George Mason University: Foreign Investment and Global Integration in Cuba

This course provides students with both a background to Cuba’s economic situation (from the 1959 Cuban Revolution to the present) as well as an on-the-ground look at the country’s emerging economic transition in the context of globalization. We will pay special attention to economic reform in Cuba surrounding the economic crisis of the 1990s using texts, tools, and methodologies from across the social sciences. The goal of the course is to equip participants with a well-rounded set of analytical tools that help them assess both Cuba’s economic situation in the 21st century as well as the scope and effectiveness of recent economic reforms the country has undertaken. This course offers students an intellectually stimulating, innovative, and diverse program of study in a safe environment, with maximum exposure to the economic, cultural, and political life of contemporary Cuba. The structure of this program revolves around guest lectures at Cuba’s premier academic institutions, class meetings, and relevant site visits.