Politics of the Global Economy

Overview

This module examines how politics conceived as relations between governments and with and between various socio-economic interests and groups shapes the global economy and the power relations it represents. Various issues addressed in the module include: how to think about power and authority in the global economy; contrasting national models of capitalism; the United States as a global economic hegemon in the post 9/11 era; the political economy of the rise of BRIC; the Doha Round of trade talks; Credit Crunch (causes, implications and responses); the geo-politics of currency rivalry; the global governance of oil; and a new global economic order to replace the old order?

Learning Objectives

On successful completion of this module, students will:
• Understand the main theoretical and analytical approaches to the study of IPE;
• have knowledge of key issue areas in the study of IPE, including finance, trade, rising powers, development, sustainability and environment;
• appreciate different approaches to the understanding of IPE and political economy;
• understand global and heterodox approaches to political economy and consider the relation between concepts, political economy practices and everyday lives;
• be able to apply key concepts and analytical frames from the IPE literature in examinations of these key issue areas;
• pursue intellectual questions in a rigorous and academic manner, employing analytical skills and critical thinking;
• communicate ideas to others in a clear and concise manner, both orally and in written form.

Skills

This module will assist in developing students’ skills in a number of important areas. These include:
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritising Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge, sources and data; manage such information in an independent manner
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT
Organisational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear argument; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways

and concise, written and oral form;

Students will be able to think analytically, critically and logically about a range of important contemporary social issues.

Students will have the capacity to identify many of the key causes, strategies and motivations of contemporary global economic trends and developments.

Assessment

None