Development and International Cooperation Sciences

PIERLUIGI MONTALBANO

The course provides advanced knowledge on the theoretical and applied links between international economic policy and living conditions in developing countries. This includes an applied understanding of the models and tools of international economic policy, notions of impact evaluation of development policies and programs, and a deep understanding of the most relevant contemporary debates in the fields of sustainable development, food and nutrition security and international economic cooperation.

The student gains a thorough understanding of food security, sustainable development, and international economic cooperation, focusing particularly on market failures and the typical fragilities and vulnerabilities found in developing contexts.

Basic knowledge of Economic policy for undergrads.

The course is articulated in two distinct modules. The first module (6 ETSC) analyzes economic policy in developing contexts by looking at models of orthodox and heterodox stabilization, the policies adopted by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank; the monetary, financial and trade policies in developing countries, industrial and rural development policies, global value chains, environmental sustainability policies, food and nutrition security, international migration. The second module (3 ETSC) is dedicated to understanding contemporary debates, as well as to the in-depth study and critical analysis of selected topics in food security, sustainable development and international economic cooperation.

Giovanni Andrea Cornia, Simone Bertoli, Luca Bortolotti, Bruno Martorano, Donato Romano, Marco Sanfilippo, Luca Tiberti, Elisa Ticci, “La Politica Economica dei Paesi in via di Sviluppo”, @2022 Firenze University Press DOI:10.36253/978-88-5518-522-6

Readings, scientific articles and other teaching materials that will be distributed in class.

The course is organized by mixing frontal lectures, readings of original seminal papers; oral presentations and open debates.

Frontal lectures are the key to fixing students' background knowledge and understanding of the key topics in the field (i.e., the hard skills).

Readings of the original seminal papers contribute in fostering both students' critical and learning skills by becoming familiar with the most relevant scientific articles and journals in the field as well as to develop a critical view in interpreting data, theoretical models and methods and make judgments about how secure are the different outcomes.

Presentations and open debates are specifically meant to foster students' communication (soft) skills.

The course is organized by mixing frontal lectures and open debates on specific issues.

To pass the exam, students should pass a written test and, possibly, an oral interview.

The written exam is a multiple choices test of 30 questions and will last 1h. This could be complemented by an oral interview on one of the topics included in the course program. To pass the exam, students should get a minimum grade of 18/30. This shows sufficient knowledge and understanding of the key topics of the course. To get first-class honour, students should demonstrate excellent knowledge and understanding of all the topics of the course. Summa cum laude can be awarded for distinguished students that show qualified achievements during the course as well as the ability to link the various topics of the course in a logical framework.

Attending students can do a written test or make in-class presentations to be separately evaluated. They can decide whether this mid-term evaluation should be included in the overall evaluation.

Question: The dimensions of food security shared by the international community are:
Select one of the following options:
a. availability, access, and utilization
b. there is no shared definition of food security by the international community
c. availability, access, utilization, and stability
d. availability and access