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Essays should not exceed 2500 words. They will count for 30% of the final grade. They are optional.

Students who are interested in writing an essay, will inform me by March 31. You are required to inform me about the topic you propose and the readings you intend to use in writing it. I will give you a quick answer saying yes or – if I think the topic is not relevant for the course – I will propose an alternative.

I expect the essay to clarify a specific aspect of trade and/or globalization. In doing so, I expect you to demonstrate that you can identify a relevant topic and its main characteristics. I also expect that in your treatment you are able to give a critical assessment of conflicting views, if they exist.

The deadline for submitting your essay is one week before the first exam in Calendar.

In your search for a topic, please consider:

1. Topics listed in the program of the course, but that we might not be able to include in our classes. Examples:

• Tastes, income differences, technology as sources of trade (Ch. 13, Markusen et al.)      
• Empirical studies of trade models (Ch. 14, Markusen et al.)
• Optimal tariff (mainly from Krugman et al. textbook)
• Political economy of protectionism (mainly from Markusen et al.)
• FDI and multinational firms (both textbooks)
• Firms in the global economy (Ch. 8 in Krugman et al.)

2. Topics on Globalization at large, such as those listed in the two OECD publications included in the program of the course:

• OECD, Economic Globalisation Origins and consequences, http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/economic-globalisation_9789264111905-en
• OECD, Fixing Globalisation: Time to Make it Work for All, http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264275096-en

3. Finally, you can take inspiration from a topic developed during the lectures and assess it in the context of the current characteristics of global trade or using a critical point of views not discussed in our classes.