Economics of Less Developed Regions

Note: This course website is in a constant state of revision. Documents may be added, removed, and modified at any time without warning.

Course Documents:

Administrative documents:

Syllabus

Course Schedule

Presentation Guidelines

Texts:

Poor Economics

Mastering Metrics

Development Economics (optional)

Problem Sets:

Problem Set 1 (Due July 19th at the start of class)

Problem Set 1 Solutions

Problem Set 2 (Due August 10th at the start of class)

Problem Set 2 Solutions

Exams:

Mid-Term (w/ solutions)

Introduction:

Lecture Notes:

Introduction

Cross Sectional Evidence

Readings:

"Most of What You Learned in EC 101 is Wrong" Bloomberg View, November 25, 2015

Development Economics Chapter 2, Debraj Ray

Growth:

Lecture Notes:

Growth Theory

Health and Nutrition:

Lecture Notes:

Health and Nutrition - Part 1

Health and Nutrition - Part 2

Readings:

Poor Economics Chapters 1-3

Strauss and Miller (1998)

Jensen and Miller (2008)

Gertler (2004)

Baird et al (2016)

Banerjee and Duflo (2009)

Education and Human Capital:

Lecture Notes:

Education and Human Capital - Part 1

Education and Human Capital - Part 2

Readings:

Poor Economics Chapter 4

Jensen (2010)

Baird et al (2009)

Schultz (2004)

Duflo (2001)

Duflo et al (2011)

Duflo et al (2012)

Credit and Investment:

Lecture Notes:

Credit and Investment

Readings:

Poor Economics Chapters 6-9

Karlan et al (2013)

Banerjee et al (2014)

Dupas et al (2013)

Duflo et al (2011)

Ashraf et al (2006)

de Mel et al (2008)

Migration:

Lecture Notes:

Migration

Readings:

Munshi (2003)

Bryan (2013)

Institutions:

Lecture Notes:

Institutions

Readings:

Jones (2004)

Acemoglu (2001)

Nunn (2008)

Dell et al (2012)

Dell (2010)

Political Economy:

Lecture Notes:

Political Economy

Readings:

Duflo (2004)

Miller (2008)

Wantchekon (2003)

Banerjee et al (2010)

Corruption:

Lecture Notes:

Corruption

Readings:

Hodler (2014)

Olken (2007)

Olken and Barron (2009)

Fisman (2001)

Fisman and Miguel (2007)

Econometrics:

Lecture Notes:

Randomized Controlled Trials

Linear Regression

Difference in Difference

Instrumental Variables

Regression Discontinuity

R Tutorial

Extra Notes on Econometric Methods (Courtesy of Juan Carvajal)

Readings:

Mastering Metrics Chapters 1-5