Paper 0 - 2015 Michaelmas

Exploring the Link between Efficiency and Growth Vasiliki Mavroeidi

Neoclassical economics is defined by its search for the optimal allocation of scarce resources. But can efficiency bring growth? This lecture will evaluate the neoclassical dogma of comparative advantage as a mechanism for growth and offer evidence that the State is a relevant actor in forging structural transformation.
This lecture was delivered by Vasiliki Mavroeidi, Ph.D. Candidate in Development Studies on Tuesday 20th October at the Sidgwick Site, University of Cambridge.

Understanding Economic Growth and Development – the case of Africa Jostein Løhr Hauge

This lecture will address an issue that is often neglected in neoclassical growth theory and courses in economic development – the economic sectors that drive long-term productivity growth and, hence, economic development. The role of the manufacturing sector as an engine of growth will be particularly emphasised as well as policies to advance the manufacturing sector (industrial policies). It will be contextualised in the case of Africa – a continent that has largely failed to industrialise – and also investigate if the globalisation of production calls for a reformulation of industrial policies in African countries.
This lecture was delivered by Jostein Løhr Hauge, Ph.D. Candidate in Development Studies on Tuesday 27th October at the Sidgwick Site, University of Cambridge.

Oligopolies and Regional Development in Capitalism Ivan Rajic

This lecture was delivered by Ivan Rajic, 4th year PhD student in Development Studies and one of the founders of Paper 0, on Tuesday 3rd November at the Sidgwick Site

Inequality in the 21st Century Alice Krozer

The 21st Century has started with rising inequalities at global, national, and sub-national levels throughout the world, which have significant negative effects on the economy and society. Long an ignored topic in mainstream economics the aftermath of the global financial crisis has seen the discourse on inequality changing, even for neoclassical economists, who used to at best assume inequality to be an inevitable side issue. This lecture will reconsider inequalities of wealth and income from various angles that have been neglected by neoclassical economists. It will discuss why unequal distribution of incomes matters by outlining specific impacts that are associated with it (e.g. high levels of violence, mass migration, and erosion of social cohesion), consider the arguments about adequate and efficient redistribution and present some of the actual recent trends in global inequality.
This lecture was delivered by Alice Krozer, PhD student in Development Studies and one of the founders of Paper 0, on Tuesday 10th November at the Sidgwick Site, University of Cambridge.

Feminist and gender studies’ critique of mainstream economics Nina Rismal

In this lecture, Nina Rismal, PhD student, introduces the central criticism of mainstream economics by feminist and gender studies: mainstream economic models are not objective representations of social reality, but are instead the latter’s normative constructions. While the philosophical underpinnings of this critique are considered, the focus is on the concrete assumptions, methodologies and claims of mainstream economics which this critique identifies as suffering from masculine and patriarchal biases. In this vein questions are discussed such as: who counts and who doesn’t as the neoclassical “individual”; which human activities, and which not are counted as “labour”?
This talk was recorded on Tuesday 17th November at the Sidgwick Site, University of Cambridge.

The Secret World of Monetary Policy Implementation Jens van ‘t Klooster

The world of monetary policy implementation has long been surrounded by confidentiality and cryptic public statements. Regretfully so, because a correct understanding of it is indispensable for understanding both everyday financial events and the nature of contemporary capitalism. The lecture outlines the basics of central banking, interest rates and the mystical interbank money market by looking at the daily operations of the European Central Bank.
This lecture was delivered by Jens van ‘t Klooster, a PhD student in Philosophy, on Tuesday 24th November at the Sidgwick Site, University of Cambridge.

What is Development? Albert Sanghoon Park

For our last Paper 0 lecture of the term Albert Sanghoon Park, 2nd year PhD student in Development Studies, takes a step back to look at the bigger picture of 'What is Development?', looking at the history and philosophy of development, and the lessons that can be learnt from these studies.
This lecture was recorded on 1st December 2015 at the Sidgwick Site faculty, University of Cambridge.