Global Economics I
Objectives
The course introduces international trade and factor flows theory, as well as to related empirical studies, using standard microeconomics tools to analyze economic interactions between countries. Topics to be covered include: determinants of the level and composition of trade between countries; consequences of trade on consumer welfare and income distribution; effects of tariffs, quotas, and other trade policies; causes and consequences of international labor migration and foreign direct investment. Students taking this course should be able to understand, with a critical view, trade, immigration and FDI policies in an open economy.
General characterization
Code
1113
Credits
7.5
Responsible teacher
Luís Campos e Cunha
Hours
Weekly - Available soon
Total - Available soon
Teaching language
English
Prerequisites
Mandatory Precedence:
- 1102. Microeconomics
Bibliography
Suggested textbook: [FT] R. Feenstra and A. Taylor, International Economics, 3rd/2nd edition, Worth. Other relevant sources: [HM] Husted Steven and M. Melvin, International Economics, 8th edition, Pearson. [CFJ] Caves Richard, J. Frankel and R. Jones, World Trade and Payments, 10th edit, Pearson International Edition. [HS] Heffernan, S. and Sinclair P. Modern International Economics, 1990, Blackwell. [KO] Krugman and Obstfeld, International Trade, theory and policy, 9th edition, Pearson. [BPS] Bhagwati Panagariya and Srinivasan, Lectures on International Trade, 2nd, MIT Press.
Teaching method
A. Knowledge and Understanding
Students taking this course should be able to understand, with a critical view, international trade policies and other economic policies in an open economy. These might come from international agreements as well as from the EU or national levels.
B. Subject-Specific Skills
Intermediate microeconomics, including general equilibrium and welfare. Math knowledge at that level.
C. General Skills
Being able to think in general equilibrium.
Evaluation method
Final Grade = 30% Midterm Exam + 50% Final Exam
+ 20% Problem Sets and Class Participation
• Midterm and final exam are both mandatory.
• Final exam is comprehensive of all the contents taught in the course.
• Minimum final exam grade requirement of 8.0, and course passing grade of 9.5.
Important Assessment Dates
• Midterm: TBD
• Final Exam: TBD
• Resit Exam: TBD
Doing the final exam in the regular period
• If you have a reason, validated by the pedagogical council, for having missed the midterm, you may take the final exam in the normal period for 80% of the grade. 20% of the final grade will still correspond to problem sets and class participation.
• Students who are just improving their grade are entitled to take the final exam in the regular period for 100% of the grade.
• Otherwise, in normal circumstances, your final exam will amount to 50% of your final grade.
Doing the exam in the resit period
• Following the rules of the university, you can do the resit exam (for 100% of the grade) if you did not pass the course through regular assessment. Note you must enroll for this exam in the undergraduate office.
• Students who are just improving their grade are entitled to take the resit exam for 100% of the grade.
• If you do not attend the final exam in the regular period, your resit exam will count 100% of the course grade.
Problem sets and class participation
• There will be weekly problem sets to be solved and handed in before the tutorial sessions. The three worst problem sets will not be included when computing the average problem set grade.
• Class participation includes students’ contributions to class discussion both in lectures and tutorials as assessed by the lecturer and teaching assistant.
Subject matter
This course outline is a guide to the general nature and order of the topics covered in the course. Some variation may occur. Additional readings to the textbook will be posted in the course Moodle webpage.
I – Introduction to International Trade
[FT chap 1]
Bernard et al. (2007)
II – The Ricardian Model
[FT chap 2]
III – The Specific Factors Model
[FT chap 3]
Bernhofen and Brown (2004)
IV – The Heckscher-Ohlin Model
[FT chap 4]
Krugman (2008)
Schott (2003)
Batista and Potin (2014)
V – Movement of Labor and Capital between countries: International Labor Migration and FDI
[FT chap 5]
Freeman (2006)
Batista (2008)
Batista and McKenzie (2018) Bah and Batista (2018) Clemens (2011)
McKenzie and Yang (2014) Docquier, Ozden, and Peri (2014)
VI – Increasing Returns to Scale and Monopolistic Competition
[FT chap 6]
Helpman (1999)
Krugman (2009)
Arkolakis, Costinot and Rodriguez-Clare (2012)
VII – Offshoring of Goods and Services
[FT chap 7]
Markusen (1995)
Feenstra and Hanson (1999) Melitz (2003)
VIII – Import Tariffs and Quotas under Perfect Competition
[FT chap 8]
Amiti et al. (2019)
Harrigan and Barrows (2009)
IX – Import Tariffs and Quotas under Imperfect Competition
[FT chap 9]
Amiti et al. (2019) Feenstra (1989)
X – Export Subsidies in Resource and High-Technology Industries [Time permitting]
[FT chap 10]
XI – International Agreements: Trade, Labor and the Environment [Time permitting]
[FT chap 11]