As the importance of natural resources grows in the globalized economy, more discoveries are made and a larger number of countries can be classified as resource-rich. The literature has identified a paradox whereby resource-rich countries achieve worse development outcomes than resource-poor peers (the resource curse). The course will critically consider the paradox, review examples of resource-rich countries that have made significant advances in the path to development and discuss policies that may turn resources into a blessing rather than a curse. Economic and political aspects will be covered, including institutional issues (democracy vs. authoritarianism, centralization vs. decentralization) and the impact of resources on conflicts (international, civil wars, insurgencies).
The course will combine lectures and active participation in a role-play negotiation based on the case of Mozambique. Each session will include one hour of lecture and one hour of role-play.
Grades will be assigned on the basis of participation (in debates in class, through postings in the class forum, through engagement in the role-play negotiation) and a short (5-6’000 words) term paper on one of the key issues (lecture topics applied to a specific case) discussed in the course.
- Teacher: Tom Moerenhout
- Teacher: Karolina Wilczynska