Search result: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2021

Comparative and International Studies Master Information
Electives
NumberTitleTypeECTSHoursLecturers
857-0075-01LContemporary European PoliticsW3 credits2SM. Jacob, A. Baysan, S. Hegewald, J. Lipps, N. Olszewska, D. Schraff
AbstractHow have the powers of the European Union expanded until now and what are the problems facing the Union today? This class offers an introduction to theories of European integration. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges of supranational governance in the context of the EU, covering a wide array of policy fields.
ObjectiveSince its start in the fifties, the European Union has evolved into a complex multilevel system, different from the nation state and different from other International Organizations. The course “Contemporary European Politics” introduces students to the institutions of the European Union and the gradual expansion of their competences. Throughout the course, we engage with current debates in EU studies on supranational decision-making in times of crisis. Upon completion, the participants are familiar with the legislative process regulating scientific and every-day life in such diverse policy fields as financial markets, climate policy and data privacy. Based on this knowledge, participants are able to identify chances and challenges of regulation beyond the nation state.
ContentThe sessions cover the following topics:
- EU Institutions
- Decision-making
- Parliamentary Democracy
- Judicial Politics
- European Identity and Public Spheres
- Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy
- Democratic Backsliding
- Political Conflict in the EU
- Implementation of EU law
- Eurozone
- Inequality
- Euroscepticism and Brexit
- The Future of Integration
865-0000-07LClimate Change and Development
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.

ETH MA/MSc students apply with a letter of motivation to the NADEL administration office.

Registration only through the NADEL administration office.
W2 credits3GL. B. Nilsen
AbstractClimate change has taken a lead position on the international development agenda. This course equips participants with a better understanding of the interlinkages between climate change and development, and enables them to integrate climate change considerations into the planning and implementation of development projects.
ObjectiveAfter completing the course, participants will be able to:
• discuss the interconnections between climate change and sustainable development
• explain opportunities and challenges that the current climate agreement presents for developing countries
• understand political, technological, and financial challenges of low-carbon development and how they can be addressed
• explain the complementary nature of mitigation and adaptation and the major strategies used in each
• analyse linkages between climate change adaptation and development planning
• understand the basic steps in defining climate adaptation projects, and recognize the opportunities and limitations of climate models for decision-making.
• engage in an informed dialogue about climate finance, and recognize the main sources of financing to support low carbon and climate-resilient development
• recognize the institutional opportunities and challenges of climate mainstreaming in international humanitarian and development organisations
ContentClimate change and sustainable development
Implications of climate change for developing countries
International and national policy responses and challenges of climate change negotiations
Mitigation and adaptation in resource-poor and vulnerable settings
Climate financing
Trade-offs between mitigation, adaptation and development goals
Climate smart development projects
865-0002-00LMigration: A Challenge for Development Cooperation
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.

ETH MA/MSc students apply with a letter of motivation to the NADEL administration office.

Registration only through the NADEL administration office.
W1 credit2GK. Schneider, L. Hensgen
AbstractAn estimated 250 million people are currently living outside their countries of origin - voluntarily as migrants or involuntarily as refugees. The course explores the role that international cooperation can play in promoting the positive aspects of migration and in reducing the negative consequences.
ObjectiveCourse participants have improved understanding of the following issues:
- Definition of migration concepts and terms, including migrants, refugees, IDPs
- The geography of migration flows
- The evolving concept of “migration and development”
- International organizations and their strategies and activities in terms of migration
ContentToday's migration movements are initiated in the countries of origin through different causes, whether political, social, economic, or natural. Although the concept of migration is negatively connoted for many people, international migration has a positive impact on both the countries of origin and the recipient countries. In addition to the transfer of goods and capital, it can also be understood as part of the increasing globalization process.
865-0056-00LConflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding – Tools and Approaches
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.

ETH MA/MSc students apply with a letter of motivation to the NADEL administration office.

Registration only through the NADEL administration office.
W2 credits3GL. Hensgen
AbstractThe course offers an introduction to the subject and contributes to a better understanding of the current debate and policy practices. Participants get an overview of concepts, methodological approaches as well as operational experiences and challenges of the actors in this complex area.
ObjectiveThe course offers an introduction to the subject and contributes to a better understanding of the current debate and policy practices.
865-0066-04LICT4D – Concepts, Strategies and Good Practices
Does not take place this semester.
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.

