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The course will be organized around a large number of short (15 to 30 minute) videos which Rob will record during October and November. We will have a small number of meetings (see schedule) which will be student-driven: comments, questions, and discussions. These have been moved to zoom and rescheduled. See the schedule (you may need to refresh your browser). We will start each meeting by going through the study questions: please prepare!
Links for zoom sessions: Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch 5 Ch 6 Ch 7-8 Ch 9. Revision session, passcode "revision".
Also office hours 16.00-16.30 every Wednesday and Friday until 16 December on this link: Office hours.
Here is the web page of the course book (written by me): The economics of spaceship Earth (ESE for short). This is still work in progress, but a very good basis for the course.
Note that I refer to one book, Aghion and Howitt's book on growth theory. This book gives a useful introduction to growth theory, at the right level for the course, and I therefore recommend it. However, note that it is not essential reading for the course.
See also readings, where I give guidance on articles and other useful sources, and the formal reading list.
Lectures 2020
| Slides | Book chapter | Videos | Study qs |
| Introduction. | ESE Preface. | Intro. | - |
| Technological progress and the human takeover of spaceship Earth. | ESE Chapter 1. | Part 1, Malthus; Part 2, post-Malthus. | Study qs. |
| Malthusian growth. | ESE Chapter 2. | Part 1, Malthus; Part 2, extinction 1; Part 3, extinction 2. | Study qs. |
| Post-Malthusian growth. | ESE Chapter 3. | Ch 3 p1-5. Ch 3 p6-16. Ch 3 p17-22. Ch 3 p23-30. | Study qs. |
| The DHSS model. | ESE Chapter 4. | Ch 4 p 1-3 ; Ch 4 p 4. Ch 4 p 5; Ch 4 p 6-10; Ch 4 p 11-15; Ch 4 p 16-21; Ch 4 p 22-27. | Study qs. |
| DTC and resource efficiency. | ESE Chapter 5. | Part a; Part b; Part c. | Study qs. |
| Structural change. | ESE Chapter 6. | Part a; Part b. Part c. Part d. | Study qs. |
| Substitution between alternative resource inputs. | ESE Chapter 7. | Simple model (no DTC). DTC model. | |
| Pollution. | ESE Chapter 8. | Intuition. The model. | Study qs, 7 and 8. |
| Technotopia? | ESE Chapter 9. | ISS. Conspicuous consumption. | - |
See also Research paper info. Recorded last year, but just as relevant now.
Lectures 2019
| Topic | Approximate timing | Book chapter | Videos |
| Post-Malthusian growth. | Lecture 2-- Lecture 3. | ESE Chapter 3. | Ch 3 start (lecture), some missing. Ch 3 end (lecture). Neoclassical basics; Cobb-Douglas elasticity of substitution; Solow model exogenous growth. Endogenous growth |
| The DHSS model. | Lecture 3--Lecture 4. | ESE Chapter 4. | Ch 4 start ; end (lecture). DHSS land; DHSS abundant; DHSS Hotelling; Hotelling; DHSS Rob. |
| DTC and resource efficiency. | Lectures 4 and 5 | ESE Chapter 5. | Ch 5 start; end (lecture). DTC. |
| Structural change. | Lectures 5 and 6 | ESE Chapter 6. | Ch 6 start; end (lecture). Substitution model. Income model. Gobbets info. Big picture overview. |
| Substitution between alternative resource inputs. | Lecture 7. | ESE Chapter 7. | Ch 7 (lecture). Simple model (no DTC). DTC model. |
| Pollution. | Lecture 7. | ESE Chapter 8. | Ch 8 (lecture). EKC model. Research paper info. |
| Technotopia? | Lecture 8 !?. | ESE remaining chapters. |
Some words on gobbets etc. (L3); More on gobbets.
Here is the course evaluation from 2019/20.
