Transition Economics

This course offers students a critical evaluation of the transformation of the economies of the former socialist Eastern Europe countries and the former Soviet Union from a multifaceted approach. Insights about development economics, especially the relationship between government and market outcomes, are discussed. The class analyzes the socialist economic blueprint, market liberalization reforms, and the current economic outlook. Topics of discussion include issues of limited industrial diversification; increasing financialization; healthcare and education reforms; and problems of poverty, inequality, and outward migration. Central are questions of state/private balance in social transformation and overall macroeconomic dynamics.