ETH MA/MSc students apply with a letter of motivation to the NADEL administration office.

Registration only through the NADEL administration office.
W2 credits3G
AbstractInformation and communication technologies (ICTs) represent the deepest technical change experienced in international development. Digital development strategies need to be broader than ICT strategies. This course assesses the role of ICTs in development, discusses the existing evidence on the impact of ICT on development, and introduces key concepts and methods for ICT4D practice and strategy.
ObjectiveInformation and communication technologies (ICTs) represent the fastest and deepest technical change experienced in international development. By now, they affect every development sector – the work of farmers and micro-entrepreneurs, healthcare workers and microfinance institutions, social mobilization and political change. Yet, the ‘digital dividends’ are unevenly distributed and questions of ‘data justice’ in development are largely unexplored. To close the gap, just greater digital adoption will not be enough. Digital development strategies need to be broader than ICT strategies. This course helps to understand the role of ICTs in development, discusses the existing evidence on the impact of ICT on development, and introduces key concepts and methods for ICT4D practice and strategy.
Content• ICTs and development: the conceptual links
• The impact of ICT on development: evidence from research
• Digital revolution and its analog foundations
• Concepts, strategies and components needed for ICT4D to work
• ICT4D and project cycle management
• Good practice in implementing ICT4D
• Emerging technologies and models relevant for ICT-enabled development
860-0001-00LPublic Institutions and Policy-Making Processes Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants limited to 25.

Priority for Science, Technology, and Policy MSc.
W3 credits2GE. K. Smith, S. Bechtold, F. Schimmelfennig
AbstractStudents acquire the contextual knowledge for analyzing public policies. They learn why and how public policies and laws are developed, designed, and implemented at national and international levels, and what challenges arise in this regard.
ObjectivePublic policies result from decision-making processes that take place within formal institutions of the state (parliament, government, public administration, courts). That is, policies are shaped by the characteristics of decision-making processes and the characteristics of public institutions and related actors (e.g. interest groups). In this course, students acquire the contextual knowledge for analyzing public policies. They learn why and how public policies and laws are developed, designed, and implemented at national and international levels, and what challenges arise in this regard. The course is organized in three modules. The first module (Stefan Bechtold) examines basic concepts and the role of law, law-making, and law enforcement in modern societies. The second module (Thomas Bernauer) deals with the functioning of legislatures, governments, and interest groups. The third module (Frank Schimmelfennig) focuses on the European Union and international organisations.
ContentPublic policies result from decision-making processes that take place within formal institutions of the state (parliament, government, public administration, courts). That is, policies are shaped by the characteristics of decision-making processes and the characteristics of public institutions and related actors (e.g. interest groups). In this course, students acquire the contextual knowledge for analyzing public policies. They learn why and how public policies and laws are developed, designed, and implemented at national and international levels, and what challenges arise in this regard. The course is organized in three modules. The first module (Stefan Bechtold) examines basic concepts and the role of law, law-making, and law enforcement in modern societies. The second module (Thomas Bernauer) deals with the functioning of legislatures, governments, and interest groups. The third module (Frank Schimmelfennig) focuses on the European Union and international organisations.
Lecture notesReading materials will be distributed electronically to the students when the semester starts.
LiteratureBaylis, John, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens (2014): The Globalization of World Politics. An Introduction to International Relations. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Caramani, Daniele (ed.) (2014): Comparative Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Gilardi, Fabrizio (2012): Transnational Diffusion: Norms, Ideas, and Policies, in Carlsnaes, Walter, Thomas Risse and Beth Simmons, Handbook of International Relations, 2nd Edition, London: Sage, pp. 453-477.

Hage, Jaap and Bram Akkermans (eds.) (2nd edition 2017): Introduction to Law, Heidelberg: Springer.

Jolls, Christine (2013): Product Warnings, Debiasing, and Free Speech: The Case of Tobacco Regulation, Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics 169: 53-78.

Lelieveldt, Herman and Sebastiaan Princen (2011): The Politics of European Union. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Lessig, Lawrence (2006): Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace, Version 2.0, New York: Basic Books. Available at Link.

