31606

WiSe 21/22: Conflict Economics

Julia Zimmermann

Comments

This course aims at introducing students to the recent literature on conflict and economic development. To date, the study of conflicts has been dominated by political scientists, which prejudges the phenomenon as purely political. However, the use of economic theory and statistical evidence alongside the traditional case-studies can offer valuable analytical insights on the causes of inter- and intrastate conflicts and terrorism and its effect on economic development. Students are introduced to models of armed conflict. We discuss cross-country evidence and case-studies which aim at increasing understanding of what economists have in their tool kit for estimating the causal impact of various conflicts on outcomes relevant for growth and vice-versa. At the end of this course students will not only have achieved a better understanding of what rational choice explanations for war are but also how conflicts affect growth-relevant variables. This course will discuss a limited set of academic articles in depth; students are expected to read these articles before class. Furthermore, students are expected to prepare either a 15-minute presentation on their own or a 25-minute presentation with a co-presenter on an assigned paper in a week of their choice. In order to introduce the students to a scholar-reviewer setting, their presentations will be challenged by one supplementary presenter. The final grade will then comprise of the above mentioned presentation and a seminar paper. The seminar paper will either be an article for which the students act as referee or a scientific contribution on their own. Students without the need for grading (Teilnahmeschein), will update the quality of academic social science in Wikipedia, by integrating required and recommended readings into relevant Wikipedia articles. The requirements will be discussed in class. close