BREAD-IGC Virtual PhD course on urban economics
This virtual PhD-level course is designed to provide a comprehensive review of the economic questions relevant to urbanisation and the economics of cities in low and middle-income countries.
The Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD), in collaboration with the International Growth Centre (IGC), is offering a virtual PhD non-credit course beginning on 25 September, 2024. This two month-long course, spanning 9 lectures by world-class academics and researchers, covers a variety of topics related to urban economics. Urbanisation is tightly linked with economic development. The urbanisation of low-income countries is one of the most important phenomena of the twenty-first century and a critical component of structural change. Yet, our intellectual tools for dealing with the great challenges of developing-country cities remain underdeveloped. Our PhD-level course is designed to provide a comprehensive review of the economic questions relevant to urbanisation and the economics of cities.
Throughout the series, we delve into diverse topics such as agglomeration, migration, land markets and land-use planning, transport, service delivery, crime and urban sustainability. Students are challenged to identify the urgent questions which remain unanswered. Each lecture is led by expert economists who can provide deep insights into urbanisation in the developing world.
The course runs from 25 September to 20 November 2024, with one lecture per week every Wednesday at 3:00pm to 4:30pm BST until 23 October and 3:00pm to 4:30pm GMT from 30 October. The last 30 minutes are reserved for Q&A. Registration is free, and those who attend at least seven of the nine lectures will receive a certificate of participation. Late registrations will be considered based on available space.
The course is designed for PhD students as well as active researchers in economics and related fields worldwide. Completed or concurrent PhD-level coursework in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics will be necessary to fully benefit from the course content. Course materials (syllabus, lecture presentations, and recorded lectures) will be available after the end of each lecture on the IGC website. The course is an excellent opportunity for a deep dive into the frontier of economic research for urbanisation and development.
Lecture schedule
Urbanisation, agglomeration and development: 'The dynamic city'
Access the slides from Ed Glaeser and Diego Puga. Here is the week 1 reading list.
View the lecture slides and reading list.
Land use, markets and planning: ‘The physical city’
Access the slides from Vernon Henderson and Maisy Wong. Here is the week 3 reading list.
Access the slides from Gilles Duranton and Gabriel Kreindler. Here is the week 4 reading list.
Service delivery (water and sanitation): ‘The connected city Pt2’
Access the slides from Matthew Turner and Kelsey Jack. Here is the week 5 reading list.
Crime and state capacity: ‘Making and breaking the city’
Access the slides from Joana Monteiro and Augustin Bergeron. Here is the week 6 reading list.
Spatial methods and models: ‘Modelling the city’
Access the slides from Nick Tsivanidis and Stephen Redding. Here is the week 7 reading list.
Cities, politics & conflict: ‘The disruptive city’
Access the slides from Leonard Wantchekon and Sandra Sequeira.
Sustainable urbanisation: ‘Adapting the city’
Access the slides from Matthew Kahn and Siqi Zheng.