ENVI 234
Economics of Developing Countries Spring 2022
Division II Difference, Power, and Equity
Cross-listed ECON 204 / ENVI 234
This is not the current course catalog

The leaders of developing countries almost universally proclaim “economic development” to be their eventual destination, but it is not easy to visualize the journey. Is rapid economic growth sufficient to generate development, or do governments need to invest proactively in health, education and social protection? Can agriculture support incomes and provide jobs, or is urban industrial development a prerequisite? How do households in developing countries insure themselves against adverse outcomes? Can policies enable entrepreneurship and innovation in such economies? Is it true that corruption is a significant obstacle? Has the climate crisis upended our traditional models to the point where we need to rethink the notion of development? How does the global COVID-19 pandemic threaten the progress developing countries have achieved, and what policy responses will be most effective in addressing the crisis? The class will introduce these and other issues, as analyzed by economists.