INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
   

I .  COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES 

Throughout this century politics and economics have been taught as independent disciplines with each having its own separate methodological and substantive issues.  But the interconnectedness of the two is once again becoming increasingly apparent as leading economic powers are reverting to political means to maintain their economic edge.  After eight decades of divorce, since Alfred Marshall succeeded in persuading the University of Cambridge in 1903 to establish economics as a discipline separate from the study of politics, a significant number of scholars and academicians are advocating the need for reuniting the study of politics and economics into a unified discipline of political economy.  Indeed, many departments the world over are offering courses in political economy at the level of both undergraduate and postgraduate.

But regardless of whether the field of political economy is distant to become a discipline, or continues as a field of study taught at departments of politics and economics, the growing importance of the subject cannot be exaggerated.  It is exceedingly difficult for anyone today to understand domestic or international politics without a basic knowledge of economic concepts and behavior.  At a time when scholars and political leaders attribute widening disparity between developed and developing countries to inequitable terms of trade, or to orchestrated “attacks” on national currencies, one cannot gain deep insight into international politics without exposure to the study of political economy.

This course purports to achieve two objectives: (1) To introduce the student to the basic concepts and main parameters of International Political Economy; and (2) To explore the flaws in the practical application of international trade and international finance and define patterns of exploitations and misuse of political and economic powers for pursuing self-serving goals.

II. COURSE READING
Assigned reading for the course will be drawn from a textbook, as well as any material I may assign during the course.
The textbook adopted for this course is:
Thomas D. Lairson and David Skidmore, International Political Economy: Power and Wealth, 2nd ed. (Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1997)

The Book is available at the University library.

III. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Students should study assigned readings prior to coming to class, and be prepared to discuss assigned material for scheduled topics.  While class discussion will focus on some salient aspects of the assigned reading, students are responsible for the entire readings assigned.
2. Each student must participate in two case studies.  Students are expected to prepare ten-page, double-spaced and typewritten reports.  The reports should be analytical and draw on published material in scholarly books, journals, newspapers, magazines, and possibly the internet.

IV. CASE STUDIES
Case 1 : Privatization in Malaysia: Rationale, strategies, and outcomes
Case 2 : Globalization and its consequences on developing countries: Economic, political, and cultural
Case 3 : Capital Control: Justifications and impacts.
Case 4 : Effectiveness of ASEAN as an economic block: confronting the economic crisis.
Case 5 : Has IMF been able to manage economic crises.
Details on the structure of presentations and reports will be given subsequently.
 

V. COURSE GRADING
1. Quizzes and in class assignments (15%)
2. Participation in case studies discussions (5%)
3. Two written reports (20%)
4. Mid-term examination (20%)
5. Final comprehensive examination (40%)

VI. SCHEDULE OF CLASSES AND ASSIGNED READINGS 
(Tentative)
General Introduction (9/2/99)

Part I  Perspectives on International Political Economy  (Week 1-2)
Part II Economic Concepts    (Week 2-3)
Part III  IPE Structures: Production, Finance, Security,  (Week 4-5)
 and Knowledge 
Part IV  State-Market Tensions Today    (Week 6-7)
Part V  IPE North and South     (Week 8-9)
Part VI Global Problems      (Week 10-12)

Conclusion (4/5/99)
Group Presentations (Week 13-14)