Sections: W 8-9A, 310 HEARST MIN; M 9-10A, 71 EVANS; Tu 4-5P, 85 EVANS; Th 4-5P, 85 EVANS; F 2-3P, 5 EVANS; F 3-4P, 5 EVANS.
Course: Economics 113 is an upper-division economics course in the study of the history of the U.S. economy that satisfies the political economy historical context requirement. We will survey over three hundred years of history, but inevitably focus more intensely on those incidents that the instructor finds particularly interesting. This is an economics course: we will spend most of our time looking at events, factors, and explanations, using economics to understand history and history to understand economics. Economics 113 must be taken for a grade if it is to be used toward the requirements for the political economy or the economics major.
Adding the Course: The course is currently full. If you are not yet in the course and you wish to be in the course, be sure you are on the wait list. If you are on the wait list, I urge you to look for another class.
Prerequisite: Economics 1 (or 2) (Introduction to Microeconomics and Macroeconomics) is the only official prerequisite. Familiarity with the broad outlines of U.S. history will be presumed. There is some emphasis on statistics, graphs, and economic theory, and a little bit of emphasis on the ability to interpret econometrics results. Non-economics majors who have only taken Economics 1 may find the course difficult. People who have taken lots of previous economics will find the course easier.
Readings: The textbook for this course is Gary Walton and Hugh Rockoff (2006), History of the American Economy (10th ed.) (Mason, OH: Thomson-Southwestern: 0324259697), available at the bookstore (You will notice a tension between the largely-right-of-center textbook and the largely-left-of-center lecturer: we believe that this is a healthy tension.) A number of required auxiliary books are also at the bookstore:
- Edward Bellamy, Looking Backward
- Peter Temin, Did Monetary Forces Cause the Great Depression?
- Eichengreen, Globalizing Capital
- Baker, The United States since 1980
And there are substantial additional readings online, with URLs provided in the reading list and at http://delong.typepad.com/aeh/2007/08/american-econom.html. The online readings are available from every berkeley.edu computer, and from outside berkeley.edu if you successfully configure your computer to use the Berkeley library proxy servers.
Special Accommodation: If you require special accommodations for exams, you must speak with Brad DeLong no later than August 29. You will eventually need to obtain an evaluation form from Disabled Students' Program (230 César Chávez Student Center).
Discussion Section: Attendance and participation in section enhances your understanding of the material, and your section leader can raise your grade a step. Section meets one hour per week. You must attend the first and second section meetings, or your space in this course will be given to another student.
Photo: Please bring a (labeled) photo of yourself to your first or second section meeting.
Grading: is covered here.
Syllabus: is here.
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