International relations

Introduction to International Political Economy

Module code: L2024
Level 5
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Lecture
Assessment modes: Essay

Why are some countries poor and others rich? What are the origins of global environmental problems? Has free trade ever been free?

In this module, we explore the global history of capitalism, from the enclosure of the commons and the colonisation of the Americas to the rise of the welfare state and the neoliberal (counter)revolution. By foregrounding questions of race, class, gender, and empire, we examine the hierarchies and power relations that sustain the global economy.

You will be introduced to a variety of theoretical perspectives, including:

• classical political economy
• Marxism
• postcolonial approaches
• feminism
• the black radical tradition
• green theories.

 

Module learning outcomes

• Knowledge of the key themes and problems involved in the study of international political economy
• An overview of key events in the rise of the international political economy up to World War II
• Familiarity with the principal IPE theoretical traditions