EDS379

Global Political Economy

Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Autumn 2017

Course Convenor: Dr Paul Belesky, paul.r.belesky@nmbu.no

Introduction

The module is a graduate level elective course to International Relations (IR) theory. The Global Political
Economy (GPE, also called international political economy) considers the dynamic interplay between
politics and economics at a global scale and the relations of power that underpin the processes of
production, distribution and consumption. It examines the complex interactions between economic and
political phenomena across state borders and the interrelationships between states and non-state
actors, markets and institutions in the global system, as well as the role of civil society actors and social
movements. Pivotal issues in the contemporary global economy, such as trade, foreign direct
investment, international finance and debt, globalisation and regionalisation, the role of transnational
corporations, labour and migration, the financialisation and integration of food, feed and (bio)fuel
markets, will be discussed as part of a historically contextualised exploration of power and global
inequality.

Students will be introduced to the main theoretical approaches of GPE and will have opportunities to
engage with key thinkers, central debates and controversies in the literature. Students will develop their
critical analysis skills by reflecting on questions such as: What is the relationship between politics and
economics and how should we understand the interaction between states, non-state actors and global
markets? What structures and uneven relations of power underpin production, distribution and
consumption of resources in global markets? Who benefits? Who gets what, why and how? What are
the gendered dimensions to power and inequality in the global economy? How is the global political
economy changing? Students will have an opportunity to engage with a wide-range of interdisciplinary
literature with an emphasis on conceptual, analytical and empirical texts.

Aims and objectives

In this course, the goal is that students should have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge and skills:

The student is familiar with and able to distinguish key concepts and theories of Global Political
Economy (liberal, economic nationalist and critical perspectives)

The student has acquired knowledge about the political dynamics of the global economy and can
give an overview of key actors, institutions and processes of accumulation and distribution of
wealth and resources

The student has experience with applying key theories in analysing case studies/empirical
evidence

The student has developed independent critical thinking skills and conceptual tools to analyse
complex global political and economic challenges.

Written and oral skills:

The student is able to formulate clear arguments that are supported with adequate evidence and
logic in written and oral expression.

Teaching and seminars

The module spans the autumn parallel. It includes 12 lectures (2 hour) and 11 student driven seminars
(1 hour).
Student seminar
Each seminar, assigned students will present the readings followed by class discussion. The students are
expected to collaborate on how to present the main argument(s) the readings.

Lecture and seminar times and locations

Wednesday lectures 10:15-12:00 are in room U203 (2 hours)

Thursday seminar (Group 1), 14:15-15:00 in room U225 (1 hour)

Thursday seminar (Group 2), 15:15-16:00 in room U225 (1 hour)

For more information please refer to TimeEdit system, NMBU.

Timetable and list of lectures and seminars

13.09 Lecture 1: Introduction: What is GPE and organisation of the course

20. 09 Lecture 2: Main theoretical approaches: Liberalism, mercantilism and economic nationalism
21. 09 Seminar 1: Main theoretical approaches: Liberalism, mercantilism and economic nationalism

27.09 Lecture 3: Is this the end of free trade? Trump, Brexit and the return of economic nationalism
28.09 Seminar 2: Is this the end of free trade? Trump, Brexit and the return of economic nationalism

04.10 Lecture 4: Main theoretical approaches: Critical approaches (Dr. Katharina Glaab)
05.10 Seminar 3: Main theoretical approaches: Critical approaches

11.10 Lecture 5: Main theoretical approaches: Feminist perspectives gender, inequality and power
(Dr. Kirsti Stuvy)
12.10 Seminar 4: Main theoretical approaches: Feminist perspectives gender, inequality and power

18.10 Lecture 6: The global financial system (post-1945): Bretton Woods Institutions, neoliberalism
and the Washington Consensus
19.10 Seminar 5: The global financial system (post-1945): Bretton Woods Institutions, neoliberalism
and the Washington Consensus

23.10 16:00 DEADLINE: Mid-term Individual essay due

25.10 Lecture 7: The GPE of the financial crisis: Casino capitalism, debt and austerity
26.10 Seminar 6: The GPE of the financial crisis: Casino capitalism, debt and austerity

01.11 Lecture 8: The GPE of trade: from GATTS to the WTO, the evolution of the global trade regime
02.11 Seminar 9: The GPE of trade: from GATTS to the WTO, the evolution of the global trade regime

08.11 Lecture 9: The GPE of production: TNCs, global value chains and labour regulation
09.11 Seminar 8: The GPE of production: TNCs, global value chains and labour regulation

15.11 Lecture 10: Transitions in the GPE: China and emerging powers shifting power relations?
16.11 Seminar 9: Transitions in the GPE: China and emerging powers shifting power relations?

