EH308     
Historical Economic Geography: Cities, Markets and Regions in the 19th and 20th Centuries

This information is for the 2015/16 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Juan Roses Vendoiro STC.S483

Availability

This course is available on the BSc in Economic History, BSc in Economic History with Economics, BSc in Economics and Economic History and BSc in Economics with Economic History. This course is not available as an outside option nor to General Course students.

Course content

The course explores how and why the location of economic activities changes across time and space from industrialization up to the present. One goal for this course is to demonstrate the importance of history in the formation of the present-day economic landscape. An equally important goal is to demonstrate the applicability of the study of economic geography to the understanding of historical patterns of development and underdevelopment. The course is not organized chronologically but thematically. Particular attention focuses on four major issues: the development of cities, the creation of national markets, the historical basis for manufacturing agglomeration, and the historical evolution and sources of regional inequality.

Teaching

20 hours of seminars in the MT. 20 hours of seminars in the LT. 4 hours of seminars in the ST.

Formative coursework

All students are expected to write two essays or equivalent pieces of written work.

Indicative reading

Crafts, Nicholas and Mulatu, Abay, (2006)."How Did the Location of Industry Respond to Falling Transport Costs in Britain Before World War I?," Journal of Economic History, vol. 66(03), pages 575-607.Combes, Pierre-Philippe, Thierry Mayer and Jacques-François Thisse, Economic Geography: The Integration of Regions and Nations. Princeton University Press, 2008. Garretsen, Harry and Martin, Ron (2010), Rethinking (New) Economic Geography Models: Taking Geography and History More Seriously, Spatial Economic Analysis, 5, 2, pp. 127-160. Kim, Sukkoo and Margo, Robert A., 2004. "Historical perspectives on U.S. economic geography," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: J. V. Henderson & J. F. Thisse (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 66, pages 2981-3019 Elsevier. Wolf, Nikolaus, Schulze, Max-Stephan and Heinemeyer, Hans-Christian, (2011),"On the Economic Consequences of the Peace: Trade and Borders After Versailles," Journal of Economic History, .vol. 71(04), pages 915-949.

Assessment

Exam (70%, duration: 2 hours) in the main exam period.
Essay (10%, 2500 words) in the MT.
Essay (10%, 2500 words) in the LT.
Presentation (10%) in the MT and LT.

Key facts

Department: Economic History

Total students 2014/15: 16

Average class size 2014/15: 16

Capped 2014/15: No

Value: One Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

PDAM skills

  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Specialist skills