International Political Economy (341-0-20)
Instructors
Saera Lee
Meeting Info
Pancoe Building Abbott Aud: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
description subject to change:
This course focuses on the forces shaping countries' foreign economic policies. Why do governments choose to protect some industries behind high tariff walls while leaving others exposed to the vagaries of international competition? Why do most countries in the world rely on the U.S. dollar for their primary reserve currency - and will the dollar continue to serve that function? Why have many countries removed barriers to cross-border financial flows - and what are the social and political consequences of global financial market openness? Does international trade and investment make military conflict less or more likely? Do economic sanctions even work? How have the series of economic crises over the past decade - the 2008-09 financial market meltdown in the U.S., the global credit crunch the followed, sovereign debt crises (in the Eurozone countries and elsewhere), and the severe, synchronized economic downturns that followed the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic - shifted the distribution of global economic and political power? In this course we will develop an analytical toolkit to provide some insight into these and other questions, paying particular attention to evaluating the theoretical arguments with two types of evidence: qualitative and historical and quantitative and cross-national. The course is organized thematically. We start with an introduction to the study of International Political Economy (IPE) and explore why it is distinct from international economics; following the introduction to the course we will discuss the problem of international cooperation when national economic policies have spillover effects. The next three topics (weeks 2-6) are devoted to three of the main issue areas that concern IPE specialists: the politics of the international trade, monetary, and financial systems. We then turn our attention to economic development strategies pursued by low- and middle-income countries and the role of foreign development aid in promoting growth. The last two weeks of the course are devoted to the relationship between transnational economic linkages and conflict and to the rise of new economic powerhouses (namely, China) and the possible consequences of this shift for American influence in global economic affairs.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course students will
Deepen their understanding of the historical and political foundations of international markets for trade in goods and services, foreign investment, money, and financial assets.
Better understand how global markets for trade, production, and financial assets are (and are not) governed.
Gain exposure to the case study teaching method used by faculty and students at Harvard Business School.
Work alongside colleagues to master the granular details and big-picture takeaways from a set of complex, challenging cases - each of which are connected to key themes in the field of international political economy.
Improve their abilities to use analytical frameworks and empirical evidence when talking and writing about important debates over international economic relations
Sharpen their social scientific writing skills
Teaching Method
Lectures and discussion sections
Class Attributes
Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area
Associated Classes
DIS - Locy Hall 109: Wed 5:00PM - 5:50PM
DIS - Locy Hall 109: Thurs 10:00AM - 10:50AM
DIS - Locy Hall 106: Thurs 11:00AM - 11:50AM