How is development economics taught in developing countries?

A survey of instructors and data collected from course syllabi and examinations are used to examine how the subject of development economics is taught at the undergraduate and master's levels in developing countries, compared to undergraduate classes in the United States. Topic coverage, teaching approach, and means of assessment all differ from that in leading U.S. economics departments. Development economics is taught largely as a theoretical subject coupled with case studies in developing countries, with few courses emphasizing use of data or empirical methods. Limited financial resources, the educational level of students, and low involvement of instructors in research are considered as explanations for the way the subject is taught in developing countries. The authors conclude with suggestions for improving teaching of development economics.     

The application of development economics: general principles and context specificity

The purpose of this paper is to consider the application ofdevelopment economics at the methodological level. In particular,given the shortcomings of both the modernist and postmodernistapproaches to development policy, we consider an alternativeapproach, drawing on critical realism, which combines the benefitsof generality with the benefits of attention to specificityof context. The approach is illustrated by showing how principlesin development economics addressing issues of globalisationand peripherality can serve to illuminate some of the causaltendencies at work in a developed economy such as Scotland.     

关于绿色经济学的几个问题

绿色经济学是在对传统经济学反思与批判的基础上,整合相关绿色理论资源、适应绿色经济实践而发展起来的经济学学科,是经济学内部逐渐发展起来的新因素和新需求,也是重建经济学理论的新思路和新尝试。绿色经济学已在学科涵义、研究对象、基本预设、理论体系和学科体系等方面进行了探索,同时亟待从学科建设角度,对绿色经济学的研究视角、参照标准、分析工具和"成本—效益"模式等问题进行深入研究。绿色经济学将成为推动经济发展、实现社会公平、促进环境优化、推进社会进步的重要力量,对当下我国转变发展方式、实现科学发展有重要的理论价值和实践意义。     

Comment

Opposite to mainstream economics, (post-) Keynesian economics has defended the need of a discretionary fiscal policy that helps to maintain economic activity at a full employment level, offsetting the cyclical deviations from that level of output. In this sense, it is implicitly assumed that any discretionary management of public finance is, by definition, efficient. The Spanish case shows that public authorities can make an inefficient use of the discretionary room of fiscal policy, thus exacerbating the existing macroeconomic and fiscal imbalances. Consequently, there is a need for rules that constrain the discretionary management of public finance.     

Innovation and the competitiveness of industries: Comparing the mainstream and the evolutionary approaches

The study of the relationships between innovation and the competitiveness of industries is an important topic for both, academic research and economic policy. The huge economics literature flourished in the last couple of decades on the subject broadly falls into two distinct research traditions, namely the mainstream R&D spillovers approach and the evolutionary economics view. Both traditions agree on the important role played by innovation and the inter-sectoral diffusion of advanced knowledge for the competitive performance of industrial sectors. Behind this general agreement, however, the two approaches are radically different. This paper shows that, at a deeper level of analysis, the mainstream and evolutionary views do indeed differ with respect to their theoretical foundations, empirical research and policy implications. In a nutshell, while the mainstream R&D spillover approach is inspired by a traditional view of economic policy based on a market-oriented approach, the evolutionary view is on the contrary consistent with the idea that institutional arrangements and policy interventions do indeed play a fundamental role for shaping innovation patterns and their impacts on the competitiveness of industries.     

经济学向何处去——金融危机以来的经济学反思

自2008年全球金融危机爆发以来,经济学界有关经济学的反思一直不断。理论方面,宏观经济理论和模型以及“有效市场假说”的有效性成为争论的焦点;政策领域,关于财政政策的有效性和通胀目标的设定出现了重大分歧;研究方法上,围绕着数学与经济学之间的关系以及经济学模型化方法纷争不断。然而,反思中也呈现出共识因素,从而揭示了经济学未来可能的发展方向。理论上,金融因素及更为现实的市场缺陷和摩擦因素将更多地被纳入经济学理论和模型中进行讨论,并且处理这些因素的模型也将更趋多元化;政策上,亟须发展出一套理论框架为财政政策和更为广泛的货币政策提供理论依据,货币政策将回归到数量工具、价格工具和其他工具并用的传统;方法上,超越数学的更为广泛意义上的多样化技术工具将积极发挥作用,模型会向更具现实性因而也更为复杂化的方向发展。除了危机的外部冲击外,经济学的这种路径转向可能还需要该学科内部制度性激励结构的相应变革。     

A Dream Experiment in Development Economics

In this article, the authors discuss a unique project carried out by 13 teams of four students each in the undergraduate Development Economics class during the 2012 spring semester at a private liberal arts college. The goal of the “Dream Experiment” was to think of an idea that promotes development, employs concepts from development economics, uses a real-world situation from a developing country, and has implications for policy if the experiment goes ahead. The authors present details of the project's modus operandi, provide a case study as an example, and highlight lessons for economics pedagogy.     

