AØKK08338U Seminar: Economic Growth and Biocultural Evolution CANCELED

Volume 2015/2016
Education

M.Sc. of Economics
The seminar is primarily for students at the MSc of Economics

Content

This seminar focuses on the exciting new research area in the field of economic growth that is related to human biology and population genetics. The main purpose is to understand long-run economic and cultural processes in light of fundamental biocultural forces such as natural selection and the serialfounder effect. Key topics include the origins of human capital formation, the demographic transition, and the transition from millennials of stagnation to the era of sustained economic growth.

Learning Outcome

Understand central theories, findings, and questions, including those at the research frontier.

Examples of topics:

◦ The role of human genetic diversity in comparative economic development.

◦ The role of natural selection as a driver of human capital formation and economic growth.

◦ The economics of cultural transmission.

Pose a focused empirical or theoretical research question and write a short research paper on the topic.

Discuss a fellow participants' paper as an opponent.

While the field is new and developing rapidly, the existing literature is already wide. A short collection of papers that can be used as starting points are given here:

This field is the main research area of Professor Oded Galor who is giving the Zeuthen Lectures in 2016 at the University of Copenhagen. Relevant books and papers of his include:

◦ Galor, Oded. Unified Growth Theory. Princeton University Press, 2011.

◦ Oded Galor & Marc Klemp, 2014. "The Biocultural Origins of Human Capital Formation," Working Papers 2014-6, Brown University, Department of Economics.

◦ Quamrul Ashraf & Oded Galor, 2013. "The 'Out of Africa' Hypothesis, Human Genetic Diversity, and Comparative Economic Development," American Economic Review, vol. 103(1), pages 1-46, February.

◦ Oded Galor & Omer Moav, 2002. "Natural Selection And The Origin Of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 117(4), pages 1133-1191, November.

• Enrico Spolaore & Romain Wacziarg, 2013. "How Deep Are the Roots of Economic Development?,"Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 51(2), pages 325-69, June.

• Alberto Bisin & Thierry Verdier, 2010. "The Economics of Cultural Transmission and Socialization," NBER Working Papers 16512.

All students with a B.Sc. in economics can apply. It is recommended, but not at
all necessary, to have focused on studying economic growth and/or empirical methods.
Introductory meeting at the beginning of the semester, writing of seminar paper during
the semester, and presentations at the end of the semester. More information will be given by the teacher.

Date for the first meeting will be made in agreement with the students.

• Week 6: Introductory meeting
• Week 10: Submission of a short description of research question and planned methodology
• Week 17: Submission of seminar paper
• Week 18/19: Presentations of papers and feedback.
• Week 22: Submission of final paper*
* Approximately a month after the presentations, students re-submit an edited and final version of their papers. The aim is that students use the presentation round as an opportunity to get and use constructive feedback to improve their work.
Meetings may generally be scheduled after 4 p.m. to minimize interference with other course-related obligations.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 0,5
  • Project work
  • 198
  • Seminar
  • 8
  • Total
  • 206,5
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Oral examination, 30 min under invigilation
Written assignment (seminar paper) with oral exam of about 20 minutes under invigilation. The grade will be given based on the seminar paper as well as the exam. It is mandatory to attend the introductory meeting as well as the seminar presentations, and to hand in the seminar paper before the deadline.
Exam registration requirements

Attendance on the seminar. The mandatory commitment paper and seminar paper have been handed in at deadline.

 

Aid
All aids allowed

All aids are allowed for the seminar paper. Slides are allowed, and recommended, for the presentation of the paper. The teacher can specify other allowed aids for the presentation.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
up to 20 % censorship
Exam period

Deadline for commitmentpaper: 1. Marts

Dates for the final group meeting (presentations) and deadline for submitting the final term will be made in agreement with the students and not later than week 21. 

For enrolled students more information about examination, exam/re-sit, rules etc. is available at the student intranet for Examination (English) and student intranet for Examination (KA-Danish).

 

 

Re-exam

Submission of a written assignment and an oral exam in which you may be examined in the presentations of the other students participating in the seminar during the enrolment period in question.

Criteria for exam assesment

The student must in a satisfactory way demonstrate that he/she has mastered the learning outcome of the course.