Warwick Summer Workshop in Economic Growth, 2014
Incorporating GIS in the Comparative Economic Inquiry
A Lecture Series by
Stelios Michalopoulos
The lectures aim at shedding light on recent contributions in the literature of the
historical determinants of comparative development paying particular attention on how to
integrate the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to the research agenda. The
aim of these lectures is to get you thinking about the big historical processes that have
shaped the modern world and describe via specific examples how GIS can dramatically
expand the scope of research questions one may address. Hence, the goal is dual. First, to
arm you with GIS capabilities and second have you navigate the historical account
through the lenses of an economist. Weighing the shadow of history on contemporary
outcomes occupies an increasing part of the agenda among growth and development
economists incorporating GIS in your analytical skills provides a competitive edge in this
rapidly growing field.
Lecture 1:
Introduction to GIS
Defining GIS and Introduction to Spatial Data File Formats
The Basics of ArcCatalog and ArcMap
Projections and Coordinate Systems
Coordinate Systems and Map Projections in ArcGIS
Tabular Data Design, Functions, Pitfalls and GeoProcessing
Working with Tables, Queries, and Basic Geoprocessing Tools
Data sources and data collection – where to get data and how to create your own
Creating and editing new spatial data files in ArcMap
The Raster Data File Format and Raster Analysis
The Spatial Analyst Extension and Model Builder
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Lecture 2:
Examples of Applying GIS
Alesina Alberto, Michalopoulos Stelios and Elias Papaioannou, “Ethnic Inequality”,
NBER Working Paper w18512
Michalopoulos Stelios (2012): “The Origins of Ethnolinguistic Diversity,” American
Economic Review, 102(4), 1508—1539.
Michalopoulos, Stelios and Elias Pappaioannou. 2013. "The Long-Run Effects of the
Scramble for Africa," NBER Working Paper w17620.
Michalopoulos Stelios and Elias Papaioannou, (2014) “National Institutions and
Subnational Development in Africa”, Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2014, 129 (1):
151-213
GIS Applications. Going behind the scenes of the above papers
Spatial Regression Discontinuity, Model Builder, Virtual-Country Analysis, Automating
Processes in GIS: the use of iterators.
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