¹û¶³Ó°Ôº

This course explores contemporary issues and debates in Latin American economics. This course aims to understand the main features of Latin American economies and identify the structural and institutional aspects that limit economic growth and human development in the region. In the first part of the course, we examine the region's performance under different development strategies and the consequences of shifting economic ideas on growth. In particular, we focus on the institutional roots of Latin America's suboptimal development, the notion of economic dependency, the process of late industrialisation, and the consequences of market liberalisation. The second part of the course examines some of the region's most urgent economic policy issues. We consider critical macroeconomic topics and their impact on the region's social and human development. In particular, we focus our attention on the dynamics of fiscal policy, the evolution of international trade, the dependence on natural resources, and the distortions of the labour market in the region. We also assess the impact of macroeconomic policies on human capital formation and poverty reduction. Finally, we discuss the economic prospects of the region. The course is economics-based, but students are not required to have any previous background in economics or political economy.