UTSOA

This course provides a survey of major theories of economic development and how they are put into practice by federal, state and local governments in the U.S.  A special emphasis of this course will be on defining a sustainable path to economic development. Policies and initiatives will be evaluated through a sustainable development framework in urban and rural contexts – how might they influence economic growth, economic equity, wage and income distributions, and the environment.
 
Class discussions will be equal parts theory and practice, drawing heavily on current events and recent programs launched at the federal and local levels. The course will briefly review theories concerning the causes of growth and decline of cities and regions and then define and delineate specific dimensions of sustainable development. In addition, students will get hands-on experience with practical techniques for evaluating the structure and economic and environmental performance of regional economies and labor markets.  Assignments will be focused on an investigation of public intervention strategies, with special emphasis on strategic planning and development of “green” industries and jobs.