In this course, we analyze how Covid 19 has spread in developing countries, affected health and wellbeing of their population and has manifested in a couple of severe economic problems. In particular, we shall examine the slump of economic activity and employment, the decline of foreign trade and likely changes in trade specializations, the resurgence of poverty and inequality, new vagues for emigration and the increasing debt accumulation.

Students will learn to link major topics in development economics (development of health services, inequality in society, external dependency, trade patterns migration, debt issues) to the present situation of the Covid pandemic which the developing countries have to face.  Students will get a deeper understanding of these core topics  for developing countries and learn to link them to a practical situation. Students will be better able to use information from the academic literature, international development organizations and NGOs to address such issues.  

Students are requested to attend the course regularly. You can miss the course twice (no need to apologize). Further absence only in case of serious, documented reasons.

During the first 5 units, there will be a short introduction to some key concepts, which are a starting point for the topic, by the teacher. Consequently, students have to prepare for the weakly course from a reading list and each weak a student or a team of two students will present a seminar paper on the current topic. All other students will hand in written comments on the paper. For the last course, all students have to prepare a short essay with own proposals for Covid 19 strategies for developing countries.   

Presentation and paper on a specific topic (45%)

Comments on other student´s papers (40%)

Short writing on recommendations for Covid strategies of developing countries (15%)

Students should ideally have passed a course on international trade before. The course is complementary to the "Specialization: Economic Development" of Valentin Seidler winter term 2020/21 and Joachim Becker summer term 21.

by mail at gabriele.tondl@wu.ac.at or after each course