EH401 Half Unit
Historical Analysis of Economic Change
This information is for the 2015/16 session.
Teacher responsible
Dr Debin Ma SAR 612
Availability
This course is compulsory on the MSc in Economic History, MSc in Economic History (Research) and MSc in Quantitative Economic History. This course is not available as an outside option.
Course content
The course provides basic awareness of central themes and key methodological and theoretical issues in economic history; introduces students to important analytic tools used by economic historians, with an emphasis on their practical application in economic history research; and examines major ways in which economic historians collect, analyse and interpret evidence. The training is expected to inform dissertation work. The course covers two main areas. 1) Theory and Research: this section introduces theoretical approaches to major issues in economic history, and considers the practical application in historical analysis of concepts from economics (primarily) and related disciplines. The specific topics evolve but an illustrative list includes: processes of economic growth; economic development; culture and economic behaviour; the rational-choice institutionalist paradigm; imperfect information and incentive structures; modern macro-economic ideas (especially on money and finance); welfare outcomes. 2) Historical Methodology: this section introduces methodological issues in combining social science frameworks with historical materials. It considers problems of knowledge and explanation in economic history, and introduces quantitative and qualitative approaches to obtaining, analysing and interpreting evidence.
Teaching
20 hours of lectures and 9 hours of seminars in the MT. 1 hour of lectures in the ST.
Formative coursework
Students are required to make one class presentation and also to submit one paper on an additional topic during the term.
Indicative reading
D. North, Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance (1990): A. Greif, Institutions and the Path to the Modern Economy (2006); K. Pomeranz, The Great Divergence: China, Europe and the Making of the Modern World Economy (2000); R. Allen, The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective (2009); D Rodrik (Ed), In Search of Prosperity (2003); E. Helpman, The Mystery of Economic Growth (2004); T Rawski (Ed), Economics and the Historian (1996); J. Tosh, The Pursuit of History (2nd Edition, 1991); D. Little, Varieties of Social Explanation (1991).
Assessment
Exam (100%, duration: 2 hours) in the LT week 0.
Teachers' comment
Key facts
Department: Economic History
Total students 2014/15: 74
Average class size 2014/15: 12
Controlled access 2014/15: Yes
Value: Half Unit
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Application of information skills
- Communication
- Application of numeracy skills
- Specialist skills
Course survey results
(2011/12 - 2013/14 combined)
1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" scoreThe scores below are average responses.
Response rate: 80.9%
Question |
Average | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reading list (Q2.1) |
1.8 | ||||||
Materials (Q2.3) |
1.5 | ||||||
Course satisfied (Q2.4) |
1.9 | ||||||
Lectures (Q2.5) |
1.9 | ||||||
Integration (Q2.6) |
2 | ||||||
Contact (Q2.7) |
2.1 | ||||||
Feedback (Q2.8) |
2.1 | ||||||
Recommend (Q2.9) |
|
Survey questions on feedback to students may be non-informative because assessed work comes later in the term than the survey.