Advanced International Trade

Teacher(s)

Gomes Joseph; Vannoorenberghe Gonzague;

Language

English

Main themes

The students in this course are expected to prepare a paper on a topic in the daily news that is related to the trade theory models that we discuss in class. For example: what explains the wage gap between skilled and unskilled workers in Europe? Students are also required to solve problem sets that consist of questions raised in class. Discussion of solutions are done in class together with a discussion of the difficulties faced in solving the prob-lems. The purpose of the course is to give Master students a solid knowledge of the field of International economics which they require if they want to pursue research in this field. The course particularly stresses the notion of comparative advantage and the link between trade, product and factor markets. This allows students to better understand the issues involved in policy debates on "globalization" and to better understand issues like the "anti-globalization movement".

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	This course intends to teach Master students a course in Advanced International Trade. For this purpose we will use the handbook by Feenstra (2004) which is an internationally renowned book used in many Universities around the world. The course discusses -neo-classical trade models with perfect product and labor markets -modern trade models with imperfect product market (new economic geography models,..) -empirical evidence on the validity of theoretical trade models In addition the course will also engage in a discussion of some topics currently heavily researched in the litera-ture.

Content

The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of recent trade theories and to address some of the most salient empirical questions in international trade. At the end of this course, students should have a good understanding of some of the main questions related to international trade, such as: (i) why do nations/firms trade and what do they trade? (ii) who benefits and who loses from trade? (iii) is trade good for growth and development? Under which conditions? A good understanding of these questions is essential to reflect on the contemporary debates linked to globalization and protectionism.

Teaching methods

The course consists of interactive lectures. Students can voluntarily take part in additional activities that will be offered during the semester (e.g. present a paper, solve a problem set, replicate empirical results, etc.)

Evaluation methods

Oral examination at the end of the course.

Other information

Students should have a solid background in microeconomics, mathematics, and econometrics.

Bibliography

We will discuss a number of recent academic papers. The list will be announced at the beginning of the semester.
There is no required textbook for this course. The book `Advanced International Trade: Theory and Evidence' by R.Feenstra, Princeton University Press, Second edition, 2016 can be a good complement for interested students.

Teaching materials

• Lecture notes and/or slides.
• There is no required textbook for this course. However, we will sometimes draw from the following textbook: \Advanced International Trade' by R.Feenstra, Princeton University Press, 2004

Faculty or entity

ECON