| The Seminar in Regional Economic Studies aims to provide students with a basic understanding of selected contemporary foreign economic systems and an analytical framework for the study of the modern foreign economies. Students will develop the ability to comprehend and analyze major theoretical and policy issues in selected countries? economic development and the implications for the global economy. The course will analyze foreign economies from both micro- and macroeconomic approaches. In the microeconomic analysis, the course will pay special attention to the political economy and institutional aspects of each country. The macroeconomic portion will focus on understanding the changing macroeconomic conditions and policies in the respective country. Issues related to economic growth, business cycles, monetary and fiscal policies, financial markets, exchange rates determination, foreign direct investment and global competitiveness will be explored. This course will also use economic theory to explain the growth of sub-national regions in the selected countries. Students will gain an understanding of traditional and recent theories of national and regional growth. From term to term, the course will place particular emphasis on the economic growth problems of China, Europe, East Asia and the Middle East. |