The objective of this course is to generate a broad-based understanding of the U.S. and Maine economies’ principal components and trends, how these have evolved since the Great Recession, the impacts of the severe contraction that resulted from the pandemic during 2020, and how these impacts have reshaped the economies’ future trajectories going forward. Current policy prescriptions to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on the U.S. and Maine economies will be discussed and evaluated, including discussion of strategies for surviving the pandemic and resultant short- and long-term outcomes. Long-term demographic and labor force trends and their impacts on Maine's future economic performance and competitive position in the U.S. economy will be included in the discussion of current and alternative forecasts. This course will consist of five sessions: (1) Understanding Today’s U.S. Economy, (2) The U.S. Economy’s Post-Pandemic Outlook, (3) Maine’s Economy: Past, Present and Future, (4) the Future of Maine’s Island Economies, and (5) Maine’s Economic Future in a Changing U.S. Economy.
Instructor Stephen S. Fuller received a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers University (1962) and his Doctorate in Regional Planning and Economic Development (1969) from Cornell University. Dr. Fuller was on the faculties at George Washington University and George Mason University each for 25 years and retired as University Professor Emeritus from George Mason. He has authored more than 900 articles, papers, and reports in the field of urban and regional economic development. He lived seasonally in Georgetown since 2012, keeping his sailboat at Robinhood Marine Center since 1987, and became a full-time resident in December 2019.
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