22.11 Lecture 11: The GPE of food and the environment: the food, feed and (bio)fuel regime
23.11 Seminar 10: The GPE of food and the environment: the food, feed and (bio)fuel regime

27.11 16:00 DEADLINE: End of term individual essay due
29.11 Lecture 12: The GPE of Migration
30.11 Seminar 11: 11 GPE of Migration

Evaluation

The evaluation consists of three parts, which must all be passed in order to get credit for the course. The
seminar presentation must be passed, but will not be graded. The two written assignments are graded
on an A-F scale:

1) Seminar presentation (mandatory),

2) Mid-term: individual research essay (40%), and
3) End of term: individual research essay (60%).

1. Seminar presentation

At the first lecture, students will be assigned to a seminar. At the first seminar, students will be assigned
a group presentation of a topic based on the weekly readings. The groups will depend on student
numbers. The students are expected to work as a group and agree on how to present the readings in
class. The students should identify and present the main argument of the reading(s).

2. Mid-term Individual essay

The individual essay (maximum 3000 words) counts for 40 percent of the final grade.

Due Date: 23.10 at 16:00 (submit on canvas)

Students will be presented with three topics, and must choose one. The topics will be based on readings
and lecture discussions. The research paper is your main assignment for this module. Further details will
follow.

Essay topics to be announced on Canvas, 20.09

Purpose: The purpose of this assignment for students to gain a deeper understanding of the core ideas
of and differences between the main theories/approaches to GPE. Students should consult readings
outside the essential readings (from the suggested further readings or elsewhere). Students are
encouraged to reason with reference to empirical evidence(s)/practice(s). The assignment is designed to
enable students to develop independent critical thinking skills and conceptual tools to analyse complex global
political and economic challenges. Students will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge about the
political dynamics of the global economy and a deeper understanding of key actors, institutions and
processes in the GPE.

3. End of term Individual essay

An individual essay (maximum 5000 words) will count 60 percent of the final grade.

Deadline 27.11 at 16:00 (submit on canvas)

Students will be presented with three topics, and must choose one. The topics will be based on readings
and lecture discussions. The research paper is your main assignment for this module. Further details will
follow.

Essay topics to be announced on Canvas, 25.10

Purpose: The purpose of this assignment for students to gain a deeper understanding of the core ideas
of and differences between the main theories/approaches to GPE. Students should consult readings
outside the essential readings (from the suggested further readings or elsewhere). Students are
encouraged to reason with reference to empirical evidence(s)/practice(s). The assignment is designed to
enable students to develop independent critical thinking skills and conceptual tools to analyse complex global
political and economic challenges. Students will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge about the
political dynamics of the global economy and a deeper understanding of key actors, institutions and
processes in the GPE.

Expectations

Regular attendance will most likely correlate with your success in this course. Learning in this course is
highly dependent on class discussions and activities, and the exam questions may be related to
discussions in class, as much as to set readings. Thus, you are advised to complete the assigned readings
prior to the class session for which they are scheduled. Your active, informed and civil participation in
discussion and class activities is expected.

All papers will be scanned for plagiarism including against the exam papers of current and past
students of the course. Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty in their
work. Forgery, cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses and students found guilty of any form of
academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action.

Late Work

Work that is not handed in at the time it is due will not be graded, and will thus lead to an automatic
fail. The only exception is if you 1) have an excused absence 2) have discussed the situation with the
lecturer prior to the assignments due date or 3) have gotten a written verification that a late hand-in
will be accepted.

