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POL S 409 A: Undergraduate Seminar in Political Economy

Topic: Political Economy from the Great Recession to the Pandemic

Meeting Time: 
TTh 10:30am - 12:20pm
Location: 
* *
SLN: 
18948
Joint Sections: 
ECON 409 A
Instructor:
Chris Adolph headshot
Christopher Adolph
Note: 
"Political Economy from the Great Recession to the Pandemic"

Syllabus Description:

Political Economy from Great Recession to Pandemic (Spring 2021)

We consider contemporary comparative political economy and macroeconomics of advanced industrial economies through the lens of the past decade and a half, bookended by the long recession kicked off by speculative bubbles and financial crisis, and the sharp, still evolving recession created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the period, massive technological change and widening inequality renewed debate on the appropriate role of government in managing the business cycle and addressing systemic disparities. In the shadow of a once-in-a-century public health crisis, the rich economies of the US and Europe face deep questions about the future of work in an era of automation, globalism in a time of xenophobia, and democracy under the rise of populism. We tackle three key questions through discussion of a mixture of popular and academic readings: What happened during the Great Recession, what political economic changes followed in its wake, and how will the pandemic shift these trends?

Important note: we will use my personal course page, not Canvas, for all course materials other than the reading reserve.

Catalog Description: 
Seminar in political economy with focus on Marxian and public choice approaches to political economy. Explores the questions raised by each approach, the assumption(s) and testability of hypotheses, and applies these approaches to a number of problems in political economy. Offered: jointly with ECON 409.
Department Requirements: 
Political Economy Option
GE Requirements: 
Social Sciences (SSc)
Writing (W)
Credits: 
5.0
Status: 
Active
Last updated: 
February 1, 2021 - 9:05pm
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