ECON 470 - The Indian Economy: Development and Social Justice

Institution:

Williams College

Subject:

Economics

Description:

The Indian economy today is described in two competing narratives. India is, on the one hand, a fast-growing "emerging economy:" it is producing a range of information technology services, threatening white-collar jobs in the United States; its growing consumption of fossil fuels is stressing world energy supplies and contributing to global warming; along with China, it is changing the balance of international economic and political relations. In another narrative Indian economic growth is lop-sided and unsustainable: poverty and malnutrition remain widespread; Maoist insurgencies threaten a swath of eastern districts; and conflicts rage over threatened ecological resources. In one prominent academic work India has been described as an "Emerging Giant;" in another, it is a "Republic of Hunger." This course will introduce the student to these narratives in the words of participants, ranging from books by CEO's of major corporations to pamphlets produced by left-wing critics of present economic policies. We will then use the traditional theoretical and quantitative methods of an economist to evaluate these perspectives, and, consistent with the goals of the Exploring Diversity Initiative, consider how they are shaped by power, privilege, and the social location of the narrator.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Economics 253, Economics 255, or equivalent, or permission of instructor

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Seminar

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.williams.edu

Phone Number:

(413) 597-3131

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Four-one-four plan

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