Political Economy of Natural Resources

The main objective of the course is to provide MPP and other graduate students with a thorough overview of existing knowledge on the political and economic consequences of natural resource wealth. The course will combine theoretical models and empirical evidence in an attempt to disentangle what we know (and don’t know) about the relationship between natural resources and various political and economic outcomes. It will also provide a setting for the discussion and evaluation of various policies for the management and use of natural resource wealth. Methodologically, the course aims to help students develop and refine their analytical and presentational skills.