Hiroshima University Syllabus

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Japanese
Academic Year 2025Year School/Graduate School Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (Master's Course) Division of Humanities and Social Sciences International Economic Development Program
Lecture Code WMH02601 Subject Classification Specialized Education
Subject Name 開発政策実践論
Subject Name
(Katakana)
カイハツセイサクジッセンロン
Subject Name in
English
Development Policy and Practice
Instructor KHAN GHULAM DASTGIR
Instructor
(Katakana)
ハーン グラム ダスタギール
Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 1st-Year,  First Semester,  2Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms (2T) Weds5-8:IDEC 203
Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details)
Face-to-face
 
Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 4 Language of Instruction E : English
Course Level 6 : Graduate Advanced
Course Area(Area) 24 : Social Sciences
Course Area(Discipline) 03 : Economics
Eligible Students
Keywords Development Policy
Poverty Alleviation
Policy Evaluation
Randomized Experiments
Causal Inference 
Special Subject for Teacher Education   Special Subject  
Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
 
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
 
Class Objectives
/Class Outline
This course provides students with foundational knowledge and practical skills essential for analyzing, designing, and implementing effective development policies and interventions. Students will learn to critically evaluate strategies for poverty alleviation and sustainable development, applying rigorous empirical methods such as randomized experiments and causal inference to real-world policy issues. 
Class Schedule lesson1
Introduction to key concepts and global challenges in development policy and practice.
lesson2
Analyzing poverty, inequality, and measurement methods in developing contexts.
lesson3
Examining policies designed to improve educational outcomes and human capital investment.
lesson4
Assessing the effectiveness of health policies and interventions in poverty reduction.
lesson5
Understanding gender dynamics and promoting gender equity through policy interventions.
lesson6
Applying behavioral insights to enhance the design of development interventions.
lesson7
Evaluating the role and impact of credit markets and financial inclusion policies.
lesson8
Exploring savings, insurance, and strategies for managing economic risks among the poor.
lesson9
Analyzing labor market dynamics, migration decisions, and related policy responses.
lesson10
Studying the significance of land rights and agricultural productivity for development.
lesson11
Investigating governance challenges, corruption, and accountability mechanisms.
lesson12
Examining taxation, public finance, and resource allocation policies in developing countries.
lesson13
Evaluating social protection schemes and effective targeting mechanisms.
lesson14
Scaling successful policies and managing policy implementation challenges.
lesson15
Final Exam Day. 
Text/Reference
Books,etc.
Banerjee, A., & Duflo, E. (2011). Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty. PublicAffairs.
Todaro, M. P., & Smith, S. C. (2020). Economic Development (13th ed.). Pearson Education.
Karlan, D., & Appel, J. (2012). More Than Good Intentions: Improving the Ways the World's Poor Borrow, Save, Farm, Learn, and Stay Healthy. Plume.
Glennerster, R., & Takavarasha, K. (2013). Running Randomized Evaluations: A Practical Guide. Princeton University Press.
Ray, D. (1998). Development Economics. Princeton University Press.
Mullainathan, S., & Shafir, E. (2013). Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much. Times Books. 
PC or AV used in
Class,etc.
(More Details)  
Learning techniques to be incorporated
Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review
Banerjee, A., & Duflo, E. (2011). Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty. PublicAffairs (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10).
Todaro, M. P., & Smith, S. C. (2020). Economic Development (13th ed.). Pearson Education (Chapters 1, 7, 8, 9, and 15).
Ray, D. (1998). Development Economics. Princeton University Press (Chapter 8).
Duflo, E. (2001). "Schooling and Labor Market Consequences of School Construction in Indonesia: Evidence from an Unusual Policy Experiment." American Economic Review, 91(4), 795-813.
Miguel, E., & Kremer, M. (2004). "Worms: Identifying Impacts on Education and Health in the Presence of Treatment Externalities." Econometrica, 72(1), 159-217.
Duflo, E. (2012). "Women Empowerment and Economic Development." Journal of Economic Literature, 50(4), 1051-1079.
Mullainathan, S., & Shafir, E. (2013). Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much. Times Books (Chapters 1 & 2).
Karlan, D., & Appel, J. (2012). More Than Good Intentions: Improving the Ways the World's Poor Borrow, Save, Farm, Learn, and Stay Healthy. Plume (Chapters 5 & 6).
Banerjee, A., & Duflo, E. (2010). "Giving Credit Where It Is Due." Journal of Economic Perspectives, 24(3), 61-80.
Dupas, P., & Robinson, J. (2013). "Savings Constraints and Microenterprise Development: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Kenya." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 5(1), 163-192.
Bryan, G., Chowdhury, S., & Mobarak, A. M. (2014). "Underinvestment in a Profitable Technology: The Case of Seasonal Migration in Bangladesh." Econometrica, 82(5), 1671-1748.
Field, E. (2007). "Entitled to Work: Urban Property Rights and Labor Supply in Peru." Quarterly Journal of Economics, 122(4), 1561-1602.
Olken, B. A. (2007). "Monitoring Corruption: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Indonesia." Journal of Political Economy, 115(2), 200-249.
Gordon, R., & Li, W. (2009). "Tax Structures in Developing Countries: Many Puzzles and a Possible Explanation." Journal of Public Economics, 93(7-8), 855-866.
Alatas, V., Banerjee, A., Hanna, R., Olken, B. A., & Tobias, J. (2012). "Targeting the Poor: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Indonesia." American Economic Review, 102(4), 1206-1240.
Glennerster, R., & Takavarasha, K. (2013). Running Randomized Evaluations: A Practical Guide. Princeton University Press (Chapter 8). 
Requirements  
Grading Method Attendance: 30%
Class Participation and Quizzes: 30%
Final Exam: 40% 
Practical Experience  
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it  
Message  
Other Acknowledgment:
This course is inspired by and incorporates elements from the Development Economics course (14.74) taught by Professor Esther Duflo at MIT. For reference and additional reading materials, see the original MIT course readings available at:
https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/52815/14-74Spring-2004/OcwWeb/Economics/14-74Spring-2004/Readings/index.htm  
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching. 
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