Course readings and supporting material:

(1) Introduction: What is GPE & organisation of the course

Wednesday 10:15-12:00, Room U203a

Recommended readings:
Ravenhill, J. (2017). The study of global political economy in J. Ravenhill (ed) Global political
economy (5th edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press (p3-24)

Phillips, Nicola. (2017). Power and inequality in the global political economy. International
Affairs 93 (2): 429-444. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iix019

Further readings/standard text books on GPE/IPE:

Balaam, D. N., & Dillman, B. (2015). Introduction to international political economy. Routledge.

Broome, A. (2014). Issues and actors in the global political economy. New York: Palgrave
McMillan

Cohn, T. (2015). Global political economy. Routledge.

Gilpin, R. (2016). The political economy of international relations. Princeton University Press.

Oatley, T. (2015). International political economy. Routledge.

(2) Main theoretical approaches: Liberalism, mercantilism (economic nationalism)

Wednesday 10:15-12:00, Room U203a

Essential readings:

OBrien, R and M. Williams. (2016). Global political economy: evolution and

dynamics (5th edition). London: Palgrave Macmillan. Ch 1 Theories of global political
economy (p5-21).

Watson, M. (2017). The nineteenth-century roots and theoretical traditions in global political
economy in J. Ravenhill (ed): Global political economy, (5th edition). Oxford: Oxford
University Press. (p26-52)
 Brohman, J. 1995. Economism and critical silences in development studies: a theoretical critique
of neoliberalism. Third World Quarterly Vol.16, Issue 2, pp. 297310.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01436599550036149

Further readings:
Aggarwal, V. & C. Dupont (2017). Cooperation and conflict in global political economy in J.
Ravenhill (ed): Global political economy (5th edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press
(p52-76)

Cohn, T. (2016). Global political economy: Routledge. Ch 3 Neomercantilism & Ch 4 The liberal
perspective (p 46)

Wade, R (2003): What strategies are viable for developing countries today? The World Trade
Organization and the shrinking of development space Review of International Political
Economy, Vol. 10, No. 4: 621-644 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09692290310001601902

(3) Is this the end of free trade? Trump, Brexit and the return of economic nationalism

Wednesday 10:15-12:00, Room U203a

Essential readings:
Morgan, J. and Patomki, H. (2017). Introduction: Special Forum on Brexit, Part 2,
Globalizations, Vol. 14, No. 6, pp. 793-802. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2017.1347999

Hopkin, J. (2017). When Polanyi met Farage: Market fundamentalism, economic

nationalism, and Britains exit from the European Union. The British Journal of Politics
and International Relations. Vol. 19, Issue 3, pp. 465-478.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1369148117710894

Peters, M. and Chiang, T. (2017). America closed, China open, Educational Philosophy and
Theory, 49:9, 843-847. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00131857.2017.1288347

Further readings:

Trommer, S. (2017). Post-Brexit trade policy autonomy as pyrrhic victory: Being a middle power
in a contested trade regime, Globalizations, Vol. 14, No.6, pp. 810-819.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2017.1330986

Irwin, D. (1998). Against the Tide: An Intellectual History of Free Trade. Princeton University
Press.
Chang, H. (2008). Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism.
New York: Bloomsbury Press. Galbraith, JK (2017).
 Grexit, Brexit, Fixit ... The Dynamics of Division in the Age of Trump. Global Policy, 8: 381-388.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1758-5899.12463/epdf

Ghosh, J. (2017). Trumponomics and the developing world. Real-world economics review , no.
79. http://www.paecon.net/PAEReview/issue79/Ghosh79.pdf

Munck, R. (2010): Globalization, Crisis and Social Transformation: A View from the South.
Globalizations 7: 1-2, 235-246.
http://ccs.ukzn.ac.za/files/Globalisation,%20crisis%20and%20social%20transformation.pdf
Hopewell, K. and M. Margulis. (2016). Why UK could be doomed to years without proper access
to world trade, The Conversation (29 June). Available at: http://theconversation.com/why-uk-
could-be-doomed-to-years-without-proper-access-to-world-trade-61782