Market failure vs. system failure as a rationale for economic policy? A critique from an evolutionary perspective

This paper reconsiders the explanation of economic policy from an evolutionary economics perspective. It contrasts the neoclassical equilibrium notions of market and government failure with the dominant evolutionary neo-Schumpeterian and Austrian-Hayekian perceptions. Based on this comparison, the paper criticizes the fact that neoclassical reasoning still prevails in non-equilibrium evolutionary economics when economic policy issues are examined. This is more than surprising, since proponents of evolutionary economics usually view their approach as incompatible with its neoclassical counterpart. In addition, it is shown that this “fallacy of failure thinking” even finds its continuation in the alternative concept of “system failure” with which some evolutionary economists try to explain and legitimate policy interventions in local, regional or national innovation systems. The paper argues that in order to prevent the otherwise fruitful and more realistic evolutionary approach from undermining its own criticism of neoclassical economics and to create a consistent as well as objective evolutionary policy framework, it is necessary to eliminate the equilibrium spirit. Finally, the paper delivers an alternative evolutionary explanation of economic policy which is able to overcome the theory-immanent contradiction of the hitherto evolutionary view on this subject.     

评林毅夫的新结构经济学：理论、政策和难点

近年,林毅夫提出了新结构经济学,据说有可能是发展经济学继结构主义和华盛顿共识之后的第三波理论浪潮的重要流派。新结构经济学认为一个经济体的经济结构内生于它的要素禀赋结构,持续的经济发展是由要素禀赋的变化和持续的技术创新推动的。新结构经济学得出了与旧结构经济学不同的理论结论：市场在资源配置中发挥核心作用,把进口替代看做是发展中国家在发展过程中爬升产业阶梯的自然现象;政府发挥积极作用。新结构经济学在财政政策、货币政策、金融发展、外国资本、贸易政策、人类发展方面得出了一些新的政策启示,但是新结构经济学也存在着一些理论难点。     

Modeling Student Subject Choice at Secondary and Tertiary Level: A Cross-Section Study

Cross-section data on secondary level student choices provide evidence on factors influencing the decision to study economics. Such evidence makes a key contribution to the broader debates on why student numbers have been falling in economics and why women are reluctant economists. Greater mathematical aptitude and prior knowledge of the subject influence the decision to study economics, and a significant effect is attributable to relative underachievement in economics. There are also significant peer group and teacher effects. Female students are more likely to study economics when there is a critical mass of women studying the subject. There is a positive role model effect of female teachers—although this does not carry over to the decision to continue with economics at the university.     

Ecological macroeconomics: An application to climate change

Ecological economics has not paid sufficient attention to the macroeconomic level both in terms of theory and modeling. Yet, key topics debated in the field of ecological economics such as sustainable consumption, reduction in working time, the degrowth debate, the energy–exergy link, and the rebound effect require a holistic and macro perspective. While this deficiency has been identified before and Keynesian economics has been generally suggested as a potent vehicle to establish economic systemic thinking, very little concrete theorizing and practical suggestions have been put forward. We give further credence to this suggestion and demonstrate the value of tackling key concerns of ecological economics within a Keynesian growth framework. Contextualized by an application to climate change we suggest that policy relevant recommendations need to be based on a consistent view of the macroeconomy. We end with laying out key building blocks for a Keynesian model framework for an ecological macroeconomics.     

区域经济地理学的学科性质与任务

学科的性质与任务是任何学科发展首先面临的,也是经常关注的问题。区域地理是地理学中最古老最核心的部分,学科的发展必须继承地域性、综合性与地域综合思想的地理学传统。区域经济地理学又是地理学中非常年轻而又与经济学交叉的学科,一是说明这门学科富有活力,面对当今诸多的社会经济问题,发展活力很大;二是要在学科交叉渗透过程中,搞清区域经济地理学与区域经济学(经济方向)的联系与区别,以便更自觉地发展地理科学。在区域经济地理学发展过程中,要处理好传统与创新的关系,引进、消化与吸收的关系和学科建设与参与实践关系。文本对"新经济地理学"进行了评析,认为"新经济地理学"是主流经济学与区域经济学(经济方向)的新发展,但不是主流经济地理学的新发展。他们的一些主要理论与模型和一些新的概念有理论指导与借鉴意义,但须经过消化、吸收、改造,使它变为地理学的理论内容方有意义。学科的首要任务是进行学科理论体系建设,以之立足于世界科学之林;积极参与社会经济实践,增强学科的理论与实践基础;肩负着提高全民族发展与培养人才的任务。     

The behavioral foundations of Austrian economics

Behavioral and experimental economics present challenges to the neoclassical theory of individual behavior, which is based on individuals making choices within the framework of utility functions that are assumed to have certain well-defined characteristics. Results in behavioral and experimental economics have shown that it is common for individual behavior to systematically deviate from the neoclassical axioms of utility maximization. Austrian economics is also based on axiomatic theories of utility maximization, but the assumptions underlying utility-maximizing behavior are much weaker in the Austrian approach. As a result, they have more solid behavioral foundations and are less subject to challenge by the empirical findings of behavioral and experimental economics. Neoclassical policy conclusions are often overly strong because of its behavioral foundations which are challenged by behavioral and experimental economics and are often misleading because of the comparative static nature of neoclassical welfare economics. For purposes of policy analysis, the Austrian approach provides better insights because of its more realistic behavioral foundations.     

