The general purpose of the course is to empower students to develop their critical thinking skills, by providing them with an up-to-date understanding of the world economy over the last century and a half and discussing key historical issues.
Course Prerequisites
None in particular but a reasonable basic knowledge of key economic concepts and major historical events of the last century and a half. Anyway, if needs be, additional personal guidance will be provided over rudiments of history and basic economic notions.
Teaching Methods
Lectures, during which students' active and critical participation will be greatly appreciated and encouraged.
Assessment Methods
Oral exam, designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate achievement of the course learning outcomes. The assessment strategy aims at verifying the students' knowledge of the topics of the programme and their critical ability to connect historical events and put them in historical context and perspective.
Texts
Marco CATTINI, The Making of Europe. A Global Economic and Social History, 2nd edition, Milan, Bocconi University Press EGEA, 2017, pp. 161-168, 177-186, 211-298, 303-306
GOLDMAN SACHS GLOBAL ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT, BRICs and Beyond, 2007, pp. 5-57, 73-148, 159-164, 257-262 (on line)
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE COUNCIL, Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds, December 2012, pp. i-xvi, 1-16, 20-47, 63-67, 83-97 (on line)
Contents
The course aims at providing students with an up-to-date understanding of the main aspects and trends of the world economy in the late 19th, 20th, and early 21st centuries. Attention will be focused in particular on the crucial interaction between socio-economic, demographic, geopolitical, and strategic factors which play a pivotal role in shaping contemporary history and strongly affect the performances of national economies.
A short summary of the main topics to be covered in the course includes:
Japan enters the scene An early globalisation, 1880-1914 Change and continuity after the wars: prosperity and crisis in a rebuilt world economy Beyond Western capitalism: planned economies, the Far East, the Third World Globalisation, the New Economy, and all the rest, 1988-2009 From rags to riches? BRICs and beyond What's next? Megatrends and game-changers in the coming decades
