Teaching at NYU
Department of Politics
Spring semester 2010
Tuesdays & Thursdays 11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (19 West 4th St, room 102)
Political Economy of Institutions (V53.0575.001.SP10)
Overview: The course introduces you to theoretical and empirical studies that examine the structure of economic systems and the nature of economic organization. Social systems or mechanisms are based on laws, court decisions, public and private regulations, social norms, and beliefs. Why and how do these systems and mechanisms arise? What effect do they have? Why are inefficient systems tolerated? We begin by introducing various research methods and tools and go on to consider applications in three areas: (1) the origins of modern economic growth; (2) property rights and wasteful use of environmental resources; and (3) problems of adjusting social systems to modern technologies such as biotechnology, digital technology, computers and the Internet.
SyllabusOffice hours: Thursdays, 12:15-1:15 p.m. and by appointment