Course Syllabus

 

Semester & Location:	Spring 2026 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Economics, International Relations
Prerequisites:	One course each in macro- and microeconomics at the university level.
Faculty Member:	Ransom Lekunze Please contact via Canvas inbox
Time & Place:	Mondays and Thursdays 16:25-17:45 Classroom: N7-D10

Development Economics ...

(DevEcon) course at DIS explores one of the most pressing and dynamic fields in international development today: how to foster sustainable economic growth and human development in low- and middle-income countries amid rapidly evolving global challenges and opportunities.

Students engage critically with the structural and institutional drivers of underdevelopment, examining persistent challenges such as poverty and inequality, climate change, access to education and healthcare, weak governance, corruption, conflict, and forced migration. At the same time, the course highlights emerging opportunities that can transform economies and improve livelihoods, ranging from artificial intelligence and digital innovation to renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, digital financial inclusion, and regional trade integration.

While Africa, with its vast resources, youthful population, and growing markets, stands at the crossroads of both promise and challenge, this course takes a broader comparative perspective. Students analyze diverse development trajectories across Asia, Latin America, and Central and Eastern Europe, examining why some countries have succeeded in lifting millions out of poverty—often through institutional reform, trade liberalization, and strategic investments—while others continue to struggle.

The Scandinavian experience in development, particularly Denmark’s role as a global partner in aid, sustainability, and human-centered policy, adds a unique dimension. Studying in Scandinavia allows students to explore the synergies and contrasts between Nordic development models and more traditional development approaches, providing fresh insights into global cooperation and policy design.

Going beyond textbook theories, this course immerses students in the real-world complexities of development practice. Through economic concepts, policy frameworks, project management tools, and case-based learning, students gain the analytical and practical skills needed to evaluate development strategies and investment projects. They engage with the ethical, political, and institutional dilemmas faced by practitioners and international consultants working in diverse development contexts.

Important questions are:

• What is “development” today, and how can it be meaningfully measured beyond GDP?
• Why are some countries rich while others remain poor, and what explains these disparities?
• What can we learn from successful development trajectories in Asia, Latin America, and elsewhere?
• Why do many of the least developed countries remain concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa?
• How are global challenges like climate change, conflict, and technology reshaping development?
• What role do aid, international institutions, and global partnerships play in supporting development?
• How can the private sector, innovation, and digital technologies contribute to inclusive growth?
• Can development strategies be transferred across contexts, or must each country find its path?

The way this course addresses these themes is grounded in real-life, practical, and case-based, while relying on a solid theoretical framework. Field studies and guest lectures will add additional perspectives.

Learning objectives

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• • Understand the evolving concept of development and critically assess how it is defined and measured across different contexts.
  • Compare and apply major development theories and paradigms within historical, geographic, and institutional frameworks, including regional case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
  • Analyze the role of global and local actors—including international organizations, donors, governments, and the private sector—in shaping development outcomes.
  • Evaluate the impact of emerging trends such as digitalization, climate change, migration, and AI on economic growth and resilience in developing economies.
  • Assess the effectiveness and limitations of development aid and explore its ideological foundations and alternatives in a changing global landscape.
  • Examine key issues in international finance and investment, including debt sustainability, foreign direct investment (FDI), and the role of ethical and sustainable business practices.
  • Develop practical policy and project analysis skills to address specific development challenges, while recognizing institutional and political complexities.
  • Communicate complex development topics effectively through presentations, discussions, and written assignments, building skills relevant to academic and professional settings.

We encourage students to take responsibility for their learning. Your teachers make an offer, but how much you will get out of it depends on you. 

Faculty 

Your main teacher for this course is Ransom Lekunze. There will also be a few guest lecturers. In the Canvas Calendar, you can see which teachers will be present for each class.

Ransom Lekunze (R) is a Senior Consultant in Development Economics, ESG, and Sustainability at ProMinds Consulting DK. He holds a Master’s and a PhD in Development Economics from Lund University, Sweden. From 2009 to 2022, Ransom served as a Senior Lecturer at University College Copenhagen, where he taught and conducted research in areas such as food security, climate change, inclusive growth, emerging economies, CSR, and ESG. Between 2022 and 2023, he worked as a Global DEI Consultant for DanChurchAid. He was a visiting Professor at the University of Makerere, Uganda, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa , from 2016 to 2018. Since 2023, he has been an external lecturer at DIS, teaching Development Economics and Urban Economics.

