© 2007 Fordham University
Rose Hill Campus Bronx, NY 10458 (718) 817-1000
Lincoln Center Campus New York, NY 10023 (212) 636-6000
Marymount Campus Tarrytown, NY 10591 (914) 631-3200
CONTEMPORARY ECONOMIC PROBLEMS
ECFC 3884
Janis Barry
Spring, 2007
Tuesday 11:30-12:45
Office=414-A Phone=(212)636-6077
Room 504
Office hours – Tuesday 1:00-2:30 pm and 5-6 pm… Friday 1:00-2:00 pm
OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE:
What is the desired role of the economist in addressing policy issues and social concerns? Economists are trained to avoid normative judgments in analyzing economic problems. Yet, economics as a discipline has always been highly politicized. Today’s methods of inquiry reflect the political and social trends of the moment. We know that the strength of a country in the world economy will have a major impact on determining its’ domestic standard of living. It also impacts on the degree to which others will imitate a country’s economic ideas and policies.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE COURSE
This course provides an overview of the main economic problems and issues confronting the United States and its people in the 21st century. Specifically, we will examine the process of globalization and its impact on developed and developing countries. The term globalization is itself contested, and the impacts of globalizing trends are themselves, quite diverse in different parts of the world. Attendance and participation in the class are very important. Students will be assigned to a working group and will develop one presentation from our selection of readings. The specific responsibilities of student facilitation are provided in a handout. Students will write a short report (5-7 typewritten pages) on the issue they facilitate in class. Papers are due one week after the topic has been facilitated in class. The student issue paper will constitute one third (33%) of the student's final grade, with the facilitation accounting for 17% of the final grade. There will be a final exam that will constitute 45% of the grade with the final five percent representing points derived from participation in class.
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Jeffrey Sachs (2005). The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. (New York: Penguin Press).
Lourdes Beneria (2003). Gender, Development, and Globalization: Economics as if People Mattered. New York: Routledge
Additional course material can be found on EREZ (the electronic Reserve system at the library) or on Blackboard for this class. Please note that all references marked * are additional readings* provided for those who want more information. It is the student’s responsibility to log on to blackboard and read required material for each class. Additional announcements and updates to the site will be made on a weekly basis.
COURSE CALENDAR
DATE READ FOR CLASS TOPIC
January 16
19 Introduction and Organize Facilitation
What Should the World Bank Think about the Washington
Consensus?
www.worldbank.org/research/journals/wbro/obsaug00/pdf/(6)Williamson.pdf
23
Joseph Stiglitz (2002). Globalization and Its Discontents. (New 26 York: W.W. Norton) Chapter 3- Freedom to Choose? Read pages 54-80 availabe on E-Rez..at the library
*If you want to get the International Monetary Fund’s sketch of globalization you can go to Globalization: Threat or Opportunity? An IMF Issues Brief
*
http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/ib/2000/041200.htm#II
Jeffrey Sachs (2005). The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. (New York: Penguin Press). Read pages 1-25.
30
Jeffrey Sachs (2005). The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time. (New York: Penguin Press). Read pages 26-73.
February 2 N. Kabeer. (2003). "Approaches to Poverty Analysis and its Gender Dimensions (Chapter 1), in Gender Mainstreaming in Poverty Eradication and the Millennium Development Goals. Ottawa: Commonwealth Secretariat. Ch. 1. Gender, Poverty and Development Policy
http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-42962-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html
February 6 Lourdes Beneria (2003). Gender, Development, and Globalization. New York: Routledge. pp. 1-29.
Please take a look at this Canadian web site for very useful information on the impact of globalization on women around the world.
http://unpac.ca/economy/index2.html
.
9
Jeffrey Sachs (2005). The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time read pages 74-89
February 13 Lourdes Beneria (2003). Gender, Development, and Globalization. New York: Routledge. Ch. 3. Markets, Globalization and Gender, pp. 61-90.
16 Sachs on Bolivia, pp90-108
20 No Class
23 Sachs on Poland, pp. 109-130
27 Sachs on Russia, pp. 131-147
March 2 and 6 Lourdes Beneria (2003). Gender, Development, and Globalization. New York: Routledge. Ch. 4. Global/Local Connections, pp. 61-130
9 Sachs on China, pp. 148-169
March 13-16 No Class
March 20 Lourdes Beneria (2003). Gender, Development, and Globalization. New York: Routledge. Ch. 5. Paid and Unpaid Labor, pp. 131-160.
*Economic Inequity and Gender /UNDP*
http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2002/english/ch4/page3.htm
23 Sachs on India, pp. 170-187
27 Sachs on Africa, pp. 188-209
30 Sachs on Solutions, pp. 226-243
April 3 Sachs on Needed Investments, pp. 244-265
6 Beneria, pp. 1-29
April 10 Sachs, pp. 266-288
April 13 No Class
April 17 Lourdes Beneria (2003). Gender, Development, and Globalization. New York: Routledge. Ch. 6.Development as if People Mattered, pp. 161-169.
20 Sachs, pp. 309-347
April 24 Globalization and Local Governance: Implications from Wal-Mart's Expansion by Taram Lavllee and Mark Boyer International Studies Perspectives
Volume 7 Page 254 - August 2006
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1528-3585.2006.00250.x
27 Watch video "Is Wal-Mart Good for America?"
May 1 and 4 Last week..finish material and go over study questions..
May 5…Reading Day
May 9-16 Final Exams