Schimmelfennig, Frank and Ulrich Sedelmeier (2004): Governance by Conditionality: EU Rule Transfer to the Candidate Countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in: Journal of European Public Policy 11(4): 669-687.

Shipan, Charles V. and Craig Volden (2012): Policy Diffusion: Seven Lessons for Scholars and Practitioners. Public Administration Review 72(6): 788-796.

Sunstein, Cass R. (2014): The Limits of Quantification, California Law Review 102: 1369-1422.

Thaler, Richard H. and Cass R. Sunstein (2003): Libertarian Paternalism. American Economic Review: Papers & Proceedings 93: 175-179.
Prerequisites / NoticeThis is a Master level course. The course is capped at 25 students, with ISTP Master students having priority.
860-0032-00LIntroductory Macroeconomics Restricted registration - show details
Number of participants is limited to 30.
Prerequisite: An introductory course in Economics is required to sign up for this course.

Priority for Science, Technology, and Policy MSc.
W3 credits2VR. Pleninger
AbstractThis course examines the behaviour of macroeconomic variables, such as gross domestic product, unemployment and inflation rates. It tries to answer questions like: How can we explain fluctuations of national economic activity? What can economic policy do against unemployment and inflation?
ObjectiveThis lecture will introduce the fundamentals of macroeconomic theory and explain their relevance to every-day economic problems.
ContentThis course helps you understand the world in which you live. There are many questions about the macroeconomy that might spark your curiosity. Why are living standards so meagre in many African countries? Why do some countries have high rates of inflation while others have stable prices? Why have some European countries adopted a common currency? These are just a few of the questions that this course will help you answer. Furthermore, this course will give you a better understanding of the potential and limits of economic policy. As a voter, you help choose the policies that guide the allocation of society's resources. When deciding which policies to support, you may find yourself asking various questions about economics. What are the burdens associated with alternative forms of taxation? What are the effects of free trade with other countries? How does the government budget deficit affect the economy? These and similar questions are always on the minds of policy makers.
860-0033-00LBig Data for Public Policy Information Restricted registration - show details
Only for Master students and PhD students.
W3 credits2GE. Ash, M. Guillot
AbstractThis course provides an introduction to big data methods for public policy analysis. Students will put these techniques to work on a course project using real-world data, to be designed and implemented in consultation with the instructors.
ObjectiveMany policy problems involve prediction. For example, a budget office might want to predict the number of applications for benefits payments next month, based on labor market conditions this month. This course provides a hands-on introduction to the "big data" techniques for making such predictions.
ContentMany policy problems involve prediction. For example, a budget office might want to predict the number of applications for benefits payments next month, based on labor market conditions this month. This course provides a hands-on introduction to the "big data" techniques for making such predictions. These techniques include:

-- procuring big datasets, especially through web scraping or API interfaces, including social media data;
-- pre-processing and dimension reduction of massive datasets for tractable computation;
-- machine learning for predicting outcomes, including how to select and tune the model, evaluate model performance using held-out test data, and report results;
-- interpreting machine learning model predictions to understand what is going on inside the black box;
-- data visualization including interactive web apps.

Students will put these techniques to work on a course project using real-world data, to be designed and implemented in consultation with the instructors.
865-0012-00LGender and Economics
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.

ETH MA/MSc students apply with a letter of motivation to the NADEL administration office.

Registration only through the NADEL administration office.
W2 credits3GK. Harttgen
AbstractThis course on gender and economics is intended to provide basic- and intermediate-level training to development practitioners and policy and program staff in international development agencies.
ObjectiveThe overall objective of the course is to strengthen the capacity of technical advisors and program staff on the importance of gender- responsive economic policy. The course conveys basic knowledge about genders aspects in economics. Key elements are:
• Feminist approaches to macroeconomics, microeconomics and international economics
• Critical analysis of global and regional economic trends, including those related to economic crises
• Gender-responsive economic policy for program implementation, policymaking, and advocacy
ContentEconomic inequalities between men and women persist in many countries. For example, in many countries, men earn more money and are more likely to own land and control productive assets than women. This course on gender and economics is intended to provide basic- and intermediate-level training to development practitioners and policy and program staff in international development agencies. The overall objective of the course is to strengthen the capacity of technical advisors and program staff on the importance of gender- responsive economic policy. The course is taught in cooperation with SDC and UN women.
  •  Page  1  of  1