This course has four key objectives. First, an understanding of the economic theory behind why countries trade with each other. Second, an understanding of the distributional implications of international trade both within and across countries. Third, an understanding of why countries restrict trade. Fourth, an understanding of how economic theory and empirical evidence can shed light on popular mainstream controversies that surround international trade.
This is a topics course in advanced international trade. After briefly reviewing the traditional models of international trade (Ricardo, Heckscher–Ohlin–Samuelson and Specific Factors models), the course will cover topics including the role of geography and technology in shaping international trade, the role of constant returns to scale and firm heterogeneity in explaining patters of international trade, the role of political economy in determining trade policy, and the labor market distributional effects created by international trade. The course has a theoretical focus but also discusses empirical methods.
This is a course in international trade policy. Emphasis will be placed on optimal policy, the purpose and role of trade agreements, the political economy of trade policy and the distributional impacts that trade has on labor markets.