This class is taught in English. The two semester are independent and can be taken separately. The first semester deals with early economic history focusing primarily on Asia. During this semester we will deal with broad issues concerning how the human race came to dominate the planet using increase complex means of cooperation. The second semester covers the 20th-century. The focus will remain primarily on Asia. The second semester will have a more “practical” orientation. We will primarily discuss what has been causing modern economic growth. Given the broad subject matter, the course will only be able to offer a broad overview of the periods and economic regions covered.
The course will meet three hours, one day a week. Generally, there will be a lecture during the first hour that will give an overview of the subject matter to be covered that week. The second hour will usually be devoted to group work. Students will often be required to read one or two English-language papers (or book chapters) to prepare for this work. The last hour will often be a lecture on one or two particular subtopics. Grades will be based on group work (40%), a short paper (20%) and a final exam (40%). There is no text, but you will be responsible for the weekly readings and the PowerPoint lecture notes which will be posted on line.
A tentative schedule is offered below, but since this is the first time the course has been offered, changes will probably be made. Each semester will be divided into two roughly equal halves. The first half of the first semester will give an overview of the subject matter primarily by historic period while the first half of the second semester will give an overview of the subject matter by economy. The second halves of each semester will be organized topically.