International Political Economy

Code

INTS4009

School

School of International Studies

Level

4

Credits

10

Semesters

Spring China

Summary

The module will introduce students to the main approaches to international political economy before turning towards globalisation and the main structural changes in the global economy. This includes a theoretical engagement with the concepts of globalisation, regionalisation and the related impact on the role of states as well as an analysis of empirical changes in the areas of international trade, finance, production and development. The module will further address the evolving patterns of globalisation and rising resistance to it by state and non-state actors.

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

The module is offered to students from the MA International Relations and World History and open to PG students from other divisions.

Classes

• One 2-hour lecture each week for 11 weeks

The total amount of student input into this module over the semester will be 100 hours, amounting to 20 hours of contact learning and 80 hours of independent learning during 12 weeks of teaching.

Assessment

• 60% Coursework 1: 1500 words
• 30% Group presentation: presentation
• 10% class participation: participation

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the module the student will have acquired

Knowledge:
• An advanced 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.
 

Conveners

• Dr Wilfred Chow