11:30-12:30 pm; 2:30-3:30 pm;and by appointment
e-mail: Website:
Please communicate with me via your Rebelmail account, by phone, or stop by my office.
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General Nature of the Course
Examination of diverse international economic conditions and paths of development. Analysis of policies fostering economic development, integration, and sustainable financial relations in the global economy. 3 credits.
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Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
This course is a part of the Brookings Minor in Public Policy. The UNLV - Brookings Curriculum is designed to offer a multidisciplinary approach to local, national and global themes. UNLV –Brookings courses unite the teaching and scholarship of UNLV faculty and Brookings experts. This unique collaboration draws upon the diverse faculty and programmatic interests of UNLV to link knowledge, academic inquiry, and practice with the outstanding policy programs of the Brookings Institution. Several of the course lectures will be conducted by Brookings Scholars who are visiting UNLV or via videoconference. These lectures will provide students with the unique opportunity to interact with internationally recognized experts in economic development and economic and financial integration. To prepare for these visits, students will be assigned readings suggested by the Brookings scholars. Written summaries of these reading assignments will be due the class period before the scholar’s visit. Upon completion of the course you will be familiar with patterns of global development; how endowments, institutions, and policies propel and inhibit development; regional prospects for development; and the impacts of economic and financial crises on development.
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Required Readings
- William Easterly, The Elusive Quest for Growth. Cambridge MA: MIT Press, 2002.
- DaronAcemoglu and James Robinson, Why Nations Fail. Crown Business, 2012.
- Barry Eichengreen, Exorbitant Privilege. Oxford University Press, 2010.
Supplementary Readings and Sources: cited in the course outline
Examinations, Paper, and Grading
Your grade will be based on two100 point classroom exams, a 150 point final exam, and four or five 25 point summaries of readings recommended by Brookings scholars and assigned presentations. You will be able to re-do one question on each classroom exam at home; your score for that question will be the average of your classroom and take home scores.
Attendance and class participation will very muchaffect your grade.
Mar 6Classroom examination100 points
Apr 29Classroom examination100
May 13Final Examination, 10:10-12:10 pm150
Summaries of Brookings Readings 100 – 125 Maximum Total Points 450 – 475
Approximate Grade Distribution
Average Score (out of 350+ points)Final Grade
90 percentBorderline A-
80 percentBorderline B-
70 percentBorderline C-
60 percentBorderline D-
Makeup and Religious Holiday Policies Makeup exams maybe arranged at mutualconvenience if you have a compelling reason to miss a scheduled classroom exam. A makeup exam must be taken before the missed exam is returned to the class. There will be no makeup quizzes or final exam. However, a student missing a class because of observance of a religious holiday and students who represent UNLV at any official extracurricular activity shall also have the opportunity to make up assignments. Such students must notify the instructor no later than the end of the first two weeks of classes of his or her intention to participate in religious holidays. See for further details.
Class Conduct, Academic Misconduct and Copyright PoliciesYour instructor and classmates deserve courtesy. If you must arrive late or leave early, do so quietly. Inform me beforehand if you must leave a class early. Smoking and eating in class are prohibited. Texting, talking to your neighbors, and reading newspapers and magazines in class is rude, disruptive, and unacceptable. While this probably need not be said, anyone found engaging in any act of academic dishonesty will be punished in accordance with UNLV policies. For further details, see You are individually and solely responsible for violations of copyright and fair use laws. For details, see
TheDisability Resource Center (DRC) coordinates all academic accommodations for students with documented disabilities. The DRC is the official office to review and house disability documentation for students, and to provide them with an official Academic Accommodation Plan to present to the faculty if an accommodation is warranted. Faculty should not provide students accommodations without being in receipt of this plan.
UNLV complies with the provisions set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, offering reasonable accommodations to qualified students with documented disabilities. If you have a documented disability that may require accommodations, you will need to contact the DRC for the coordination of services. The DRC is located in the Student Services Complex (SSC-A), Room 143, and the contact numbers are: VOICE (702) 895-0866, FAX (702) 895-0651. For additional information, please visit: . .
Tutoring and UNLV Writing CenterThe Academic Success Center (ASC in the SSC, 895-3177, provides tutoring and academic assistance for all UNLV students taking UNLV courses. One-on one or small group assistance with writing is available free of charge to UNLV students at the Writing Center (CDC-3-301,
An incomplete grade can be given at the discretion of the instructor in accordance with university policies. Please see
Course Outline
Date / Topics and ReadingsAdditional readings may be assigned as the course proceeds.
Jan 23,28
Jan 30
Feb 4,6,11,13,20
Feb 18
Feb 21
Feb 25
Feb 27
Mar 4
Mar 6
Mar 11-20
Mar 13
Mar 18
Mar 20
Mar 25,27 / Course organization/Tour of the world
Income/Wealth and Happiness
- Videoconference with Brookings Scholar Carol Graham
- Acemoglu and Robinson, Why Nations Fail
Review by Jeffrey Sachs,
- William Easterly, The Elusive Quest for Growth, Chapters 1-4,8-13
- K. Sokoloff & S. Engerman, History Lessons (2000)
- K. Sokoloff & S. Engerman (2002) Factor Endowments, Inequality, and Paths of Development Among New World Economics
- D.C. North, J. Wallis, B. Weingast, A Conceptual Framework for Interpreting Recorded Human History (2006),
- W. Easterly and R. Levine, Tropics, Germs, Crops
Presidents’ Day Recess
Carol Graham, Applying Well-Being Metrics to Public Policy, Greenspun Hall Aud, 5:30 pm.
Demography and Development
- William Easterly, The Elusive Quest for Growth, Chapters 5,8
- Immigration: Session with Visiting Brookings Scholar Audrey Singer
Classroom Examination
Case Studies: Latin America/Africa/Asia
- William Easterly, The Elusive Quest for Growth, Chapters 10,13
- Videoconference with Brookings ScholarErnesto Talvi. Latin America
- Videoconference with Brookings Scholar MwangiKimenyi, Africa
- Development in India and China
Course Outline, continued
Date / Topics and ReadingsApr 1,3,8
Apr 3
Apr10
Apr 15,17,22
Apr 24
Apr 29
May 1
May 6
May 8
May 13 / Exchange Rate Regimes and Crises
- Barry Eichengreen, Exorbitant Privilege
- Session withVisiting Brookings Scholar Domenico Lombardi
- Session with Visiting Brookings Scholar Cliff Gaddy
- Barry Eichengreen, Exorbitant Privilege
- William Easterly, The Elusive Quest for Growth, Chapters 6,7
- IshacDiwan, Debt as Sweat (2001),
Classroom examination
Social Dynamics and Development
- Videoconference with Brookings Scholar Ross Hammond
Final examination, 10:10 am – 12:10 pm, in classroom