The State,Public Policy and Heterodox Economics: An Introduction

While most heterodox economists endorse some amount of policy activism, there is no unified conception of the state and public policy in heterodox economics. To help clarify the similarities and differences within heterodoxy – and between heterodox and mainstream economics – a panel addressing this subject was convened in 2007 at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Institutional Thought. This article introduces the essays prepared for that symposium. They include an examination of the position of Marx and Engels, a clarification of the institutionalist views of Veblen and Commons, an outline of the perspective of Post Keynesian Institutionalism, and an account of some essential contributions of Classical Pragmatism (a major school of thought within the philosophy of science). The collection advances what Robert Heilbroner called “the worldly philosophy” by seeking to understand the role of the state in a world where institutions, defined broadly as social habits, adjust to other institutions.

宏观经济学中的政治经济学——以新政治经济学的研究方法为视角

新政治经济学以使用经济学现代方法对政治与经济相互作用的研究为核心,成为政治经济学的一个新发展。宏观经济学中的政治经济学作为新政治经济学的一个重要分支,其研究对象是政治对宏观经济运行和政策的影响。宏观经济学中的政治经济学的出现对当代宏观经济理论的影响,则表现在研究形式和研究方法所做的创新。     

我国关税调整对广东经济贸易的影响分析

2011年以来,我国对进口关税进行了一系列新的结构性调整。这是我国外贸政策调整和转变的一次具体表现,从我国外贸战略角度看,贸易平衡发展和转型升级是当前我国外贸发展面,晦的紧迫任务。本文收集近年我国关税调整方案及其对广东经济贸易的影响,首先是对近年来我国关税调整政策内容进行了归纳和总结,提炼了关税调整政策的指导思想和主要特征,进而分析了这一系列调整对广东的经济特别是对外贸易增长和发展转型所造成的影响,最后从政府和企业两个层面提供了政策建议。     

Communication,competition and social gift exchange in an auction for public good provision

Reverse auctions are an established policy instrument for allocating conservation contracts. While the auction mechanism has been the subject of a number of studies, less attention has been paid to the post-bidding contract phase. As contracts involving natural resource management are usually incomplete, trust becomes crucial for the effectiveness of the programme. We test the effect of communication between auctioneer and bidders on bidding behaviour and contract fulfilment using experimental economics. We combine a repeated reverse auction with an effort-level game and use a bilateral chatting tool as treatment variable. Without communication, auctioneers tended to select the lowest-priced bidders, who invested substantially less than the socially optimal level of effort when fulfilling their contract to provide the public good. Relational contracting proved important, with effort levels and profits tending to be higher when auctioneers and bidders entered into consecutive contract relationships. In the communication treatment there was no evidence of price competition, as auctioneers were more likely to accept high-priced bids. However, an overall higher price level did not lead to efficiency losses, since contractors realised higher effort levels in return, establishing a ‘social gift exchange’. Our results demonstrate the importance of trust-based relationships between the auctioneering institution and landholders.     

从克鲁格曼经济学的特色看当前经济理论发展的新趋势

把握经济学的发展趋势是经济理论研究的重要课题。本文旨在通过对经济理论演进过程的梳理和典型综合著作特色的案例分析,归纳出当前经济理论发展的新趋势。从当前最富有代表性的克鲁格曼经济学理论体系与以往经济学综合著作的对比中,我们发现,经济学发展正呈现出思想体系多元化、关注主题实践性、分析视野全球化以及观点表述案例化等新趋势。     

Qui docet discit

Academic economists play many roles; researchers, policy advisor, teacher, etc. While each of these roles is important for the career advancement of an economist, the most important role of academic economists is teaching future citizen economists. It is incumbent upon economists qua teacher to prepare them to make sense of the world they will inhabit. We must, therefore, not teach economics, at least at the introductory level, as if it is the first course on the way to a Ph.D., but as if it is the last class the students will ever take in economics. A consistently subjectivist economics is the best way to teach future citizen economists. When students understand economics as something that helps them make sense of the world, rather than a course in applied mathematics, they will be better citizen economists less likely to fall prey to those selling them free lunches.     

Industrial policy revisited: a new structural economics perspective

Whether or not governments should play a facilitating role in economic development has long been a topic for economic discourse and research. As an important instrument to promote economic development, throughout history even to the present, industrial policy is often and actively used by governments. Much controversy surrounds whether and how governments should implement industrial policy.In this article, failures and successes of implementing such policies are analyzed through a new structural economics perspective. Specifically, the article argues that (1) sector-targeted industrial policy is essential to achieve dynamic structural change and rapid, sustained growth in an economy; (2) most industrial policies fail because they target industries that are not compatible with the country’s comparative advantages; (3) successful industrial policy should target industries that reflerct the country’s latent comparative advantages; (4) historical experiences show that in the catching-up stage, the industrial policies of successful countries, in general, have targeted the industries in countries with a similar endowment structure and somewhat higher per capita income; and (5) the Growth Identification and Facilitation Framework (GIFF), based on new structural economics, is a new, effective way to target latent comparative-advantage industries and support their growth.