This seminar compares the ways in which different countries have tried to establish well-ordered markets and policies that provide economic security for their citizens. The course begins with historical readings on the role of finance in promoting economic growth from industrialization through the three decades of stability after World War Two. We will then use this historical framework to examine topics including: industrial finance, social welfare and risk-sharing, corporate governance, and comparative responses to the financial crisis of 2008. Readings will be drawn from Europe, Japan, and the United States.
This course will be conducted like a graduate seminar. Students must be ready to do all the reading before each session and to participate actively in the seminar. There are no technical prerequisites, but students must have some background in either economics or the comparative politics of advanced industrialized democracies. Written requirements will include a number of short “think-piece” essays and one research paper with topic and preliminary outline to be submitted during the course of the semester.
Enrollment. Those wishing to enroll should put themselves on the waitlist in Phase Two and send an email to Professor Ziegler with a brief (one-page) statement of their interest and relevant academic background. Priority will be given to students who meet the eligibility requirements, and who email their statements by Monday, August 9, 2010. Statements will be accepted on a rolling basis as space permits.
Political Science Majors of Junior and Senior status, with a minimum overall GPA of 3.3. Students must place themselves on the waitlist through TeleBEARS. Selection and notification will occur around August 20, 2010