Number & Size Of Nations (EC-0184)

Fall 2025 · EC 0184 · Tufts University · 3 credits · Undergraduate

The number of sovereign states has increased dramatically from 74 in 1945 to almost 200. They come in all sizes with China at 1.2 billion people and Tuvalu, the smallest country with a seat at the United Nations, at less than 11,000. This advanced seminar examines what determines the number and size of nations and how borders change over time, how a country's size matters for economic prosperity, and how the formation and breakup of nations depend on democratization, economic integration, international conflicts and wars. These questions are addressed using the tools of economic analysis, while also taking into account insights from other disciplines, such as history and political science. Prerequisites: Economics 11 or 16 and Economics 12 or 18.

Course codes: EC-0184, EC 0184, EC0184, EC-184, EC 184, EC184

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