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Course 2007-2008 a.y.

8203 - ECONOMICS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION


MM-LS - OSI-LS - AFC-LS - CLAPI-LS - CLEFIN-LS - CLELI-LS - CLEACC-LS - DES-LS - CLEMIT-LS - CLG-LS - M-LS
Department of Social and Political Sciences

Course taught in English


Go to class group/s: 31

MM-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - OSI-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - AFC-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - CLAPI-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - CLEFIN-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - CLELI-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - CLEACC-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - DES-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - CLEMIT-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - CLG-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - M-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI)
Course Director:
CARLO ALTOMONTE

Classes: 31 (II sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: CARLO ALTOMONTE


Course Objectives

The course presents the most recent developments in economic theory related to the process of European integration.

By the end of this course, students should be able to use advanced economic and statistical tools for the analysis of most policies and proposals currently discussed in the daily debate on the EU. To this aim, specific assignments on current policy problems and special guests from the EU Institutions complement the course program.

 

Course Content Summary

The course is divided into four parts: 

  • growth and economic integration;
  • economic geography and cohesion;
  • political economy of EU Institutions;
  • future developments of the EU.

Among the topics covered, the course in particular touches upon the following:

  • theory of economic integration with heterogeneous firms;
  • micro-foundation and analysis of aggregate productivity;
  • productivity decomposition and non-parametric estimates of firms' TFP;
  • new economy geography;
  • theory and measurement of power indexes;
  • structural reforms in the EU.

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

Attending students  
Three take-home group assignments on the first three parts of the course, worth 65 per cent of total marks. A final written exam makes up for the remaining points.

Non-attending students
Individual essay, on a topic to be agreed in advance, on one of the first three parts of the course, worth 50 per cent of total marks. A final written exam makes up for the remaining points.


Textbooks

Selected chapters from the following books:

  • A. SAPIR, et al., An Agenda for a Growing Europe: Making the EU Economic System to Deliver, Oxford University Press, 2003.
  • D. MUELLER (ed by), Perspectives on Public Choice, Cambridge University Press, 1997.
  • S.J. BRAMS, et al. (ed. by), Political and related models, Springer, 1983.

Technical articles:

  • D. ACEMOGLU, P. AGHION, F. ZILIBOTTI, Distance to Frontier, Selection and Economic Growth, Journal of the European Economic Association, 4:37-74, 2006.
  • A. BERNARD, J. BRADFORD JENSEN, S. REDDING and P. SCHOTT, Firms in International Trade, NBER, 2006.
  • D. PUGA, European Regional Policies in Light of Recent Location Theories, Journal of Economic Geography, 2: 373-406, 2002.
  • B. SMARZYNSKA JAVORCIK, Does Foreign Direct Investment Increase the Productivity of Domestic Firms? In Search of Spillovers through Backward Linkages, American Economic Review, 94:605-627, 2004.
  • J.  VAN BIESEBROECK, The Sensivity of Productivity Estimates: Revisiting Three Important Debates, Journal of Business and Economic Statistics, forthcoming, 2007.

Additional notes/readings will be provided when dealing with specific topics covered in the programme.

For further and continuously updated information consult the  IEP web site or contact  S.I.D. - Servizio Informazioni Didattica - Institute of Economics - via Gobbi, 5 - Room 313.

Last change 13/06/2007 10:30