Department
of Political Science, University of Ghana (Main and City Campuses)
School of Social Sciences
College of Humanities
POLI
445: Politics of International Economic Relations
Office:
Top of P. Science Library/Gen Office, Office Hrs: M/T/W 10-1 pm and by
appointment Class Time: Tue 7:30-9:20
Venue: JQB 09
Course
Description and Objectives
This course offers an
introduction to the political and economic relations among countries and
international organizations in the global system. Within the broader family of international
relations, international political economy (IPE), or politics of international
economic relations, is primarily concerned with the interactions between
political actors and economic forces in the global system. Scholars in the
field of international political economy have divided it into several parts,
including the international trade system, theories that explain economic
relations, globalization, multinational corporations, economic development, the
international monetary system, etc. The class is intended to help students
appreciate how each division (though they all tend to work in tandem in the
global economy), shapes global economic relations. The course also renders some investigative
frameworks: Why global north countries dominate trade politics? What explain/s
the marginal role played by global south countries in the international
economy? How have multinational corporations become central actors in the
global economy; What are the contents and discontents of globalization; How
regionalism could leapfrog the economies of the global south; what are the
roles of non-state actors in the global economy; and among others.
By the end of
the class, students will understand how political actors shape the global
economy; the theories that explain the role of both rich and poor countries in
the global economy; why Africa has less influence on the global economy; the
international institutions that shape the economic policies of global south
countries; why regionalism has not achieved the desired results in Africa; and
the controversies surrounding globalization. Each student must come to class
ready to discuss the assigned readings in a more coherent fashion. All the
assigned readings are meant
to be read and discussed.
Required Texts
Thomas
Oatley 2008, International Political Economy (3rd Edition):
Interests and Institutions in the Global Economy, Pearson Longman.
Bossman E. Asare, 2011. International Politics: The Beginner’s Guide,
Accra: Yamens Press
Robert Gilpin, 2000. The
Challenge of Global Capitalism: The World Economy in the 21st Century,
Princeton.
Recommended Texts
Richard Payne, 2007. Global Issues: Politics, Economics, and
Culture. New York: Pearson Longman.
John Ravenhill (Editor) 2005.
Global Political Economy. Oxford University Press.
Charles W. Kegley, Jr. 2009.
World Politics (12th Edition): Trend and Transformation, Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.
Joseph Stiglitz 2003.
Globalization and its Discontents. Norton, USA.
Martin Wolf 2001, Will the
Nation-State Survive Globalization? Foreign
Affairs
Joshua Golstein and Jon Pevehouse 2006. International Relations, Pearson Longman
Exams
Final
exams will consist of a combination of fill-in-the-blanks, short essays, and
long essay questions. The final is cumulative, with questions ranging from the
first day to the last day of class. The Interim Assessment will involve fill-in-the-blanks
and short essay questions. The IA will focus on certain areas.
Civility-Civility
in the classroom is expected of all students. Students who disrupt class to the
extent that other’s educational opportunities are diminished may be asked to
leave the classroom. Cell phones must be turned off at all times
in the classroom.
Communicating
with your Instructor Feel free to stop by and discuss
academic matters or concerns with me in the office. All emails sent to me
should include POLI 445 in
the subject line.
Class
Attendance and Participation
Attendance will be
monitored every class session, and students are expected to regularly and
relevantly contribute to class discussions by raising questions and making
salient comments. For the purpose of class participation, which is compulsory, students
are encouraged to bring clippings to class and initiate discussions on them or
simply discuss what they have heard or read in the news that relate to the
themes covered in the course. Some good sources of such material are the New
York Times online, Yahoo news, BBC, Reuters, Associated Press, Google News, The
Economist, and Al Jazeera. This will be an opportunity for students to make
oral contributions, in addition to the regular lectures and discussions. Notably,
be aware that students who attend class regularly tend to perform substantially
better than students who skip regularly.
Learning
Disability Students
Any student with an
officially recognized disability should make fitting arrangements with the
university, not the instructor.
Plagiarism
and Cheating
Plagiarism, which is
representing somebody’s work as your own, as well as cheating in all forms,
must be avoided. The consequences of these behaviors are not worth mentioning
in this class.
Course
Calendar
Week
1
Introduction to course and
explanation of key terms and key themes in Politics of International Economic
Relations, Oatley chapter 1 and Gilpin read introduction
Week
2
Theories of International
Political Economy, Oatley Chapter 1
Week
3
Intergovernmental Organizations
and the Global Political Economy-The World Trade Organization and the World
Trade System, The World Bank and European Regional Integration, Asare chapter 5, Oatley Chapter 2, Gilpin chapter 7
Week
4
Intergovernmental Organizations
and the Global Political Economy-The World Trade Organization and the World
Trade System, The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and European
Regional Integration, Asare chapter 5, Oatley
Chapter 2, Gilpin chapter 7
Week
5
The Global South in the Global
Political Economy,Asare chapter 7, Kegley chapter 5
Week
6
Import-Substitution
Industrialization, Oatley Chapter 6
Week
7
Multinational Corporations in the
Global Economy, Asare Chapter 8, Oatley Chapters 8 & 9, Gilpin
chapter 8
Week
8
Globalization, Asare chapter 9, Kegley
chapters 9 & 10, Payne chapters 1, 6, 10 &11, Gilpin chapter
10
Week
9
Globalization and Inequality, Ravenhill chapter 11, Asare Chapter
9, Kegley chapters 9 & 10,Payne chapters 1, 6, 10 &11,Gilpin chapter
10
Week
10
A
Society-Centered Approach to Trade Politics, Oatley Chapter 4
Week
11
A State-Centered Approach to
Trade Politics, Oatley Chapter 5
Week 12
Regional
Integration/Regionalism-African Regionalism and Asian Regionalism
Joshua
Golstein and Jon Pevehouse chapter 10, Gilpin chapter 9,Asare, chapter 5,
Kegley chapters 6 and 14 John
Ravenhill chapter 5
Week 13
Class discussion on Africa in the
Global Political Economy and Revision
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