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ECO 5338
Seminar on World Economic Systems
Steve Gardner
Spring 2017
Class Times/Locations:
TR 12:30-1:45pm, Foster 416
3:30-4:45pm, Foster 117
Gardner Office Hours/Location:
MF 2:00-4:00pm
TR 2:30-3:30pm
and by appointment,
McBride Center,
Foster 230.05
Texts
- H. Stephen Gardner, Comparative Economic
Systems, manuscript (see links below).
- Charles A Kupchan, No One's World: The West, the Rising East, and the Coming Global Turn. Oxford University Press, 2012.
- Ruchir Sharma, Breakout Nations. W.W. Norton, 2013.
- Additional required readings may be posted on
this web site and/or
distributed in class.
- A collection of optional supplementary readings,
arranged by course topics, may
be found here.
Recommended References
- Baylor Library, Electronic
Resources
- Baylor Library, Online
Journals
- CIA, World Factbook
- European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development, Transition
Report
- Heritage Foundation, Index of
Economic Freedom
- IMF, Regional
Economic Reports
- IMF, World
Economic Outlook
- IMHE, Global Burden of Disease
- Johns Hopkins U., Comparative
Nonprofit Sector Project
- LIS Cross-National Data Center, web site
- New Economics Foundation, The Happy Planet
Index
- OECD, Country Information
- OECD, Employment Outlook
- OECD, Statistics
- Peterson Institute for
International Economics, web
site
- Pew Research, Global Attitudes
- Transparency International, web site
- United Nations, World
Economic Situation and Prospects
- UNDP, Human Development Report
- U.S. Department of
Labor, International
Labor
- U.S. Department of
State, Country
Information
- VOX, Economic Policy Research
- World Bank, Country Pages
- World Bank, Doing Business
- World Bank, Global Economic Prospects
- World Bank, Statistical
Databases
- World Bank, World
Development Report
- World Economic Forum, Global
Competitiveness Report
Objectives
The primary objectives of this course are
to:
- Explore differences between economic institutions,
policy, and performance in countries around the world;
-
Provide information on the methods used to make
economic comparisons across countries -- historical and social analysis, statistical methods,
theoretical methods, and others; and
-
Encourage analysis and discussion of major
developments in the world economy, including the current policy debates
in the United States, difficulties with enlargement and
monetary unification of the
European Union, the continuing economic and social transitions of the
former
Communist countries, economic development strategies in poor countries,
and programs of economic integration in Europe, the Western
Hemisphere, and
other regions.
Grading
Semester grades will be based on your
performance
on three examinations (20% each), submission and class presentation of
a
brief term paper (20%),
class presentation
of a working paper selected from a prescribed list (10%), and class
preparation,
participation, and completion of out-of-class assignments (10%). Unless
you are told otherwise, each test will include a combination of
multiple
choice and essay questions. See other important information
under Attendance, below.
Your working
paper presentations will be given when the subject of your
presentation arises in class (see schedule below). Each should be about
5-10 minutes long, and should include, if applicable, information about
the author(s), the topic,
the previous literature, the methods of research and analysis (data and
information sources, statistical methods, etc.), conclusions, your
evaluation
of the validity of the conclusions, and suggestions for future
research.
In most cases, you will not be able to discuss all of the
information/arguments in the paper, so focus on the most interesting
and important points.
Extra Credit: All of you will attend the session of the Global Business Forum that's held during our class time on March 16. You can gain extra credit by attending up to three additional sessions on March 15-16, and by writing brief summaries and responses to the sessions. Each of these reaction papers can add up to an additional point to your final course average.
See other important information about extra credit under Attendance, below.
Semester grade averages will be converted into letter grades according to the following scale: A 91-100;
A- 89-90;
B+ 87-88;
B 81-86;
B- 79-80;
C+ 77-78;
C 71-76;
C- 69-70;
D+ 67-68;
D 61-66;
D- 59-60;
F below 59.
Classroom Conduct
- Generally, classes will begin and conclude in a
timely manner. Please make every effort to arrive on time and avoid
leaving early.
If you must leave early, please tell me before class begins. For more
information on this subject, see "Attendance" below.
- Please switch off cell phones before
class begins.
- Please give your full attention during class.
Texting, e-mailing, web surfing, newspaper reading, and side
conversations are disrespectful and distracting.
- Our classes will be more interesting if we have
broad and lively discussions. Please participate, but avoid
monopolizing the discussion. Respect alternative points of view and
help me to "draw out" shy class members, some of whom may be insecure
about their fluency in English.
- With the exception of bottled water, we are not
allowed to have food or drinks in the Foster classrooms.
- For additional information on classroom conduct,
see corresponding section of the Student
Handbook .
Title IX
- If you or someone you know would like help related to an experience of sexual violence including sexual assault, harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or other type of non-consensual sexual conduct, please contact Kristan Tucker, the Title IX Coordinator at Baylor University, by email (Kristan_Tucker@baylor.edu) or phone (254-710-8454)..
- All studednts are encouraged to complete the Title IX Online Course by February 1.
Attendance
In keeping
with University
and Business School policies, students who miss over 25% of
class meetings (in
this case, 8 or more absences) will automatically fail the course. On
the other hand, three points will be added to your semester average
if you have perfect attendance; two points will be added if you have
one absence; one point will be added if you have two absences (for the
calculation of this extra credit, there are no excused
absences). If you arrive late for class, you will be
recorded absent
unless you have the roll changed before you leave the class.
Tentative
Course Schedule
I. Introduction
II. Economic Systems
Feb 9 -- FIRST
EXAMINATION, TEXT CHAPTERS 1-5
III. The Western Hemisphere
IV. Western Europe and Middle East
MARCH 28 -- SECOND
EXAMINATION, TEXT CHAPTERS 6-13
V. Central Eurasia
VI. Asia and Africa
Apr 13 |
Introduction to Asia--Gardner,
ch. 18 and Sharma, Ch. 9-- outline |
Apr 18 |
Japan and S. Korea--Gardner,
ch. 19 & Sharma, Ch. 10-- outline
TERM PAPERS DUE |
Apr 20 |
China and India--Gardner,
ch. 20; Sharma, Chs. 2 & 3; and Kupchan, pp. 58-60, 74-79, & 93-105-- outline |
Apr 25 |
China--concluded |
Apr 27 |
Africa and Middle East--Gardner,
ch. 21; and Sharma, Ch. 8 and pp. 204-221-- outline |
THIRD
EXAMINATION--CHAPTERS 14-21
12:30pm class - Thursday, May 4, 9:00-11:00am
3:30PM class - Friday, May 5, 4:30-6:30PM
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