84562 - Globalization: Trade, Migrations And Multinationals

Learning outcomes

The students learn to interpret and understand the process of globalization from the viewpoint of international trade in goods and services and factor movements. They learn the causes and consequences of international trade, the effects of trade policies, the causes of international factor movement and multinational operations, and the role of the World Trade Organization. Upon completing the course students will have acquired an empirical and theoretical understanding of the complex issues raised by the economic interdependence of nations and to analyze them in a systematic way.

Course contents

The focuses, first, on international trade theory and policy. It addresses some of the classic questions of international trade theory such as: who trades what with whom? What are the effects of trade on welfare and the income distribution? How micro-aspects enter the picture of international trade? The course presents the answers of classical and new trade theory to these questions. This theoretical journey ends with an overview of recent research on the role of heterogeneous firms in international trade. Second, it uses the models developed to address different aspect of globalization, such as international taxation issues, migration, early cases of globalization, recent protectionism, etc. 

Readings/Bibliography

Krugman, P., M. Obstfeld and Marc Melitz: "International Economics: Theory and Policy", 11th edition. Pearson Eds.

Additional material distributed in class.

Teaching methods

Lectures and exercises with intstructor.

Production of essays based on relevant economic facts.

Assessment methods

Written exam.

Essays will contribute to the final grade

Teaching tools

Slides based on (i) the book and (ii) relevant articles made available on instructor's website.

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Prarolo

See the website of Dario Antonino Musolino