The Great Divergence: Historical patterns of modern economic growth

Education facts

Code: EHA126

This course deals with the recent attempts made to explain the diverging global patterns of economic growth since the mid-eighteenth century – the time of the industrial revolution. By then, GDP per capita levels were rather equally distributed across Europe and East Asia. In the third quarter of the twentieth century, about 1970, the GDP per capita gaps between Western Europe and Asia were abysmal. A growing literature in economic history calls this process “The Great Divergence”. Since the 1980s, East Asia and South East Asia have begun to close in on West Europe in real GDP per capita terms. The aim of this course is to examine the diverging patterns of economic and demographic developments in historical perspective, with particular focus on Western Europe and East and South East Asia.

Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree (180 hec) from an internationally recognized university, including a thesis of minimum 15 hec. Applicants must prove their knowledge of English: English 6/English B from Swedish Upper Secondary School or the equivalent level of an internationally recognized test, for example TOEFL, IELTS.

Education offerings

Each offering has its own dates and conditions. Closed offerings are retained as history and do not mean that a new application is open.

• The Great Divergence: Historical patterns of modern economic growth

  University of Gothenburg

  Start date: 27 March 2025

  End date: 1 May 2025

  Pace of study: 100 %