Course 2009-2010 a.y.

8203 - ECONOMICS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION


MM-LS - AFC-LS - CLAPI-LS - CLEFIN-LS - CLELI-LS - DES-LS - CLG-LS - M-LS - IM-LS - ACME-LS - EMIT-LS

Department of Social and Political Sciences

Course taught in English

Go to class group/s: 31
MM-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) - DES-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - CLG-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - M-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - IM-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - ACME-LS (6 credits - II sem. - AI) - EMIT-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 the most relevant economic policies currently discussed in 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 economic 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:

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

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.
  • P. KRUGMAN, Scale Economies, Product Differentiation and the Pattern of Trade, The American Economic Review, 70:950-959, 1980.
  • T. MAYER, G. OTTAVIANO, The Happy Few: the Internationalisation of European Firms, Bruegel Blueprint 3, 2007. 
  • M. MELITZ, The Impact of Trade on Intra-Industry Reallocation and Aggregate Industry Productivity, Econometrica, 71:1695-1725, 2003.
  • D. PUGA, European Regional Policies in Light of Recent Location Theories, Journal of Economic Geography, 2:373-406, 2002.

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

Exam textbooks & Online Articles (check availability at the Library)
Last change 26/03/2009 15:51