UCL - Regional Inequalities and Relocation

[ECON2314]

[30h] 5 credits

Teacher(s):

Language: French

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

The purpose of this class is to understand the emergence of inequalities across the space-economy at dif-ferent geographical scales. To this end, we will use concepts and tools borrowed from microeconomics, in-dustrial organization and international trade. The main focus will be on interregional and international disparities, but we will also discuss some issues dealing with cities because large cities are among the main engines of modern economic growth. This class will also illustrate how theoretical concepts and empirical methods can be utilized to study real-world problems that do not seem to be directly related to economics such as the reasons for the existence of cities.

Main themes

The class is organized in three parts. The first one is devoted to a historical overview of the way eco-nomic spaces have changed since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The main focus will be on the emergence of international disparities and the urbanization process. In the second part, we will study the main economic mechanisms that shape the space-economy, especially the agglomeration of economic activities in a few places. In the third part, we will go through the main econometric stud-ies that have been recently developed to test the validity of the new models that have been put for-ward.

Content and teaching methods

Methods : teaching classes, student papers and discussions of current issues.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Microeconomics, international tarde

Exam and home works

Economic geography. The integration of regions and nations by Combes, Mayer and Thisse, 2008,
Princeton University Press (a French translation is available)