University of California, Riverside

Economics 124
World Economic History
SYLLABUS
Winter 2015
Instructor: Dr. Vilma Sarshar
Office: Sproul 3121
Email: vilma.sarshar@email.ucr.edu

Office Hours:
Tuesday 12:00pm-2:00pm
or by appointment

Course Description:
The world as we know it today suffers from a vast inequality in the distribution of wealth. The
developed world lives in the space-age, while the rest of the planet is either attempting to
develop (sometimes with disastrous consequences) or still lives in precarious conditions
resembling the stone-age. This class will consist of a survey of economic history from prehistoric
times to the present day, in an attempt to explain why these differences across countries exist.
The class will conclude with a discussion of our future as a species.
Lecture: TR 9:40-11, Spieth Hall 2200
Midterm Exam: Thursday, February 12th, In class
Final Exam: Monday, March 16th, 8:00am to 11:00am
Readings: Lectures will be drawn from scholarly articles distributed on iLearn and three primary
texts:
Diamond, Jared. 2005. Guns, Germs and Steel: A Short History of Everybody for the Last
13,000 Years. London: W. W. Norton and Company. (required)
Leo Huberman. 2009. Mans Worldly Goods. New York: Monthly Review Press. (required)
Cameron, Rondo and Larry Neal. 2003. A Concise Economic History of the World. Oxford:
Oxford University Press. (optional)
Grading:
Homework
In Class Submissions and Class Participation
Midterm
Cumulative Final Exam

10%
20%
30%
40%

For the in-class submissions, I will post questions for the class during lecture, either for you to
discuss with your classmates (termed Group Submissions) or for you to answer individually
(termed Individual Submissions). For the Group Submissions, you will be given time to think
and write your own answer first, then you will discuss your ideas in small groups. The group will
be expected to come up with competing answers, to participate in a discussion and to hand in a
short written answer. For the Individual Submissions, you will be given a series of questions
based on lecture for you to individually answer and turn in. Expect in-class submissions every
week.
The homework will involve reading and summarizing newspaper or respected magazine articles
on the subjects discussed in class. More detailed instructions will be distributed at a later date.
Other Course Policies
1. Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty: Be sure to familiarize yourself with the guidelines
for avoiding plagiarism (http://lib.ucr.edu/help/Plagiarism.shtml). Students who engage
in plagiarism/cheating/dishonesty in any form will be reported to the Academic Integrity
Committee and cannot pass the course. If you are unsure about what constitutes
plagiarism, please contact me via email, during office hours or by appointment.
2. Any behavior disruptive to the learning process is prohibited.
3. Students with disabilities who wish to request special accommodations are encouraged to
contact me via email, during office hours or by appointment.
4. iLearn: The syllabus and all instructions/assignments/readings will be posted under the
appropriate sections on iLearn. Please make sure you have access to it and check for
announcements regularly.
5. E-Mail Protocol: Please use complete sentences and correct grammar and spelling in all
e-mails. Sign off with your full name as in the class roster. Please use your UCR email
address.
6. Makeup examinations or assignments: There will be no makeup examinations of in-class
submissions. Valid and documented reasons will be accepted to reallocate the points of
your final grade if necessary. The validity of a reason is subject to the discretion of the
instructor.
7. This class takes place from January 6th to March 16th. Please make your travel plans
accordingly. No concession will be made to students absent due to conflicting travel
plans.
8. This syllabus is subject to change.