Introduction to Development Economics

**Course Overview: Gender, Land Markets, and Public Finance in Economics**

This course delves into core topics within applied microeconomics, with an emphasis on where gender, labor markets, land markets, and public finance meet. Participants will investigate how gender shapes decisions about labor supply — especially within healthcare — and work through the wider consequences for economic results.

We then turn to land markets, where three devoted sessions cover foundational theories, real-world applications, and current policy hurdles. Discussions span property rights, the efficiency of land allocation, and how institutions influence how these markets behave.

The closing unit introduces public finance, looking at government spending, taxation, and fiscal policy. Participants will weigh the economic impact of public programs, the ways governments raise revenue, and the trade-offs that come with designing policy.

Blending theoretical frameworks with real-world case material, this course builds the analytical skills needed to understand and critically evaluate these vital areas of economic research and policy.