Postgraduate Module Descriptor

POLM105: The Politics of Global Capitalism

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Overview

NQF Level	7
Credits	30	ECTS Value	15
Term(s) and duration	This module ran during term 2 (11 weeks)
Academic staff	Dr Bice Maiguashca (Convenor)
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
Available via distance learning	No

This module will offer you an advanced, masters-level introduction to the cross-disciplinary, intellectual field of International Political Economy (IPE). The examination of the international political economy is important for how it sheds light on the complexity of capitalism, including its structures, processes, and outcomes. The module is organised for you around a set of prominent debates in three areas: (1) conceptual frameworks; (2) the post-war history of governing the world economy; and (3) contemporary crises afflicting the capitalist order, including an examination of the global financial crisis, new politics of trade, the political economy of the environment, and consideration of alternatives to our current predicament. You will be asked to think critically about how the politics of the world economy is conceived and governed, in particular through evaluating issues of power and equity. There are two main questions addressed throughout the module: (1) why and how does the international political economy take its current form?; and (2) how does the international political economy impact on particular actors, including governments; firms and other producers; civil society groups and other people?

Previous background knowledge in international relations, classical political economy, international economics, and history is helpful but not a requirement.

Module created	01/12/2012	Last revised	24/07/2017