ECON 327 - Emerging Cities, Migration and Informality

Credits: (3)
Prerequisite(s): ECON 101 and ECON 307 (or BUAD 231, KINE 394, MATH 351, PSYC 301, SOCL 353)
College Curriculum: COLL 300
Urbanization and economic prosperity have long been strongly correlated. However, cities in developing countries remain vastly different from cities in developed countries. This course examines the drivers of rapid urbanization in the developing world, the nature of migration from rural to urban areas and the implications of this process for the formality/informality of job opportunities. Attention will be given to the dynamics of cities fueled by high-value commodities versus cities thriving on export of manufactures and modern services. As the share of the world population living in cities rises, this course examines its implications for poverty reduction and upward mobility both for city dwellers and their rural counterparts.