Global Economy

In a period of growing and uneven globalization, it is essential to understand the role of States, international organizations, and other key stakeholders working to enhance global economic growth and reduce economic and social disparities. The course on International Political Economy, within the area of Global Economy from the Grade on Global Studies, will help students to contextualize theoretical discussions and place current events in historical, economic, political and social context. These are basic elements to allow students to identify and analyze current global challenges, to understand how the global economy works, and to explore the ways in which globalization affects our lives.

Public sector, private sector, research, international cooperation, consulting, academia, and public policy development and analysis, among others.

Part I: Politics and Economics

1. Introduction to International Political Economy

2. Basic Concepts for International Political Economy

3. Globalization and Governance

4. The Political Basis of a Global Economy

Part II: Contemporary Globalization

5. Global Production and Exchange

6. The Political Economy of Global Finance

7. States and the Dynamics of Global Economic Competition

8. Power, Wealth, and Interdependence

Part III: Global Challenges in the 21st Century

9. Global Disparities

10. Population, Hunger, Food, and Health

11. Environmental Challenges

12. Global Sustainability

The course on International Political Economy includes a combination of three different practical activities:

• Seminars: Students will analyze suggested texts and undertake writing activities every week. Students will have to present written essays with their own thoughts and conclusions through Studium, and participate in class discussion and debates.
• Readings: A set of books are recommended. Students have to read at least one of the books and write a short essay answering a set of questions provided by the teacher. A debate will be organized in class.
• Practical Simulation: A simulation of the decision-making process at the international level will be organized to allow students to get a first-hand experience of the complexities of political and economic negotiation.

BS1. Students must demonstrate to understand and manage specific knowledge for this area of study, based on general higher education. This knowledge is commonly based on advanced text books, but may also include some aspects belonging to the forefront of its area of study.

BS2. Students must demonstrate to know how to apply the acquired knowledge to their professional career or to their vocation in a professional way, and to have all required competencies that are usually demonstrated by building and defending arguments, and by solving problems within the area of study.

BS3. Students must show ability to gather and interpret relevant data, usually from their area of study, to make judgements based on a reflection on relevant topics from a social, scientific and ethical perspective.

BS4. Students must be able to transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to a specialized and non-specialized audience.

GS1. To apply the acquired knowledge to solve specific problems in new or unknown environments, within a wider (or multidisciplinary) contexts.

GS2. To know and apply several research methods in the area of social sciences with the purpose of analyzing problems linked to their area of expertise.

GS3. To develop organizational skills, task planning and project coordination, in order to foster teamwork.

GS4. To develop a set of skills to design and implement plans and problem-solving programs, from a global and multidisciplinary perspective.

SS2. To understand the historical dimension of political and social processes at the international level.

SS3. To understand the structure and functioning of the different international organizations and/or integration processes.

SS6. To evaluate and analyze the different guidelines of States’ foreign policy.

SS9. To know and understand the basic notions of Political Economy, and its financial and commercial dimensions.

SS10. To identify and describe poverty and inequality situations. Identify causal factors and analyze the evolution and achievements of different cases.

SS13. To identify and understand the different decision-making and problem-solving mechanisms within he international context.

SS20. To analyze and understand the political scenario from a global perspective, being able to differentiate among several sources of power legitimacy for stakeholders and institutions, and other basic State’s components and the institutional design of political systems.

Basic text book:

Lairson, Thomas D., and David Skidmore (2017). International Political Economy. The Struggle for Power and Wealth in a Globalizing World. Routledge.

Recommended readings:

Westover, Jonathan H. (2017). International Political Economy: Facing Global Challenges. Common Ground Publishing.

Badie, Bertrand (2018). New Perspectives on the International Order: No Longer Alone in this World. The Sciences Po Series in International Relations and Political Economy. Palgrave.

Rodrik, Dani (2017). Straight Talk on Trade: Ideas for a Sane World Economy. Princeton University Press.

Stiglitz, Joseph (2017). Globalization and its Discontents Revisited. Penguin.

Additional references:

Ravenhill, John (2016). Global Political Economy. 5^th edition. Oxford University Press.

C. Miller, Raymond (2018). International Political Ecnomy. Contrasting World Views. 2^nd edition. Routledge.

Students must demonstrate a sufficient level of the required general, basic and specific skills to pass the course.

The evaluation includes theory and practice, and it is structured in two different parts: continuous evaluation and a final exam. Continuous work and the final exam represent 50 % and 50 % of the final grade, respectively.

Continuous evaluation (50 % of the final grade):

Seminars (Weekly practical activities): 30 % of the final grade.

Reading: 10 % of the final grade.

Simulation: 10 % of the final grade.

Final exam (50% of the final grade):

The final exam includes theoretical and practical knowledge acquired over the course. It will be based on the concepts studied in the master classes and the weekly seminars.

Constant work during the different activities in which the continuous evaluations is divided. Active participation in theoretical master classes and seminars.

Constant work during the different activities in which the continuous evaluations is divided. Active participation in theoretical master classes and seminars.