International Political Economy

This course serves as an introduction to the politics of international economic relations.  We examine the history, structures, and institutions of the international political economy and the theories that seek to explain them.  The first half of the course is devoted to theoretical approaches and the political economy of trade and international monetary and financial affairs, including recent financial crises.  The second half focuses on the political economy of international monetary and financial affairs and the consequences of globalization.  Students need not have an extensive background in international economics to complete this course satisfactorily, but those not familiar with basic economic principles will find several sections of the class very challenging.