Switzer, T. and D. Hannan. (2017).Life after Brexit: Global Britain, free trade and the new
protectionism. Policy: A Journal of Public Policy and Ideas, Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 26-32.
Availability: http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=673710786008334;res=IELHSS
Bryan, B. (2017). Trump's considering a tariff that could put the economy on a path to 'global
recession'. Business Insider Nordic (30 June). Available at:
http://nordic.businessinsider.com/trump-steel-tariff-china-germany-japan-global-recession-2017-
6?r=US&IR=T

Donnan, S. (2017). Trump to prioritise cutting USs NAFTA trade deficits Financial Times (17 J
uly). Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/6623c78c-6b41-11e7-bfeb-33fe0c5b7eaa

(4) Main theoretical approaches: Critical approaches to GPE (Dr. Katharina Glaab)

Wednesday 10:15-12:00, Room U203a

Essential readings:

Cox, R. (1983): Gramsci, hegemony and international relations: An essay in method.

Millennium: Journal of International Studies, Vol 12, Issue 2, pp. 162-175.
https://doi.org/10.1177/03058298830120020701

Shields, S., I. Bruff and H. Macartney. (2015) Critical international political economy and the
importance of dissensus. Millennium - Journal of International Studies, Vol.43, Issue 2,
pp.735-737. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305829814557062

Jessop, B and N. Sum. (2006). Towards a cultural international political economy: post-
structuralism and the Italian School in M. de Goede, ed., International Political Economy
and Post-Structural Politics, Basingstoke: Palgrave, 157-76. Available online at:
https://bobjessop.org/2014/01/10/towards-a-cultural-international-political-economy-post-structuralism-
and-the-italian-school/

Further readings:

Best, J. and Paterson, M. (2015). Towards a cultural political Economy not a cultural IPE.
Millennium - Journal of International Studies, Vol.43, Issue 2, pp. 738-740.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0305829814557063

Selwyn, B. (2015). Twenty-first-century international political economy: a class-relational

perspective. European Journal of International Relations, Vol 21, Issue 3, pp. 513 537.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1354066114556659

Sum, N. and B. Jessop. 2013. Towards a cultural political economy: putting culture in its place in
political economy. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar

(5) Main theoretical approaches: Feminist perspectives gender, inequality and power (Dr.
Kirsti Stuvy)

Wednesday 10:15-12:00, Room U203a

Essential readings:
Fraser, N. 2009. Feminism, Capitalism and the Cunning of History. New Left Review, no.56: 97-
117 https://www.newschool.edu/uploadedFiles/Faculty/NSSR/Fraser_NLR.pdf?n=4644

Steans, J. 1999. The private is global: Feminist politics and global political economy, New Political
Economy, 4:1, 113-128. Available on EDS379 Canvas site.

Enloe, C. 2011. The Mundane Matters. International Political Sociology, 5: 447450. Available on
EDS379 Canvas site.

Additional Readings:

Frazer, N. 2013. Struggle over Needs: Outline of a Socialist-Feminist Critical Theory of Late-
Capitalist Political Culture. In Fortunes of Feminism: From State-Managed Capitalism to
Neoliberal Crisis. London: Verso. pp 53-82. Available on EDS379 Canvas site.

Griffin, P. 2010. Gender, governance and the global political economy, Australian Journal of
International Affairs, 64:1, 86-104. Available on EDS379 Canvas site.

Peterson, S.V. 2005. How (the meaning of) gender matters in political economy, New Political
Economy, 10:4, 499-521. Available on EDS379 Canvas site.
 Sassen, S. 1996. Toward a Feminist Analytics of the Global Economy, Indiana Journal of Global
Legal Studies. 4:1, Available at: http://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/ijgls/vol4/iss1/2

Elias, J. and S.J. Gunawardana. 2013. The Global Political Economy of the Household in Asia: An
Introduction. In J. Elias et al. (eds.). 2013. The Global Political Economy of the Household
in Asia. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Available on EDS379 Canvas site.

Waylen, G. 1997. Gender, feminism and political economy, New Political Economy, 2:2, 205-220.
Available on EDS379 Canvas site.

Bakker, I. 2007. Social Reproduction and the Constitution of a Gendered Political Economy, New
Political Economy, 12:4, 541-556. Available on EDS379 Canvas site.

(6) Readings for weeks 6-12 will be uploaded shortly