PSIR305 INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
| Course Code: | 3540305 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 3 (3.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 6.0 |
| Department: | Political Science and International Relations |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Undergraduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Assoc.Prof.Dr. HANDE SÖZER |
| Offered Semester: | Fall Semesters. |
Course Objectives
This course examines the politics of international economic relations. Government decision-making in areas such as trade policy, exchange rates, and financial flows is influenced not only by economic factors but also by political processes within and among countries. Only by systematically analyzing these political processes can we understand and explain the actual patterns of economic exchange that we observe—both today and throughout history. This course begins with a discussion of the analytical “lenses” through which we can view the global economy. It then examines the evolution of the global trade regime and the international monetary and financial system, economic globalization, and its impact on production, development, and the environment. Along the way, we will discuss some “hot-button” issues in the global economy such as the proper role of international financial institutions (including the IMF); and the impact of the global economy on the ability of governments to make policy within their own borders.
Course Content
This course is intended to provide an introduction to the different methodological approaches in the field of international political economy and to the basic concepts and issues in international politics and economics. It will also undertake a comparative analysis of alternative strategies of capitalist development and/or modes of integration into the world economy with special reference to Latin America , South and east Asia, Africa and the newly emerging market economies of the former centrally-planned economies.
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, all students will have developed knowledge and understanding of:
• Theoretical Perspectives in International Political Economy
• The Evolution of the Global Trade Regime
• The Evolution of the International Monetary and Financial System
• The Political Economy of Financial Crises
• Sovereign Debt
• Tax and Welfare
• Economic Globalization
• Globalization’s Impact on States
• The Globalization of Production
• Growth, Inequality and Poverty
• Globalization and Development
• Globalization and the Environment
On successful completion of this course, all students will have developed their skills in:
• Recognizing how different IPE approaches are applied in world politics
• Thinking theoretically
• Applying appropriate levels of analysis
On successful completion of this course, all students will have developed their appreciation of and respect for values and attitudes regarding the issues of:
• Appreciate the complexity of international political economy approaches and variance in interpretation
• Application of case study methodology to international phenomena
Program Outcomes Matrix
| Level of Contribution | |||||
| # | Program Outcomes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | Having academic knowledge in Political Science and International relations disciplines | ✔ | |||
| 2 | Developing an interdisciplinary perspective incorporating other areas of the social sciences as well | ✔ | |||
| 3 | Being capable of evaluating political, economic and social matters at local, national and international levels | ✔ | |||
| 4 | Being capable of making sense of, follow and analyze political, economic and social events | ✔ | |||
| 5 | Being sensitive to global, environmental and social problems | ✔ | |||
| 6 | Developing a critical mind capable of making constructive criticisms, open to lifelong learning, researching, inquiring, questioning and problems solving | ✔ | |||
| 7 | Being capable of individual work, entrepreneur, good time management and able to actively take part in group work for common purposes | ✔ | |||
| 8 | Having effective communication skills in Turkish and English languages | ✔ | |||
| 9 | Being capable of using communication technologies in reaching to information and organizing and presenting this information in a systematic way | ✔ | |||
0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution