Isabel Günther: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2023 |
| Name | Prof. Dr. Isabel Günther |
| Field | Development Economics |
| Address | Professur für Entwicklungsökonomie ETH Zürich, CLD B 9 Clausiusstrasse 37 8092 Zürich SWITZERLAND |
| Telephone | +41 44 632 87 50 |
| isabel.guenther@nadel.ethz.ch | |
| Department | Humanities, Social and Political Sciences |
| Relationship | Associate Professor |
| Number | Title | ECTS | Hours | Lecturers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 751-1500-00L | Development Economics  | 3 credits | 2V | I. Günther, K. Harttgen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | Introduction into basic theoretical and empirical aspects of economic development. Prescriptive theory of economic policy for poverty reduction. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | The goal of this lecture is to introduce students to basic development economics and related economic and developmental contexts. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | The course begins with a theoretical and empirical introduction to the concepts of poverty reduction and issues of combating socioeconomic inequality. Based on this, important external and internal drivers of economic development and poverty reduction are discussed as well as economic and development policies to overcome global poverty. In particular, the following topics are discussed: - measurement of development, poverty and inequality, - growth theories - trade and development - education, health, population and development - states and institutions - fiscal,monetary- and exchange rate policies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | None. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | Günther, Harttgen und Michaelowa (2020): Einführung in die Entwicklungsökonomik. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Besonderes: Flipped class room: Die Veranstaltung besteht aus einem Seminarteil, aus eigener Literaturarbeit sowie der Bearbeitung von Aufgabenblättern. Die Vorlesung basiert auf: Günther, Harttgen und Michaelowa (2019): Einführung in die Entwicklungsökonomik. Einzelne Kapitel müssen jeweils vor den Veranstaltungen gelesen werden. In den Veranstaltungen wird das Gelesene diskutiert und angewendet. Auch werden offene Fragen der Kapitel und Übungen besprochen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Competencies |
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| 851-0647-00L | Model United Nations - International Policy-Making Does not take place this semester. | 2 credits | 2S | I. Günther | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | This course takes the UN as a starting point to acquaint students with key competences decisive for effective international policy-making to address the most pressing issues of humanity. These include intercultural negotiation, mediation and complex problem solving skills. Participants receive the opportunity to exchange with UN staff, diplomats and civil society members engaged with the UN. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Intercultural mediation, negotiation, complex problem solving, sustainable development goals and how those are addressed by the UN, team work | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | Technical progress led to unprecedented opportunities and challenges for human societies. While we were never as affluent, educated and healthy as today - climate change, biodiversity loss, epidemics and widening inequality, as well as new risks from emerging technologies - such as lethal autonomous weapons and designed pathogens – pose novel challenges. Responding to these challenges requires not only profound technical knowledge but also a profound understanding of societies and the capacity to put technological solutions into practice in a globalized, intercultural and political environment. Thus, increasingly there is a need for engineers with a strong understanding of complex problem solving to address the most pressing challenges of human kind. This course takes the UN as a starting point to address complexity at international policy-making processes and to make students aware of the need for more sustainable solutions in the future. The work on real UN case studies will challenge students to critically assess global problems from different perspectives, to discuss UN resolutions brought forward and to reflect upon their potential implications. Opportunities to exchange with experts, such as UN staff, diplomats and civil society advisors will complement theoretic inputs. In this course, ETH students can complement their technical skills with key competences decisive for effective international policy-making. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | The course consists of 10-12 theoretical sessions as well as the preparation and participation at Zurich MUN conference. Upon request and at students’ own expense, participation at another MUN conference is also possible. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 851-0649-00L | International Development Engineering | 1 credit | 2V | I. Günther, K. Shea, E. Tilley | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | In this lecture series, students will learn from researchers around the globe about technological interventions designed to improve human well-being for complex, low-resource settings. Students will get familiar with frameworks from social sciences and engineering, helping them to understand and evaluate the discussed technologies and to put them into a broader context. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | • Students will get familiar with frameworks from social sciences and engineering needed for innovation in a complex, low-resource setting. • Students will learn about concrete examples of technological interventions designed to improve sustainable development and critically reflect on them. • Students get a broad understanding of some of the most important issues and discussions related to global sustainable development. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | In the introductory class, students will learn about challenges related to global sustainable developments and how they have developed over time. Students will then get exposed to frameworks from social sciences and engineering disciplines, which will help them analyze technologies designed for low-resource settings. In the remaining sessions thought leaders from the field of development engineering will present a wide range of innovations from sectors such as health, water and sanitation, education and governance that will then get discussed with students. Since many of this thought leaders will come from around the globe at least 50% of sessions will be online. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Competencies |
