Aims: The governance of the international economy is one of the more fiercely contested public policy issues confronting citizens and policymakers. The globalisation of the world economy, far from ushering in a deregulated free-market paradise, confronts governments and firms with more complex rules than ever. What these rules are and how they get made is a key issue in international political economy. The course will take students into this debate by focussing on important topic areas in international trade.
Learning Outcomes:
The only outcome is greater knowledge about the world economy. It is unlikely that students will use this knowledge in their jobs. They take the course because they are interested.
Skills:
Critical thinking - facilitated. Research skills - facilitated and assessed.
Content:
This course is designed to explore the nature of power and governance in the international economy - with a special focus on international trade. It does so by paying particular attention to the relationship between firms and governments. It begins with a theoretical exploration of power and authority, utilising the work of Douglass North, the neo-Gramscian School, Debora Spar, Susan Strange and others. It then moves on to use these theoretical tools as a means of understanding issue areas like: structure of the WTO; investment rules; TRIPS, GATS, agriculture; trade and development and EU-US economic relations.
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