LINKÖPING UNIVERSITY

Political Science, IEI 2016-10-26

733A42: The Politics and Economics of International Relations, 7,5 credits AND

733A57: Jämförande Politisk Ekonomi, 15hp

The course is given in two parts, where the first part is conducted jointly for the two courses (the two masters programs) and the second part is given only for the Swedish course (733A57). The teaching will be in English for the first part and in Swedish for the second part.

Part 1

Part one gives an introduction to the global political economy and globalization. It will cover topics such as international trade, the global financial system and global environmental change. The perspective is empirical: we want to know what the major issues are and what the drivers for change are. We want to know about the politics of these issues, how politics and economics have an impact on each other.

The first week is devoted to an in-depth study of a chosen topic. There will be four alternative readings, where it is mandatory to pick one and possible to participate in more than one theme. The reading list shows the four books to choose from:

-  Development policy (Williams)

-  Globalization (Glenn)

-  Impact on developing countries (Rudra)

-  The politics of the international economy (Walter & Sen)

The following weeks are devoted to the main book (O’Brien & Williams) and additional articles. There will be a set of lectures and three mandatory seminars with mixed groups (student from both masters programs). Students are expected to be well prepared to discuss the questions below and to bring a case (an example) to the discussion.

It is mandatory to write a short paper (2.000-2.500 words), to defend it and to act as a discussant for another paper at the concluding seminar.

Part 2

The second part (in Swedish) adds a European focus. We will have one seminar per week, where we discuss the following topics and readings:

-  The impact of globalization (Pierre)

-  The models of capitalism in Europe (Schmidt)

-  What political parties want to do and what they can do (Merkel et al)

It is mandatory to attend all three seminars and to write a short essay on each book in advance (approx. 1.000 words). This must be handed in before the beginning of each seminar.

The course ends with the writing of a paper (6.000-8.000 words) on a topic related to the course. The paper must make use of at least one item from the readings list and at least one additional source. It is mandatory to defend the paper and to act as a discussant for another paper at the concluding seminar.

Teaching

See TimeEdit.

Lectures will be given by Lars Niklasson, who is also the examiner for the course.

, 013-282541

Grading

The course requirements are listed above. In part one it is mandatory to attend three seminars on the literature and to write a short paper and participate in the seminar on these papers. The grading will be based mainly on the short paper.

In the second part, the additional requirements are to participate at the seminars, write an essay in advance for each of them and to write a final paper and to participate in the final seminar. The grading will mainly be based on the final paper, taking the rest of the requirements into consideration.

Questions for seminar 1 (choose one book/seminar)

Questions on Williams, David 2012: International development and global politics. History, theory and practice, Routledge

1.  Explain what ”the sovereign order” was. Comment on power, economy and norms.

2.  What theories influenced development policy during the sovereign order?

3.  Give some examples of strategies pursued by development organizations.

4.  Give some examples of development projects that were funded during the sovereign order.

5.  How can we explain the shift from the sovereign order to ”the liberal order”?

6.  What theories influenced development policy during the liberal order?

7.  Give some examples of strategies pursued by the development community.

8.  Give some examples of development projects that were funded during the liberal order.

9.  Is it reasonable to say that development policy is shaped by the international order?

Questions on Glenn, John 2007: Globalization. North-South perspectives, Routledge

1.  What are the causes of globalization? Why does Glenn separate them into underlying and proximate causes, plus facilitating factors?

2.  Who are more right, the globalists, the sceptics or the transformationalists? Why?

3.  What patterns can be seen in trade? What more than globalization?

4.  What is the evidence for the success of the developmental state?

5.  Is there evidence of a ”race to the bottom” in developed countries?

6.  What is the effect of globalization on poverty in the world?

7.  How can/should global governance be reformed?

8.  Is the WTO important for developing countries? How? Can it be improved?

Questions on Rudra, Nita 2008: Globalization and the race to the bottom in developing countries. Who really gets hurt?, Cambridge

1.  How can domestic institutions determine the effects of globalization?

2.  What seems to be the trouble with labor-rich developing countries?

3.  Which kinds of policies seem to be the easiest way to help the poor, education, health or social security? Why?

4.  What are ”productive” and ”protective” welfare states?

5.  Who gets hurt in India (a protective welfare state)? Why?

6.  Who gets hurt in South Korea (a productive welfare state)? Why?

7.  Who gets hurt in Brazil (a dual welfare state)? Why?

8.  Are developing countries becoming more similar (converging) because of globalization?

Questions on Walter, Andrew & Sen, Gautam 2009: Analyzing the global political economy, Princeton

1.  How does/should political economy differ from Economics?

2.  Why did multilateral trading arrangements develop after WWII?

3.  Why do governments pursue protectionist policies?

4.  How can the rise and fall of the Bretton Woods system be explained?

5.  Will financial openness lead to convergence on neoliberal policies?

6.  How can we explain the growth of FDI?

7.  Why is FDI less regulated than trade?

8.  How can the case of Canada help us understand globalization?

Seminar 2: O’Brien & Williams chapters 1-5, part of 13

1.  What are the three dominant theoretical perspectives? How do they differ? What are these theories used for?

2.  How do political scientists explain change of policies? What are the three major causal factors? How are they used to explain change?

3.  What role can ideas play in explanations? (chapter 13)

4.  Give some examples of explanations as to why Europe came to dominate over other parts of the world. What is the explanation for this?

5.  Give some examples of the problems caused by the Industrial Revolution! How were they handled?

6.  What was decided at Bretton Woods in 1944? What was new about this order? How was it possible to agree? When did this order break down? Why?

Seminar 3: O’Brien & Williams chapters 11-12, 6-7

1.  Why did policies for economic development change around 1980?

2.  Which developmental policies have been successful? Why?

3.  How may the market be used to correct environmental problems? Will it work?

4.  Who will benefit from the new logic of production, in the short run and the long run?

5.  Under what conditions will free trade bring benefits to developing countries?

Seminar 4: O’Brien & Williams chapters 8-10, 13-15

1.  In what ways are markets and governments responsible for the financial crisis 1997?

2.  Will jobs in the future be more or less satisfying for the individual? Why?

3.  When is it relevant to compare the situation for women and men? Why?

4.  How is useful knowledge for firms produced? (think beyond the book)

5.  What explains security policies, from a political economy perspective?

6.  Would it be good or bad to introduce global democracy through the UN?