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| 851-0653-00L | Research Design for Global Sustainable Development Does not take place this semester. | 2 credits | 2S | I. Günther, T. Schmidt, K. Shea, E. Tilley | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | The course is for doctoral students who are developing a technology/concept to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and are interested in testing/piloting it in a real-world setting. Building on a proposal that participants develop in advance, the course covers the practical and theoretical considerations involved when taking a technology/concept into a real-world context. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Students understand the concepts of co-evolution of technology and policy and can evaluate the external validity of a case study. They understand how to determine user needs and design their technology/concept to meet them. They understand how to test the social impact of a technology/concept. They can identify potential ethical issues and develop a mitigation strategy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | This course is for doctoral students from all ETH departments who are developing a technology or concept to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of their PhD and are interested in testing/piloting it in a real-world setting. Building on a short proposal that participants will develop before the course, the 4-day program will address the practical and theoretical considerations involved when taking the technology/concept out of the lab into a real world context. The skills developed will allow participants to iteratively develop their proposal such that it could be competitive if submitted to a funding call. Special attention will be paid to the common pitfalls of technology testing in complex environments, user-centered design, quantitative evaluation, as well as the fundamentals of project management in an international multi-partner project, paying particular attention to the KFPE principles. Students will come with a short project proposal that is further developed over the course of the four days and learn the necessary background, theory, and methods to implement and evaluate their technology/concept. Content will be delivered through lectures, workshop sessions and presentations . The success of the course will depend on the student's willingness to apply the material to their own proposal, integrating the feedback of peers and lecturers along the way. Each morning will consist of a lecture and practical session. The afternoons will include time for workshopping the proposals, as well as a feedback session and group discussion. Topics covered include: Innovation/Research Theory: How to think about technological impact ex ante and how to select case studies Needs-Driven Technologies: How to define the problem/need for which a solution is to be designed/tested Impact Measurement: How to design a research project that can analyze the social impact of a technological or social innovation Partnership Administration and Ethics: How to set up and maintain equitable partnerships We welcome students from all departments, particularly from engineering, computer and natural sciences. Ideally, PhD students are already advanced enough to already have a (first) proposal but not too advanced so that this course only creates afterthoughts. As such, we recommend that students take the course in the first or second year of their doctoral studies. Importantly, this course is not meant as a comprehensive introduction to the research design skills that a doctoral student should have; rather this is a short overview that will provide insights into the specific methodologies used to translate lab-based research into more complex environments. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Please note: Students can only participate in the course if they send a short proposal with the following information about the technology/concept they are developing (max. 2 pages!) via email to alhees@ethz.ch no later than February 20, 2023. Motivation (which challenge/need will be addressed? Which SDGs are addressed?) Background (current state of the art) Describe concept/technology and its novelty Case study location, targeted context, targeted population Proposed methodology to test/pilot the technology/concept | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 851-0654-00L | The Sustainable Development Goals in Context Does not take place this semester. | 1 credit | 2G | I. Günther | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | The United Nations Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide an opportunity for the international community to shape the course of sustainable development. The lectures center on 17 sustainability and equity challenges and provide insights from researchers as well as decision makers from policy, the private sector and civil society. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | 1. Students know important dimensions of sustainable development and the discourse in the context of the SDGs 2. Students get an overview how ETH Zurich contributes to sustainable development and the achievement of the SDGs 3. The lecture series enables students to contribute to sustainable development during their studies and research, as graduates on the job market, and as members of the society 4. Writing a short blog post trains students to communicate acquired knowledge effectively for a broader audience. 5. Students will learn to critically read short articles and ask follow-up questions to experts of a field. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | For each lecture we will invite one researcher or one decision maker from policy, the private sector or civil society to reflect on one particular SDG. These talks will be followed by discussions with students and the general public. Most lectures will be given online. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | 1-2 short paper will be posted on the Moodle each week that should be read before the talks. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Open to advanced Bachelor and all Master level students enrolled at ETH Zurich | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 865-0000-03L | Contemporary Development Debate Only for CAS in Development and Cooperation students, as well as specialists with at least 24 months of practical experience in international cooperation. ETH doctoral students working on topics related to poverty reduction in low- and middle income countries may also be admitted. Registration only through the NADEL administration office. | 1 credit | 2G | I. Günther, S. Patel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | The training course provides an introduction into strategic schools of thought that are important in current theoretical discussions and policies of development cooperation. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | The training course provides an introductio into strategic schools of thought that are important in current theoretical discussions and policies of development cooperation. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Students of the course must fulfil requirements specified on the homepage of NADEL. Electronic registration may be done only after registration with NADEL secretariate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 865-0042-00L | Financial Management of Projects Only for MAS/CAS in Development and Cooperation students, as well as specialists with at least 24 months of practical experience in international cooperation. ETH doctoral students working on topics related to poverty reduction in low- and middle income countries may also be admitted. Registration only through the NADEL administration office. | 2 credits | 2G | I. Günther, M. Störmer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | The course conveys basic knowledge of methods and instruments for the financial management and the economic analysis of development projects. Case studies and exercises are used to make students familiar with methods and instruments of financial management. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | The course conveys basic knowledge of methods and instruments for the financial management and the economic analysis of development projects. Case studies and exercises are used to make students familiar with methods and instruments of financial management. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Students of the course must fulfill requirements specified on the homepage of NADEL. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||