Economic Development
Spring 2007
Economics 3351, Section 4774
Thomas R. DeGregori
Time: TTH
1:00-2:30pm Office: 209D M
Room 110 AH
Office hrs. MW 12-1 PM or by appointment
Email: <mailto:trdegreg@uh.edu>trdegreg@uh.edu
Required Reading
Science and Technology in World History :
An Introduction by James E McClellan and Harold Dorn, Johns Hopkins University
Press, 2006.
Globalization and the Developing Countries
by D. Bigman, ed., Oxford University Press.
Origins of the Organic Agriculture Debate
by Thomas R. DeGregori, Blackwell Professional.
Bountiful Harvest by Thomas R. DeGregori,
Cato Institute.
The Environment, Our Natural Resources and
Modern Technology by Thomas R. DeGregori, Blackwell Professional.
Assignment:
You are to write 3 short papers and 1 long
paper for a total of 30 to 35 pages. For those attending class regularly, there
will be an option of a short pass/fail quiz at the end of the semester that will
substitute for one paper. You choose which of the following topics to use for
your long paper. Additional topic options will be announced in class and posted
on my web page.
The topics are:
1) Sources for Economic development in
the developed world.
2) Economic development since WW II with
special emphasis on Agriculture.
3) Health and population in the 21st
Century
4) Globalization and economic development
ALL PAPERS MUST INCLUDE SUBSTANTIVE
REFERENCES TO THE ASSIGNED MATERIAL. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED MUST HAVE A SOURCE.
Pick four topics. On the first three papers
should be between 5 to 7 pages with a total of about 20 - 25 pages. The fourth
and final paper should be between 15 to 20 pages - the distribution of pages per
paper is purely advisory but the total for the four is mandatory). Total pages
of all papers taken together should be between 30 to 40 pages. Students who opt
to attend class regularly will be given an extraordinarily simple pass/fail exam
toward the end of the semester and no later than the next to last day of class.
This exam will count for one paper giving a total of four papers and circa 25
pages
You are required to check my homepage for
supplemental instructions on writing your papers. You are responsible for
meeting all requirements for instructions posted by the first day of class.
ALL PAPERS HAVE TO INCLUDE SUBSTANTIAL
CITED MATERIAL FROM THE ASSIGNED READINGS AND A SOURCE MUST BE IDENTIFIED FOR
ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED. YOU MAY USE OTHER RESEARCH MATERIAL AS WELL. THINK OF
YOUR PAPERS AS A KIND OF FINAL EXAM FOR THE COURSE. IF YOU TOOK A FINAL IN
ANOTHER COURSE AND MISSED HALF OR MORE OF THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU READ OTHER
THAN THE ASSIGNED SOURCES, I DOUBT THAT YOU WOULD GET MUCH SYMPATHY. SELECT
TOPICS THAT ALLOW YOU TO USE THE ASSIGNED SOURCES AND IF ONE OF YOUR TOPICS IS
NOT ON THE LIST, SEND ME AN EMAIL REQUESTING PREMISSION TO WRITE ON IT.
MY HOME PAGE - <www.uh.edu/~trdegreg>.
PLEASE GIVE AS COMPLETE A CITATION AS POSSIBLE INCLUDING THE URL. - SEE POSTED
MANDATORY SUPPLEMENTARY INSTRUCTIONS FOR MORE DETAILS.
I am enforcing these rules more firmly than
in previous offerings. It is strongly recommended that you make extensive use of
the assigned material throughout each paper. I have returned papers or given C-s
& D-s because they did not follow the basic requirements and will do so whenever
necessary. Given that these rules have now been in effect for over one year, I
will be far less likely to give students an opportunity to re-do their papers so
follow the rules and do them correctly the first time.
Additional topic options will be offered in
class. If there is another topic on which you wish to write and on which you can
use the assigned sources, you may get approval by email with the email exchange
being turned in with the final papers.
Thomas R. DeGregori, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics
University of Houston
Department of Economics
204 McElhinney Hall
Houston, Texas 77204-5019
Ph. 001 - 1 - 713 743-3838
Fax 001 - 1 - 713 743-3798
Email
trdegreg@uh.edu
Web homepage
http://www.uh.edu/~trdegreg