EH452      Half Unit
Latin American Development and Economic History

This information is for the 2014/15 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Maria Irigoin C313

Availability

This course is available on the MA Global Studies: A European Perspective, MRes in Quantitative Economic History, MSc in Economic History, MSc in Economic History (Research), MSc in Empires, Colonialism and Globalisation, MSc in Global History, MSc in History of International Relations, MSc in International and World History (LSE & Columbia), MSc in Political Economy of Late Development and MSc in Theory and History of International Relations. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Course content

The course will consider some of the major topics of development and economic history of Latin America. The topics to be explored will be the role of geography, the environment and factor endowments, the role of institutions and policies, problems of taxation and representation in the constitutional and political developments in the 19th and 20th century, the history of labour and migrations into and out of Latin America, the protracted character of Latin America's inequality, the macroeconomics of industrialization and the political economic nature of Latin American populist political culture. Using reciprocal comparisons with the US, South East Asia, between LA countries, and over time the course will revisit the current interpretations of Latin American development in the long run and will frame the analysis of particular issues of policy-making of the present into the economic historical context.

Teaching

10 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the LT.

Weekly two-hour seminars in LT.

Formative coursework

Students are required to write two papers (around 2,000 words each) during the term.

Indicative reading

V. Bulmer-Thomas, V (2003) The economic history of Latin America since independence CUP; S. Edwards, (2010). Left behind: Latin America and the false promise of populism. University of Chicago Press; P. Franko, (2007). The puzzle of Latin American economic development. Rowman & Littlefield; J. L. Gallup, (2003) Is geography destiny?: lessons from Latin America. World Bank; L.C. Pereira, et al (1993). Economic reforms in new democracies: a social-democratic approach. CUP; E. Stein, et al. (2008). Policymaking in Latin America: how politics shapes policies. IADB; S Collier, & WF. Sater. (2004). A history of Chile, 1808-2002. CUP; C. Contreras & M Cueto. (2007). Historia del Peru' contempora'neo; IEP; G. Della Paolera, & AM Taylor, (2003) A new economic history of Argentina CUP; SH Haber, et al (2008). Mexico Since 1980. CUP. JA Robinson, & M Urrutia. (2010). The Colombian economy in the 20th century, HUP. F. Vidal Luna, & HS. Klein. (2006). Brazil since 1980. CUP

Assessment

Exam (100%, duration: 2 hours) in the main exam period.

Key facts

Department: Economic History

Total students 2013/14: 14

Average class size 2013/14: 15

Controlled access 2013/14: Yes

Lecture capture used 2013/14: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information