Learning objectives
i) Understanding ability and comprehension skills
The student will learn and understand the economic, social, institutional and political-regulatory processes that characterize the global economy development.
ii) Applying knowledge and comprehension skills
The student will use the studied issues to understand the economic processes complexity, also with regard to the other disciplines.
iii) Independent judgment
The student will be able to evaluate the economic processes and develop a critical analysis of the powerful factors that characterize their evolution.
iv) Communication skills
The student will get a lexical and conceptual property essential for the education and the communication of a triennial student in economic issues.
v) Learning skills
The student will explore an innovative teaching method based on group work and cooperative learning.
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of history
Course unit content
Why are some countries rich and others poor? What factors have allowed Europe and North America, between the 18th and 19th centuries, to complete the great leap towards industrialization and social development? And what are the reasons that in the current decades are making possible the rise of economies whose development (India, China, Brics) is reshaping the global balance of wealth?
The course shows and takes into analysis factors – such as geography, globalization, technical progress, economic policies, institutions – that determined the economic development of the different regions of the world.
By adopting a global perspective of analysis, lessons will consider the so-called “rise of the Western world”, the following spread of industrialization in North America, with the consequent change in the hierarchy of world economies. Moreover the cases of Russia and Japan – typical of the late-comers’ development – will be considered, not leaving on one side the dynamics occurring in the African continent, the achievements of so-called “Asian Dragons”, nor the upsurge of China.
Students who will be engaged in the group activities will further deepen the aspects related to the market globalization and to the rise of new economic powers.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Please note: students of the Corso di Laurea in Economia e Management who take this class in substitution of the course “Global History” must refer to prof. Gian Luca Podestà’s Syllabus.
SPERI students.
(A) Innovative curriculum (attending students who, after the intermediate test, also attend group activities):
(1) Robert C. Allen, Storia economica globale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013;
(2) Jurgen Osterhammel, Niels P. Petersson, Storia della globalizzazione, Bologna, il Mulino, 2005 (only chapters 5, 6 and 7);
(3) Texts, slides and notes of the lessons;
(4) Readings, materials and documents indicated for group activities, and classroom presentations.
(B) Mixed curriculum (students who, having taken the intermediate test, do not do not attend group activities by choice or because they do not match the minimum attendance requirements)
(1) Robert C. Allen, Storia economica globale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013;
(2) Robert C. Allen, La rivoluzione industriale inglese, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011;
(3) Jurgen Osterhammel, Niels P. Petersson, Storia della globalizzazione, Bologna, il Mulino, 2005.
(C) Traditional curriculum (not attending students):
(1) Robert C. Allen, Storia economica globale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013;
(2) Robert C. Allen, La rivoluzione industriale inglese, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011;
(3) Jurgen Osterhammel, Niels P. Petersson, Storia della globalizzazione, Bologna, il Mulino, 2005.
Teaching methods
Please note: students of the Corso di Laurea in Economia e Management who take this class in substitution of the course “Global History” must refer to prof. Gian Luca Podestà’s Syllabus.
SPERI students.
The first part of the course (around 50% of the scheduled hours) will be carried out with traditional teaching methods (classroom lectures). The second part (approximately 50% of the scheduled hours) will be characterized be an innovative teaching approach:
(A) Students having taken the intermediate exam concerning the first part of the course, will have the option to follow the second part of the course, and the related in-depth analysis activities. Students will form small teams (4-5 individuals) that, holding on the information supplied by the teacher (bibliography, documents, etc.), will prepare a short in-class Power Point presentation (approximately 15 minutes), and a short abstract. During this second part of the course students are required to attend at least 80% of the lessons hours.
The slides used to support classes will be uploaded to the Elly platform before the beginning of the lessons. To download the slides it will be necessary to enroll online in the course.
The slides are integral part of the teaching materials. Non-attending students must recall to check the available teaching materials and the indications provided by the professor through the Elly platform.
Assessment methods and criteria
SPERI students.
(A) Innovative curriculum
(A1) Intermediate written test
i) Understanding and comprehension skills will be assessed through two open questions, to be chosen among a list of three, to which the student has to answer in a written essay form. The maximum score for each question is 15.
ii) Answers will be evaluated according to the degree of independent judgment, of critically understanding skills and to make cross references among different topics they provide.
iii) Communication skills will be assessed by checking how adequate and effective is the language used; the student’s propensity to explain the meaning of technical terms and concepts used will be moreover evaluated.
(A2) In-class presentation
The in-class presentation will be evaluated according to the following elements:
a) originality and innovativeness of the work (the ability in carrying on the assigned topic in an original way with reference to literature and documentation considered).
b) precision and effectiveness of the slides (style, language).
c) quality and precision of the abstract (in presenting its aims and outcomes, the sources and materials used).
c) coherence among the sources considered, the analysis carried on, and the synthesis provided.
d) coherence between the questions from which the investigation moves and the analysis that is conducted (i.e.: if I want to study the skin quality of the shoes that I’m wearing I cannot take into analysis the cotton of my shirt).
The overall score will result from the average between the mark achieved in the intermediate test (A1) and in-class presentation (A2).
The teacher will evaluate the contribution of students in the discussion of presentations and he could give an extra bonus.
(B) Mixed curriculum (option possible only during the winter exam session; otherwise, see instructions for the Traditional curriculum)
(B1) Intermediate test
i) The knowledge and comprehension abilities will be checked by 3 open-ended questions choose among three questions. Each question is 15 points worth.
ii) The answers will be checked by the ability to express judgment autonomy, critical learning ability and to do cross links among different topics.
iii) The ability to communicate will be checked verifying the adequacy and efficacy of language; furthermore it will be checked the tendency to clarify the meaning of the technical words and concepts used.
(B2)
i) The knowledge and comprehension abilities will be checked by 2 open-ended questions choose among three questions (4 for who takes the second final test). Each question is 15 points worth.
ii) The answers will be checked by the ability to express judgment autonomy, critical learning ability and to do cross links among different topics.
iii) The ability to communicate will be checked verifying the adequacy and efficacy of language; furthermore it will be checked the tendency to clarify the meaning of the technical words and concepts used.
The marks will be merged in an overall weighted score.
(C) Traditional curriculum
Final written exam
i) Understanding and comprehension skills will be assessed through two open questions, to be chosen among a list of three, to which the student has to answer in a written essay form. The maximum score for each question is 15.
ii) Answers will be evaluated according to the degree of independent judgment, of critically understanding skills and to make cross references among different topics they provide.
iii) Communication skills will be assessed by checking how adequate and effective is the language used; the student’s propensity to explain the meaning of technical terms and concepts used will be moreover evaluated.
Other information
Please note: students of the Corso di Laurea in Economia e Management who take this class in substitution of the course “Global History” must refer to prof. Gian Luca Podestà’s Syllabus.
