Development Economics and Data Analysis

Undergraduate / Graduate

Why do some countries grow faster than others? Why do farmers not adopt new technologies that generate higher yields? What is the most effective way to improve health, education and women's empowerment in middle and low income countries? We will examine these questions by applying the tools of economics to the best available data. In addition to mastering the economic literature on development economics, students will learn applied econometric techniques and how to apply them in practice. They will learn how to critically evaluate data analysis and spot potential biases: is the outcome variable likely to be subject to social desirability bias? is there potential selection bias or attrition bias? What techniques are best adapted to addressing these potential biases in the data? In the final part of the course we will cover the role of the International Financial Institutions (the IMF and World Bank) in international development. The course is designed for undergraduates with a strong interest in economics and data and previous experience using statistical software (such as R or Stata).