RESEARCH
During the visiting period Prof. Weisdorf worked with Carlo Ciccarelli on the historical regional diffusion of literacy and the formation of human capital in 19th century Italy.
Preliminary results of the research have been published as CEIS Research paper 392, 2016
TEACHING
‘The Historical Legacy of African Poverty’ (Part I of the course on “Topics in Poverty and Inequality” joint with Carlo Ciccarelli)
Lecturer: Jacob Weisdorf (visitor from University of Southern Denmark, jacobw@sam.sdu.dk)
Course description: Sub-Saharan Africa today is the least developed region of the world by any measure, be it GDP per capita, life expectancy or literacy rates. Many scholars have emphasized the historical roots of Africa’s poor economic performance: adverse geographical conditions, ethnic fragmentation, the slave trades and colonial exploitation. But has Africa always been poor, and is it doomed to stay poor?
This course will briefly introduce students to the economic history of Sub-Saharan Africa, from its pre-colonial times, across the colonial and post-colonial periods, through to today. The course will then give the students an introduction to the newest research set out to explain why Sub-Saharan Africa is trapped in poverty, with a particular focus on how it was developed, or underdeveloped, by European colonizers.
The course provides the student with a state-of-the-art overview of the latest data used to study long-term developments in Sub-Saharan Africa, including GDP per capita, real wages, occupational structures, social mobility, education, gender inequality, and health developments.
Schedule
Monday 16 Feb:
Introduction lecture for Part I by Jacob Weisdorf
Tuesday 17 Feb:
Felix Meier zu Selhausen and Jacob Weisdorf (2015), ‘A Colonial Legacy of African Gender Inequality? Evidence from Christian Kampala, 1895-2011’, Economic History Review (forthcoming)
Monday 23 Feb:
Students presentation:
Frankema, Ewout, and Marlous van Waijenburg (2012). "Structural Impediments to African Growth? New Evidence from Real Wages in British Africa, 1880-1965"
Tuesday 24 Feb:
Student presentation:
"Does Food Aid Harm the Poor? Household Evidence from Ethiopia" by Levinsohn and McMilian (2005)
Students presentation:
Jedwab, Remi, Edward Kerby and Alexander Moradi (2014). History, Path Dependence and Development: Evidence from Colonial Railroads, Settlers and Cities in Kenya. CSAE Working Paper no. 4.
Thursday 5 Mar:
Guest lecture by Felix Meier zu Selhausen: Bloom and Sachs, "Geography, Demography, and Economic Growth in Africa", Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Vol. 1998, No. 2 (1998), pp. 207-295, pp. 207-273.
Friday 6 Mar:
Guest lecture by Felix Meier zu Selhausen: Radelet, S. "Success stories from emerging Africa", Journal of Democracy, Volume 21, Number 4, October 2010, pp. 87-101.
Thursday 19 Mar:
Students presentation:
Cogneau, Denisand Alexander Moradi(2014). “Borders that divide: education and religion in Ghana and Togo since colonial times.” Journal of Economic History 74 (3): 694-729.
Nunn, Nathan (2008). "The Long-Term Effects of Africa's Slave Trades."
Friday 20 Mar:
Students presentation:
"Diamonds Are a Rebel's Best Friend" (2006) The World Economy29(8):1133-1150 and "Conflict Diamonds" (2007) Journal of Development Economics 82: 267-286
Class by Jacob Weisdorf
Monday 30 Mar:
Summary lecture for Part I by Jacob Weisdorf
Link to the personal page.