Syllabus
Short Summary
No.
Topic
Date
Lecturer 1
Introduction to IPE: Theoretical Perspectives, Main Actors and Short History of Global Economy
February 21
VS 2
Cooperation and Conflicts, New x Old Superpowers
February 28
VS 3
World Trade System, International Trade Cooperation
March 7
VS 4
Trade Regimes and Regional Cooperation, PTAs and RTAs
March 14
VS 5
International Monetary Relations
March 21
Guest Lecture 6
The Political Economy of Financial Crises
March 28
VS 7
Political Economy of Development
April 4
VS 8
Corruption in International Economy: Its Regulation and Natural Resource Curse
April 11
MP 9
Holidays
April 18 10
Globalization – Power of States and Multinationals
April 25
MP 11
The Political Economy of International Migration
May 2
MP 12
Reports: Class Debate (1st Topic)
May 9
MP 13
Reports II: Class Debate (2nd Topic)
May 16
MP
Detailed Description 1) Introduction to IPE: Theoretical Perspectives, Main Actors and Short History of Global Economy (February 21st)
The first lecture represents brief introduction into the IPE discipline. We cover main theoretical approaches to IPE, position of IPE within social sciences and main actors that are discussed within the discipline. The lecture will also cover brief summary of historical development of global economy.
Compulsory literature
Broome (2014), CH 1
Supplementary literature
Textbooks
Broome (2014), CH 2-6
Ravenhill (2014), CH 1-2
Papers and other sources
The Maddison-Project (https://www.rug.nl/ggdc/historicaldevelopment/maddison/releases/maddison-project-database-2018, 2018 version)
Bolt, J., & Zanden, J. L. (2014). The Maddison Project: collaborative research on historical national accounts. The Economic History Review, 67(3), 627-651.
Fouquin, M., & Hugot, J. (2016). Back to the Future: International Trade Costs and the Two Globalizations. CEPII Document de travail, (2016-13).
Harley, C. K. (1988). Ocean freight rates and productivity, 1740–1913: the primacy of mechanical invention reaffirmed. The Journal of Economic History, 48(04), 851-876.
Lampe, M. (2009). Effects of Bilateralism and the MFN Clause on International Trade: Evidence for the Cobden-Chevalier Network, 1860-1875. The Journal of Economic History, 69(04), 1012-1040.
Maddison, A. (1982). Economic epochs and their interpretation, Chapter 1 of Phases of Capitalist Development, Oxford University Press.
Mandeville, B. (1988). The Fable of the Bees or Private Vices, Public Benefits, Indianapolis: Liberty Fund. http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/846
Smith, A. (1790) The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Library of Economics and Liberty. http://www.econlib.org/library/Smith/smMS.html 2) Cooperation and Conflicts, New x Old Superpowers (February 28th)
We focus on the literature investigating the reasons behind cooperation and conflicts between actors. Establishment of international institutions (and organizations) as a potential solution of conflicting interests will be investigated. The lecture will also debate the economic effects of sanctions and investigate the hypothesis that mutual trade is a “peace promoter” between conflicting states.
In the area of current policy issues, we will focus on the attempts of China to revise international institutional order based on Bretton Wood. We will be also discussing historical examples of similar conflicts (ranging from the popular concept of Thucydides Trap-like interpretation of Peloponnesian Wars to e.g. Europe and Middle East in the second half of 19th century) and compare them with current situation in global economy.
Compulsory literature
Ravenhill (2014), Chapter 3
Bell, S. R., & Long, A. G. (2016). Trade Interdependence and the Use of Force: Do Issues Matter? International Interactions, 42(5), 750-773.
Foreign Affairs (2017/2). China and the World
J. S. Nye (2017): Will the Liberal Order Survive? Foreign Affairs January/February 2017, Volume 96, Number 1
Haas, R. (2019): How a World Order Ends. And What Comes in Its Wake. Foreign Affairs, February 2019
Supplementary literature
Textbooks
Ravenhill (2014), CH 4
Papers and other sources
Kotkin, S. (2018). Realist World. The Players Change but the Game Remains. Foreign Affairs, August 2018
Deudney, D., Ikenberry, G.J. (2018). Liberal World. The Resilient Order. Foreign Affairs, August 2018
Brewster, R. (2014). The Domestic and International Enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. Chicago Journal of International Law, 15(1), 84–109.
Cavallo, E., Powell, A., Pedemonte, M., & Tavella, P. (2015). A new taxonomy of Sudden Stops: Which Sudden Stops should countries be most concerned about? Journal of International Money and Finance, 51, 47-70.
Foreign Affairs (2017/2 and 2017/1)
Schneider, G. (2014). Peace through globalization and capitalism? Prospects of two liberal propositions. Journal of Peace Research, 51(2), 173-183.
Rose, G. (2018): The Fourth Founding. The United States and the Liberal Order. Foreign Affairs, February 2019
Current policy debates
China and international institutional order. Trump´s politics to China. 3) World Trade System, International Trade Cooperation (March 7th)
The lecture will primarily investigate the rationale behind the contemporary trend of trade protectionism (probably most visible proponent is the current US president Donald Trump). We will cover the main arguments in favour of trade liberalization and also protectionism. Special attention will be devoted to the arguments of D. Rodrick. In the policy area we will discuss the revision of US trade policy done by Donald Trump.
Compulsory literature
The Economist – Special Report on Liberalization of Trade (2016)
Ostry, J. D., Loungani, P., & Furceri, D. (2016). Neoliberalism: oversold. Finance & Development, 53(2),
Annotation
The course aims to provide students with a basic introduction into the “international political economy” (IPE) field. The course is based on the active participation of students who are required to read compulsory literature for each class and debate the papers. The course is using two streams of literature: academic literature (papers and textbooks) and topical articles/papers covering current policy issues (e.g. The Economist or Foreign Affairs). The goal of this approach to literature is to use IPE research as guidance in real-world policy debates that help us understand actual (and often opposing) positions of policymakers.
The main “applied” or policy focus of the course is on the debates associated with recent changes in global economy, attitudes of main actors (Trump’s USA, Xi Jinping’s China, BREXIT-influenced EU) and possible causes of the changes. We will try to understand the economic dimensions of current global trends and their possible implications for the future of global economic governance.
Within the broad scope of traditional IPE topics we are going to focus more on issues closer to traditional economics, and rational choices approaches, i.e. the course is focused more on concepts and models, rather than on memorising institutional details of current or previous global economic affairs. In line with the focus of current global affairs and with the specialisation of the lecturers, we will primarily focus on issues linked with international trade and globalization.