Economies of the Middle East

Introductory survey of Middle Eastern economies. The geographic focus will be on the Eastern Arab world - Egypt, the Fertile Crescent, and the Arabian Peninsula - plus Israel and Iran. Because of their historical and cultural ties with the region, Turkey and the countries of North Africa are also considered. Various aspects of the economic realities of the region, such as economic growth and development, the economics of oil, water and food security, population growth and labor mobility, health, education, the role of the state, economic policy reform, and the prospects for global and regional integration. Course is designed to provide both a grasp of the economic development of the Middle East in modern times and a familiarity with present-day economic conditions. Prerequisites: Economics 5 or Economics 8.