www.globaled.uconn.edu

This course is a research seminar in international political economy.   We will start our investigation from the assumption that all economic phenomena in the world are inherently driven by divergent political perspectives about how, if at all, an economy should be managed by those in the political realm.  With this in mind, this course has several goals. 

• to understand better the relationships between politics and economics. 
• to understand better the underlying value systems that exist in the global economy that determine the functioning, process, and outcomes of that system.
• to enable the student to apply theories to the phenomena we observe in the real world.  In this way, the need to integrate theory with empirical evidence is central to our task this semester.
• to examine and hopefully to understand better the forces of globalization working in the world (and also to examine the conventional wisdom about globalization).
• to develop and strengthen a students research, teaching and analytical skills.

These goals will be stressed throughout the discussions, assignments, and activities of the course.  The course is taught seminar style, so it is important that all readings be completed before the assigned class session.   Attendance and active participation in seminar discussions and activities are also required for the smooth functioning of the seminar and for the student to get as much from the seminar experience as possible.  Pedagogically, this course also emphasizes the need for the student to gain knowledge and learn about international relations in active rather than passive ways. This means that students will take part in a number of hands-on decision-making exercises, cases or simulations in an effort to complement the research read for the seminar. It also means that all students are expected to be prepared to participate actively each class session.

As a "research seminar," this course will also focus on the development by the end of the semester of a journal length article of publishable quality.   Students will be required to present it to the class.  Rough drafts of the papers will be due in early April; final drafts by finals week.  This assignment is not only aimed at preparing students for the increasingly competitive academic job market, but also helps fulfill the departmental M.A. paper writing requirement.  With this in mind, the course is not only a general survey of issues surrounding and approaches to the study of IPE, but also provides the student with a stronger capacity to analyze critically work done by others in the field and other students in the class. Thus, a major goal of this course is to introduce the student to diverse conceptual, theoretical, and methodological approaches to the study of international relations, and particularly international political economy.

In terms of grading for the course, approximately 75% of the course grade will hinge on the grade for the research paper and its presentation to the class.  The remaining 25% will be accounted for by class participation. The active learning emphasis of this course demands that all students become thoroughly involved in seminar discussions and activities.

Reading Materials: 

The following books were ordered by the Coop.  

• Broad, Robin, ed. (2002) Global Backlash:  Citizen Initiatives for a Just World Economy.  Boulder, CO:  Rowman and Littlefield.
• Brainard, Lael. et.al. (2003) The Other War: Global Poverty and the Millenium Challenge Account. Washington, DC: Brookings.
• Cohen, Benjamin J. The Future of Money. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
• Roberts, J. Timmons and Bradley C. Parks. (2006) A Climate of Injustice. Cambridge: MIT Press.
• Held, David and Anthony McGrew, eds. (2003) The Global Transformations Reader, 2nd ed..  London:  Polity Press. (H&M)

Class Schedule and Assignments

January 16 - Introduction and Course Parameters

Janurary 23 - Theoretical and Conceptual Approaches:  Mercantilism/Neo-mercantilism and Liberalism

• Crane, George T and Abla Arawi, eds. (1997) The Theoretical Evolution of International Political Economy, 2nd ed. New York:  Oxford University Press. 
• Denemark, Robert. (1999) "World System History:  From Traditional International Politics to the Study of Global Relations."  International Studies Review 1(2):167-199.
• Also look at www.lib.uconn.edu/~mboyer/concepts216.html .

January 30 - How Can We Study IPE?

• Kudrle, Robert. (2004) "Globalization by the Numbers: Quantitative Indicators and the Role of Policy," International Studies Perspectives, 5:341-355.
• Amin, Ash and Ronen Polan. (2001) "Towards a Non-Rationalist International Political Economy," Review of International Political Economy, 8(4):559-577.
• Chan, Steve. (2002) "On Different Types of International Relations Scholarship," Journal of Peace Research, 39(6):747-756.
• "Measuring Globalization," Foreign Policy, January-February:56-65
• "Measuring Globalization: Who's Up, Who's Down," Foreign Policy, January-February:60-72.
• "Measuring Globalization: Economic Reversals, Forward Momentum," Foreign Policy, March-April:54-69.
• World Development Indicators - electronic version on computers in HRM 203 (assignments will be discussed).

February 6 - Appraising Globalization

• H&M Parts I and II
• Broad Parts I and II

February 13 - The Challenges of International Finance in a Turbulent World

• Cohen, Benjamin J. The Future of Money. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
• Griffith-Jonesz, Stephanie. (2003) "International Financial Stability and Market Efficiency as a Global Public Good," in Inge Kaul , et.al., eds. Providing Global Public Goods. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 435-454.

February 20 - The Politics of International Trade

• Broad - Part III
• Drache, Daniel. (2000) "Trade Blocs:  The Beauty or the Beast in the Theory," in Richard Stubbs and Geoffrey Underhill, eds. Political Economy and the Changing Global Order, 2nd ed. New York:  Oxford University Press, pp. 184-197.
• "The Battle of Seattle--The Aftermath," Theme Section in Review of International Political Economy, 7(3):465-504.
• Mendoza, Ronald U. (2003) "The Multilateral Trade Regime: A Global Public Goods for All?," in Inge Kaul , et.al., eds. Providing Global Public Goods. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 455-484.

February 27 - Development Capital, Aid and Investment

• Broad - Part IV
• Lai, Brian. (2003) "Examining the Goals of US Foreign Assistance in the Post-Cold War Period, 1991-96," Journal of Peace Research, 40(1):103-128.
• Bobrow, Davis B. and Mark A. Boyer (2004) Defensive Internationalism. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, Chapters 1, 4 and 5.
• Bird, Graham. (2001) "The International Monetary Fund and Developing Countries: A Review of the Evidence and Policy Options," in Paul F. Diehl, ed. The Politics of Global Governance. Boulder, CO: Lynne Reinner, pp. 277-312.
• Goodman, John B. and Louis W. Pauly. (2000) "The Obselescence of Capital Controls?", in Jeffry Freiden and David Lake, eds. International Political Economy, 4th ed. New York: Bedford St. Martin's, pp. 280-298.

March 6 - Spring Break

March 13 - Environment/Development Tension

• Roberts, J. Timmons and Bradley C. Parks. (2006) A Climate of Injustice. Cambridge: MIT Press.
• Castro, Rene and Sarah Cordero. (2003) "Global Trade afor Local Benefit: Financial Energy for All in Costa Rica," in Inge Kaul , et.al., eds. Providing Global Public Goods. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 516-532.
• Perrings, Carles and Madav Gadgil. (2003) "Conserving Biodiversity: Reconciling Local and Global Public Benefits," in Inge Kaul , et.al., eds. Providing Global Public Goods. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 532-556.

March 20 - Poverty and Inequality - Craig Murphy, Wellesley College, Quest speaker and discussion leader

• Prof. Murphy's talk title - "Does it Matter (especially to political scientists) How We Measure Global Income Inequalities?"
• Brainard, Lael. et.al. (2003) The Other War: Global Poverty and the Millenium Challenge Account. Washington, DC: Brookings.
• H&M Part V.

March 27 - In-class research paper workshop. Bring your research issues/problems/questions to class!

April 3 - Globalization Reconsidered

• Broad - Part V
• H&M Parts IV and VI

***First Drafts of Research Projects Due***

April 10, 17 and 24 - Paper Presentations

April 10 - Rob B., Malia, Rob G., Greg

April 17 - Chris A., Kevin, Chris B., Carly

April 24 - Nichole, Heather, Maria-Helena