SPACE AND ECONOMY

Upon successful completion of the the course, students will be able to investigate the mechanisms that can explain the spatial distribution of economic activities (agriculture, industry, trade, services etc), primarily through the presentation of key theoretical approaches and the important changes that alter the context in which decisions are taken. Furthermore, they will be capable of studying of spatial-geographical dimensions of modern production and restructuring in the economy. Finally, they will be able to understand the policies concerning spatial planning at the local, regional/national and international levels.

The course is divided into three sections. The modules cover a very wide range of issues and, although reference is made to the origins and past approaches of the field, the emphasis is on contemporary problems, discussions and applications. Module 1: introduction to economic and geographical thought: Here the emphasis is on understanding basic concepts such as the nature of space (with emphasis on human and 'social' space), the nature of the economy (basic concepts of macro-economic and micro-economic analysis and policies), the spatial dimensions of the organization of productive systems, the concept of globalization Module 2: Theories and local and regional development models: basic schools of thought, sources of regional differentiation (competitiveness, resilience, hysteresis etc.), the role of local labor markets Session 3: European - national - local policies.

Economic Geography, Economy, Development, Planning,

06-11-2015