Undergraduate Module Descriptor

POL2027: The Politics of the World Economy

This module descriptor refers to the 2020/1 academic year.

Module Aims

Based on literature from the cross-disciplinary field of International Political Economy (IPE), the module examines important structures, processes, and outcomes in the recent history of capitalism. In particular the module aims to:

(1) familiarize you with the conceptual frameworks designed to illuminate major empirical concerns;

(2) provide a foundational knowledge about the post-war history of governing the world economy, including attention to finance, trade, and development;

(3) engage in current debates about contemporary crises afflicting the capitalist order, including the global financial crisis, social inequalities and forms of resistance, the political economy of the environment, and alternatives to our current predicament.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. demonstrate detailed knowledge of debates within the study of International Political Economy, including relevant conceptual frameworks, the international institutional history of the world economy, and major contemporary problems in key issue areas;
2. demonstrate the ability to articulate one's own ethical and political positions on questions of the international political economy;
Discipline-Specific Skills3. critically analyse both empirical and theoretical material;
4. deploy theoretical arguments and apply them to empirical case studies;
Personal and Key Skills5. communicate effectively in speech and writing; and
6. work independently and with peers to achieve common goals.