Summer Programs

Summer Program - ECON 4396 "Topics in Global Development, Technology and Entrepreneurship"

With the collaboration of the UTD Office of International Education, the Center and its affiliate research office in Geneva organizes a faculty program in Geneva, Switzerland lead by Maria-Elena Labastida. The summer program includes lectures at the University of Geneva and the development of a research project along the lines of investigation of the Center. For instance, a study that estimates the costs of antidumping measures in certain industrial sectors at the global level can be carried out during the program in Geneva. The program includes visits at the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Center for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) among others for the gathering of statistics and interviews for officials of governments and international organizations.

The summer abroad program is already in place for this summer 2010.

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Course Description

We are witnessing a shift of paradigm in what is traditional known in academic and policy-making circles as international relations to an increasing use of the term "globalization" or other terms involving the word "global": global health, global trade, global financial crises, global terrorism, global crime and global warming are some of these terms. It seems that after about 360 years of the advent of the nation-state back in 1648 (with the signing of the Peace of Westphalia treaties) the rigid nation-state paradigm of national boundaries and foreign relations left only to the diplomatic circles, is blurring into an interconnected and thus, interdependent set of relationships among new actors. These actors, other than the nation state, have emerged motivated by the benefits, costs, promises and risks that globalization poses. Some of them, the multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations, an increasing number of research policy institutes (also known as thinks-tanks) and a new actor, the entrepreneur, are all obtaining recognition and predominance in driving global public policy. Yet technology is the ultimate driver. Technology, defined as "the use of scientific knowledge into practical purposes" has made possible to interconnect instantaneously markets, entrepreneurs, prices and information, surpassing the slower mechanisms of the public policy making and institutions. There is an urgent need for creativity in streamlining and re-thinking public policies in new ways to cope with global challenges without sacrificing the legitimacy and transparency of the institutions. The arrival of the World Wide Web, the development of nanotechnology, biotechnology and many other technological advances has served as engines to shift the paradigm towards new actors and new global challenges and benefits. This course aims to develop a framework to think in a critical and creative way on innovative institutional arrangements and designs that can better adjust to the fastest reality of technology and its interconnectivity with entrepreneurship, markets and public policy.

Student Learning Objectives and Outcomes

The learning objectives of this course are threefold. First, to offer the student international exposure to regional and multilateral intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, research institutes and multinationals corporations directly at the source where global public policy making takes place. The student will benefit from the learning experience of visiting intergovernmental organizations, multinational corporations, countries' permanent missions and non-governmental organizations. Also the student will benefit from carrying out research at the United Nations or at the World Trade Organization libraries or having the opportunity to interview staff members of international organizations. Second, the student will learn some of the theories, concepts and debates on global development. Thus, based on the student's practicum, after taking this course the student will be able to apply critical skills to categorize, contrast and judge global development public policies. Finally, the student will be able to apply concepts and principles to new situations to formulate original recommendations to global development public policy problems.

Visits

These include the United Nations European Headquarters, the World Bank, the Multinational Corporation SGS Group, the World Economic Forum, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the World Trade Organization, the European Union and Mexican Permanent Missions, the Geneva World Financial Forum, the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS), the Red Cross and the World Microfinance Forum.