Introduction to Political Economy

Code

INTS2003

School

School of International Studies

Level

2

Credits

20

Semesters

Spring China

Summary

This course is designed to introduce students to the study of international Political Economy. In the first half of the course, students will learn the key theoretical approaches of IPE. In this phase, the course examines three core areas of IPE: global trade, multinational production, and international finance. In the second half, students will explore case studies concerning specific regions, blocs, and local economies. It should be noted that the course neither assumes nor requires a technical economics background. Instead the emphasis is upon an interdisciplinary understanding of IPE from a range of social science disciplines. Students should, however, be prepared to understand the underlying logic of economic arguments.

Please note: This module is assessed at the end of Spring semester. First sit/ Re-sit exams are scheduled normally in the summer and can take the same form as the missing/ failed component of the assessment (exam, essay etc.) or other form, as decided by the School.

Target Students

Students from school of International Studies Available to JYA/Erasmus students.

Classes

• One 1-hour seminar each week for 10 weeks
• One 2-hour lecture each week for 10 weeks

Assessment

• 50% Group Presentation
• 50% Exam 1 (2-hour): two-hour written exam

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge:
• An understanding of the origins, development, and problematics in the contemporary Global Political Economy.
• The ability to critically interrogate leading conceptual approaches to the theory and practice of International Political Economy as an academic discipline.
• The ability to locate these approaches in a broad philosophical and historical context.
• An understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of, and synergies between, different theoretical explanations of IPE.
• An understanding of key empirical issues, structures and actors in contemporary IPE, such as the development of international trade and finance, global governance institutions, multinational corporations and global networks of production, the relationships between states and globalisation, the relationship between globalisation and ‘crisis,’ and the role of social movements in both promoting and resisting globalisation.
• An appreciation of the positive and negative role globalisation has played in the development of the Global Political Economy.

Academic skills:
At the conclusion of this module, students should:
• Be able to critically evaluate core theoretical approaches to the study of IPE.
• Understand the specific role of political dynamics that shape IPE and its discourses.
• Be able to effectively combine empirical knowledge with theoretical insights in the analysis of IPE.
• Feel confident to pursue further research or work in a related field.

Transferable skills:
• Research: Capability for independent and self-initiated study; composition of coherent and analytical papers based on secondary and primary sources.
• Presentation: Ability to present complex ideas and arguments to fellow seminar members; written presentation of own and other researchers’ arguments.
• Analytical: Competence to understand and analyse complex processes, ideas and theories.
• Subject-specific: Basic understanding of international development work and ability to criticise its discourses.

Professional Skills
The module will develop students’ ability to:
• Professional Commmunication: Select, sift and synthesize information from a range of secondary sources, identify key arguments in this material and express them clearly, fluently and concisely in both written and verbal work. As part of this process, students are also expected to demonstrate appropriate referencing and bibliographic skills. 
• Co-ordinating with others: Students will develop their skills to work and learn independently and actively with others through written work and seminar contributions respectively. 
• Reflection: Students will develop the analytical competence to understand complex arguments, critically dissect them, and to offer their own assessment of key schools of thought, theoretical perspectives and empirical case studies.  They are also encouraged to reflect on how key issues in IPE affect them and their relationships to others.
• Digital Capabilities: Students are required to demonstrate competence in IT-related skills in preparing written work, and using the university’s digital online learning resources to access appropriate sources of information.  Students are further required to access Moodle on a regular basis for important notifications re. module developments, and to take part in active online discussion forums on key IPE-related developments in global politics.

Conveners

• Dr Wilfred Chow