About this course: This course is part of the SDG initiative <http://www.sdginitiative.org/> addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, specifically for the following SDGs [1, 8, 10 and 16]. We hope you will join in our efforts to reach the SDG’s in small but measurable and actionable ways, cooperating with Development Done Differently. Expand your impact. You can create a better world. In today’s world, politics and economics are interconnected, but what is the nature of this connectivity? What are the power relationships that shape the world economy today and create new challenges for international institutions facing globalization? What makes some countries wealthier than others? Do we face cultural diversity or fragmentation? Does the type of governance effect economic development and social change or is it the other way around? How do we measure it and how trustworthy is the data? These issues and many more will be examined in this course along with a wide library of sources and a biting criticism.
Who is this class for: This course is for everybody, no background is needed. We will be introducing the tools and expertise you need in order to read and manipulate the databases we present during the course. This course is free, and will remain free for participants. You can purchase a certificate.
Created by: Universiteit Leiden
Taught by: Richard Thomas Griffiths, Prof. dr.
Faculty of Humanities
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 6-8 weeks of study, 2-4 hours/week |
| Language | English, Subtitles: French |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Introduction into this course
Welcome to this course! Here we present the instructor and his team, what we will do in the upcoming modules, and what is exactly Political Economy. You play an important role in this module.
We would also like to hear who you are and what are your expectations from this course. Don't forget to read before that our academic standards and tips and tricks that will help you succeed in this course. Good luck!
4 videos, 6 readings
- Video: Trailer
- Reading: Welcome to Leiden University
- Reading: Meet the instructor & his team
- Reading: Tips for studying online
- Reading: Being successful in an international virtual learning community
- Reading: Behaving in an academic way
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce yourself
- Video: Introduction to Political Economy
- Video: The Evolution of Political Economy
- Video: International Political Economy
- Reading: Reading for International Political Economy
- Discussion Prompt: Look at your own area or country through the lens of international political economy
WEEK 2
Data used in Political Economy
Basic Data. Reviews the basic data of population, output and development used to make international comparisons between countries.
11 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Mapping the World
- Video: Visualization: World Maps
- Discussion Prompt: Do you know an interesting map?
- Video: Political Economy and Data
- Video: Population
- Video: Visualization: World Map of Population
- Video: Output (GDP current values)
- Video: Visualization: World Map of GDP (Current Values)
- Video: Output (GDP PPP)
- Video: Visualization: World Map of GDP PPP
- Video: Poverty
- Video: Visualization: World Map of Human Development Index
- Discussion Prompt: How does your area or country compare?
- Reading: Reading for Data in Political Economy
Graded: Data used in Political Economy
WEEK 3
Trust
Trust. Argues for the centrality of trust in explanations of differences in wealth and poverty between nations but highlights difficulties in measuring it and in explaining the direct of causality.
6 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Trust and Social Capital
- Video: Measuring Trust
- Video: Trust results and Criticism
- Video: Visualization: World Map of Trust
- Video: Causes and Consequences
- Video: Correlation and Regression
- Discussion Prompt: How does trust measure in your area or country?
- Reading: Reading for Trust
Graded: Trust
WEEK 4
Society and Fragmentation
Inequality and Fragmentation. Examines how society can be fragmented along lines of religion, language, ethnicity and income
9 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Ethnic Fragmentation
- Video: Visualization: World Map of Ethnic Fragmentation
- Video: Linguistic Fragmentation
- Video: Visualization: World Map of Linguistic Diversity
- Video: Religious Fragmentation
- Video: Visualization: World Map of Religious Diversity
- Video: Income and Wealth Inequality
- Video: Visualization: World Map of Income Inequality
- Video: Inequality, Fragmentation and Trust
- Discussion Prompt: Is your area or country fragmented in any way?
- Reading: Society and Fragmentation
Graded: Society and Fragmentation
WEEK 5
Governance
Governance. Argues that good governance provides a transparent and stable environment for risk assessment and decision-making and contributes to welfare and growth. The question is how to get it.
8 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Good Governance
- Video: Measuring Governance
- Video: Democracy and Growth
- Video: Visualization: World Map of Democracy
- Video: Rule of Law and Growth
- Video: Visualization: World Map of Rule of Law
- Video: Corruption and Growth
- Video: Visualization: World Map of Corruption
- Discussion Prompt: How is the governance where you live?
- Reading: Reading for Governance
Graded: Governance
WEEK 6
Economic Development
Development Assistance. Assesses the motivations for development assistance but raises doubts about the extent to which it can overcome local issues.
4 videos, 1 reading
- Video: State Failure
- Video: Who Gives Foreign Aid, to Whom, and Why
- Video: The Real Aid Givers
- Video: Aid Effectiveness
- Discussion Prompt: Do you give money to foreign charities?
- Reading: Reading for Economic Development
Graded: Economic Development
WEEK 7
Globalisation
Let us now focus on the international context of the elements we've seen so far. Globalisation - what is it really? What are the benefits it is supposed to confer and what is the role, if any, left for national governments in today's world?
8 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Globalisation. The Debate
- Video: World map of economic globalisation
- Video: Trade
- Video: World map of trade
- Video: Foreign Direct Investment
- Video: FDI modules
- Video: Financial Markets
- Video: The Globalised World Economy
- Discussion Prompt: Do you notice globalisation in your culture?
- Reading: Globalisation Discourse
Graded: Globalisation
WEEK 8
International organizations
International organization. What role do they play in the world economy?
4 videos, 1 reading
- Video: Origins
- Video: Trade
- Video: Finance
- Video: Reflection
- Discussion Prompt: Do you think International organisations are still legitimate?
- Reading: International Institutions
Graded: International Organisations
WEEK 9
Non Governmental actors
Even though they do not belong to any establishment or an institution, certain non- governmental institutions can have a lot of power and influence. Who are those actors? How much power do they really have? We will dive into these question in this module!
8 videos, 2 readings
- Video: Cities
- Video: Big Business
- Video: Transnational Advocacy Groups
- Video: Supra-State Actors
- Discussion Prompt: Can you think of the challenges that non governmental organizations are facing today
- Reading: New Actors
- Reading: SDG initiative and SDG talk - Learn. Act. Impact.
- Video: The SDG initiative and your case study
- Video: Defining your case study
- Video: What effects the sustainability of your project
- Video: The form of your assignment
Graded: Non - Governmental Organizations
Graded: Configure your own world
WEEK 10
Final
The final exam! Good luck!
Graded: Final Exam
WEEK 11
Extra Material
Not for the test - but very good for your general knowledge!
12 videos
- Video: The Invisible Hand - Adam Smith
- Video: Utilitarianism - Jeremy Bentham
- Video: Relative Backwardness - Alexander Gerschenkron
- Video: Classical Liberalism - Friedrich August von Hayek
- Video: Keynesianism - John Maynard Keynes
- Video: Critical Political Economy - Robert Cox
- Video: The Take Off - Walt W. Rostow
- Video: Marxism - Karl Marx
- Video: Small States - Peter Katzenstein
- Video: World Systems Theory - Immanuel Wallerstein
- Video: New Institutional Economics- Ronald Coase
- Video: Economic Structuralism- Raúl Prebisch
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Creators
Universiteit Leiden
Leiden University is one of Europe's foremost research universities. This prominent position gives our graduates a leading edge in applying for academic posts and for functions outside academia.
Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands. It was founded in February 1575, as a gift from William of Orange to the citizens of Leiden after they had withstood a long siege by the Spanish. Our motto is: Praesidium Libertatis — Bastion of Liberty.
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