The course discusses the development of recent and contemporary economic policy paradigms. More concretely, it analyzes the causes and consequences of the rise and fall of neoliberalism, as an economic doctrine and what have emerged on its ruins. To put it differently, the course concentrates on the history of the so-called "Washington Consensus" and survey what alternative 'consensuses' have been put forward.
The course introduce students to the concept of policy paradigms and of policy diffusion, identifying the domestic and external factors affecting economic policy choices. It also aims at providing an analytical framework for explaining development of and changes in mainstream policy paradigms. Last but not least it enable students to analyze specific policy episodes from a comparative perspectives.
The course does not require any background in economics.