Course Description
The course covers the most important topics in urban economics in a rigorous but nontechnical manner, focusing on challenges and opportunities faced by cities in the global south. It emphasizes interactive learning through lectures, debates, presentations, and quantitative analysis clinics.
Course Goals
- Understand the key concepts and theories in urban economics as they apply to developing countries.
- Analyze economic challenges and opportunities faced by cities in the global south.
- Engage in constructive debates on urban economic issues.
- Develop and apply quantitative analysis skills to real-world research questions.
Weekly Schedule
| Week | Topic | Key Readings | Interactive Section |
|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Urban Economics in Developing Countries | Henderson & Turner (2020); Gollin, Jedwab & Vollrath (2016); Henderson (2014) | Greetings |
| 2 | Urban Spatial Structure | Henderson, Venables, Regan & Samsonov (2016); Bryan, Glaeser & Tsivanidis (2020) | Idea Pitch |
| 3 | System of Cities | Henderson & Kriticos (2018); Henderson (1974); Au & Henderson (2006) | Idea Pitch |
| 4-5 | No class (National Holiday) |
| 6 | Transportation | Donaldson (2018); Donaldson & Hornbeck (2016); Krugman (1991) | Idea Pitch |
| 7 | Intracity Transportation and Congestion | Akbar et al. (2018); Yang, Purevjav & Li (2020); Anderson (2014) | Idea Pitch |
| 8 | Modern Spatial Economics | Allen & Arkolakis (2017) | Coding Clinic |
| 9 | Migration and Cities | Bryan & Morten (2019) | Coding Clinic |
| 10 | Data for Urban Economics Research | Henderson et al. (2016); Henderson, Storeygard & Weil (2012) | Coding Clinic |
| 11 | Urban, Trade and Industrial Policies | New economics of industrial policies | Mini-seminar |
| 12 | Special Economic Zones | Kahn & Zheng (2016) | Mini-seminar |
| 13 | Urban Public Finance and Local Governments | Cai, Wang & Zhang (2017) | Mini-seminar (Guest) |
| 14 | Debate: Develop Place or Develop People? | Kline & Moretti (2014); Neumark & Simpson (2015); Lu, Wang & Zhu (2019) | Debate |
| 15 | Climate and Real Estate | Kahn, Zheng & Coxhead (2019) | Mini-seminar (Guest) |
| Final | Final Presentations (~10 minutes per student) |
Interactive Components
Idea Pitch (Weeks 2-3, 6-7)
Each project presentation is approximately 5 minutes. Students may work individually or in pairs (shared grades). Topics should explore a new phenomenon, an unanswered puzzle, or an original angle.
Mini-seminars (Weeks 11-13, 15)
Students present their research (~20 minutes) followed by a pre-assigned discussant (5 minutes). Organized in seminar format with audience questions.
Quantitative Analysis Clinic (Weeks 8-10, PhD only)
Students bring research questions and data for real-time analysis under instructor guidance. Submit a 2-page proposal with a clearly labeled dataset. Aims to increase awareness of what statistical analysis can achieve.
Debate (Week 14, MPA only)
Students are assigned to two debate motions (4v4 format). Results judged by change of audience support.
- Motion 1: Prioritize developing lagging regions vs. encouraging migration to leading regions
- Motion 2: Prioritize human capital vs. physical infrastructure
Assessment
| Component | PhD Students | MPA Students |
|---|
| Class Participation | 10% | 10% |
| Mini-seminar / Idea Pitch | 20% | 20% (Idea Pitch) |
| Quantitative Workshop / Debate | 20% (Workshop) | 20% (Debate) |
| Final Research Presentation or Paper | 50% | 50% |
Recommended Texts
- Glaeser, E. (2011). Triumph of the City. Penguin Press.
- Fujita, M., Krugman, P. & Venables, A.J. (2001). The Spatial Economy: Cities, Regions, and International Trade. MIT Press.
- Brueckner, J.K. (2011). Lectures on Urban Economics. MIT Press.
