General Objective To provide students with a comprehensive, critical, and comparative understanding of the concept of emerging countries, analyzing their transition from developing economies to developed ones. The course explores the economic, political, institutional, social, and environmental factors that characterize emerging countries and shape their development paths, challenges, and roles in the contemporary global economy. The specific objectives of the course are that, by the end of the course, students will be able to: -Analyze the concept of emerging countries, including its various definitions and the indicators used for classification. -Understand the transition processes from developing economies to emerging markets, and potentially to developed country status. -Evaluate the role of emerging economies in the global economy, focusing on economic specialization, foreign investment flows, economic policy, and migration trends. -Examine the characteristics of the state and political institutions in emerging countries, including regime types, institutional quality, politicization of the bureaucracy and judicial system, and political elite recruitment. -Identify and analyze key structural challenges facing emerging economies, such as political instability, governance issues, and persistent economic and social inequalities. -Study the development and consolidation of middle classes, and their implications for social cohesion, governance, and political stability. -Assess tensions between economic growth and environmental sustainability, at national, regional, and international levels. -Explore the relationship between economic development and political systems and institutions, focusing on the interaction between public policy, inclusive development, and democratic stability. -Apply theoretical frameworks and methodological tools for the comparative analysis of emerging country experiences across different world regions.

Concept and alternative definitions and related measures. Transitions of developing country to emerging country and on to developed countries. Emerging countries in the world economy, economic specialization, foreign investment, economic policy, and migration. State and political institutions in emerging countries: political regimes, representative institutions, politicization of bureaucracy and legal systems, recruitment of political elites. political (in)stability and governability. Challenges of emerging countries: political economy and sustainable development in middle-income countries; development, growth, increased economic inequalities at the individual, regional and rural-urban level, and policies to manage it. The formation and consolidation of middle classes and their economic, social and political implications. Growth and environmental challenges on a regional, national and international level. Economic development and political systems and institutions.

Lectures: In the lectures we will discuss the readings and the critical evidence needed to test the main theories. Reduced lectures: Each week we will have presentations, debates based on the readings and discussions of the essays. Students will have to participate actively in class.