Grading Breakdown

Grades will be based on individual and group work. Please see the table to the right. 

Participation (20%)

Your participation grade will be based on three key components: attendance, preparedness, and active engagement, including participation in field studies. You are expected to attend all sessions, complete the required readings (as listed on Canvas), and contribute meaningfully to class discussions. If you are unable to attend a session, you must notify the instructor in advance and provide a valid reason. Unexcused absences may negatively affect your participation grade.

Midterm Assessment (20%):

The midterm exam is designed to assess your understanding and progress after approximately ten class sessions, including guest lectures. The exam will consist of multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, and one essay question (chosen from a selection). You will be given approximately one week to complete the exam. While there is a firm deadline, there is no fixed time limit during that period, allowing you to work at your own pace.

Concept Presentation (Individual Assignment - 10%):

Given the breadth of development economics, this course cannot cover every topic in detail. To address this, each student will complete an individual presentation on a selected development economics concept, model, or a key contribution by a prominent development economist. You will be asked to choose your topic, prepare a short in-class presentation, and engage your peers in discussion.

Debt Debate (Group Assignment with Individual Evaluation -20%):

Many low-income countries face significant debt challenges. The Debt Debate assignment allows you to explore these issues in-depth through a structured debate format, inspired by the Oxford Union style. Although you will be assessed individually, you will work in groups representing different stakeholders—such as indebted countries, the Paris Club, private creditors, or emerging lenders like China and India.

Each group will collaborate in a shared document with the instructor, enabling individual contributions to be tracked and evaluated. The goal is to present well-reasoned arguments and propose viable solutions to the debt dilemma from your assigned perspective.

Final Research Project (30% of Final Grade):

The final project is a group-based research assignment that accounts for 30% of your overall grade. Working collaboratively, you will explore how a tech-driven intervention in a low- or middle-income country can be designed to address a key development challenge. Each group will develop a practical solution that leverages technology and innovation, grounded in the economic theories, empirical evidence, and case studies covered in the course. The project will culminate in an in-class presentation, where you will share your findings, insights, and policy recommendations.

 

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading  
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code 

On the use of electronic devices in class:

The use of electronic devices in class is only allowed for purposes related to this class like taking notes or searching information. 

On the use of AI tools: 

In this course, students are permitted to use AI tools, such as Chat GPT, for their academic tasks. However, be critical and acknowledge academic integrity by citing all usage of these tools in your work. Remember that your papers, presentations, etc. always have to be written by you, not by some AI tool. This follows the DIS Academic Honor Code that clearly states: “Submit your own work and never allow others (including Chat GPT or other AI) to write any part of your papers or exams.“ The information provided by AI tools can provide beneficial input for your tasks, but can never be your output. 

Readings

Please see the Canvas Calendar for readings. For preparing most classes, we will indicate readings, some compulsory, some optional. 

For a first impression of what DevEcon is all about, check out this video https://mru.org/courses/development-economics/basic-facts-growth-and-development.It is part of a great, free online course on DevEcon ( https://mru.org/development-economics). that we will use in this course from time to time. 

The main textbook for this course will be:

Todaro, M.P. & Smith, S.C. (2015) Economic Development, 13 th edn. 

DIS_DE_Todaro_and_Smith_Chapter_1.pdf

DIS_DE_Todaro_and_Smith_Chapter_2.pdf

DIS_DE_Todaro_and_Smith_Chapter_3.pdf

Among the other books we will work with are 

• Acemoglu, Daron, and James A Robinson. 2012. Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty 
• Taylor, J. Eward, and Lybbert, Travis J., 2020, Essentials of Development Economics, 3rd. edition

It's always a good idea to read, e.g., The Economist or the magazine Finance & Development, issued by the IMF. We also recommend this website https://voxdev.org/, where you can find articles, videos, podcasts, and a newsletter. 

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org