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Instructor(s)

Ohnesorge, John

Course Data

Room 3247
W 1:10pm-3:10pm

Pass/Fail: No

Course Description

What roles do law and legal institutions play in the process of economic development? Does legal system development result from economic development, or is a "good" legal system a prerequisite to economic development? If a "good" legal system is indeed a prerequisite, can institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, or the aid agencies of the United States government play positive roles in supporting legal system reform in developing countries? What economic theory would, or should, inform such efforts? What about non-economic concerns such as democratic legitimacy, national sovereignty, or human rights? And what about countries like China, or South Korea or Taiwan in the past, where high speed growth has gone hand in hand with deeply flawed legal orders? We will explore these and other questions throughout the semester, as we look at the history of ideas and practices in the field of Law & Development, as well as national case studies. Students will write and present research papers on Law & Development topics of their choice, and these papers, together with class participation and short response papers, will provide the basis for grading.

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