International Political Economy (IPE) refers to “the study of the interplay of economics and politics in the world arena” (Frieden/Lake 2000). Many studies focus on cross-border interactions in the areas of economics, politics and society. Market interactions, such as trade or the distribution of the means of production, are often at the center of the analysis. However, IPE is closely linked to the broader field of International Relations – and does not ignore the role of power.
In this class we first turn to IPE’s theoretical foundations; then we apply them to different issue areas. The theoretical part focuses on the contemporary mainstream literature, but includes earlier approaches as well as critical perspectives. In the end, students will have an idea of how the discipline evolved and what the main theoretical arguments are. In the issue-specific part of the class we address typical issues and themes such as trade and production. Particular emphasis is put on recent trends in IPE.
The weekly readings incorporate textbooks, classics, and the current research literature. I expect that all students read the material (which will be uploaded to Moodle) and actively participate in class.