Corso di micronomia avanzata, focalizzato sulle problematiche dei paesi in via di sviluppo. Particolare attenzione viene data al ruolo dei vincoli di sussistenza e delle asimmetrie informative nei mercati del credito, dell’assicurazione e del lavoro. Vengono trattati in modo approfondito i temi del lavoro minorile e della mortalita’ infantile.
Bardhan, P. and C. Udry (1999, 2001), Development Microeconomics, Oxford University Press
and
Cigno, A. and F. C. Rosati (2005, 2006), The Economics of Child Labour, Oxford University Press
Learning Objectives
Train the student in contemporary microeconomic analysis. Help develop in the student the ability to design or evaluate development policies.
Prerequisites
Good grounding in conventional microeconomics and familiarity with the standard mathematical techniques of economic theory (constrained optimization, analytical geometry).
Teaching Methods
Lectures with student-instructor interaction.
Further information
Regular attendance is strongly recommended.
Type of Assessment
Written examination with open questions.
Course program
1. Revision of general equilibrium without asymmetric information: standard 2X2X2 model; credit, insurance and international trade.
2. Asymmetric information: moral hazard and adverse selection.
3. Credit markets with moral hazard and adverse selection, interlinked commodity-credit contracts, informal insurance, microcredit.
4. Asset and land markets, agricultural contracts in the presence of risk and moral hazard
5. Labour markets, efficiency wages, interlinked employment-credit contracts, bonded labour, migration.
6. Intergenerational transfers, the family as a substitute for the credit market and the welfare state.
7. Education and child labour: effects of credit and insurance market imperfections.
8. Fertility and infant mortality
9. Marriage, dowries and bride-prices.