Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

1.       To provide students with an advanced understanding of the origins, development, and problematics of the contemporary field of international political economy.
2.       To provide learning and teaching environments that enable students to reflect upon their individual study and discuss their ideas and questions in a group context.
3.       To introduce the field of IPE, its key theories and theorists.
4.       To assess critically the contributions made by a range of theorists to the development of IPE.
5.       To explore and discuss the key debates that have characterised contemporary IPE.

This is a compulsory course for students in the MA in International Political Economy course and an optional model for other MA students in Politics. It provides a broad overview of some of the crucial debates in the field of International Political Economy through readings of the work of some of the most prominent leading figures in the field and of some of the most important social, political, and political economic thinkers who have inspired these debates.

Outline Of Syllabus

Topics covered are likely to vary from year to year, depending on events. The following outline should indicate a framework for these topics.

Introduction to political economy.
The neo-neo debates: power and hegemony in IPE
Institutionalism and constructivism in IPE.
Dependency and world-systems theory.
Susan Strange and structural power.
Neoliberalism and new constitutionalism: Hayek, Buchanan and their critics.
Karl Polanyi and the critique of market societies.
Antonio Gramsci and 'neogramscian' IPE.
Historical materialism: contemporary Marxist critique.
Gender and feminist critique.
New directions in IPE: poststructuralism and beyond.
Financialisation and austerity
Global inequalities
Social reproduction
Global production chains
Climate change and IPE
Race, colonialism, and anti-colonialism

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

On completion of the module, students will be able to:
1.       Conceptually identify and explain the dynamics of the global political economy with reference to key texts.
2.       Critically discuss the contributions of a range of IPE theorists, both individually and in groups.
3.       Describe and analyse the development of contemporary IPE discourse.

Intended Skill Outcomes

On completion of the module, students will be able to:
1.       Communicate, in written and oral formats, their advanced knowledge of the key theorists, theories, and debates characterising IPE.
2.       Plan, organise, and structure critical responses to questions surrounding the debates in contemporary IPE, through individual and group tasks.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Rationale and relationship to learning outcomes: The 2-hour weekly seminar will involve a combination of a presentation by the module leader and discussion based around presentations by students. The themes of the seminars will relate to the theoretical, methodological and substantive issues outlined in the module aims. The seminar-based teaching and learning methods will enable students to develop employment-related skills such as interpersonal communication, oral presentation, teamwork, planning and organising, information literacy and problem solving.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

In writing their research paper, students will be expected to show an ability to collate and evaluate theoretical and empirical material. A chronological or descriptive narrative will not be deemed sufficient to pass this module.

General Notes

N/A