Department of Economics & International Development, Unit Catalogue 2008/09 |
EC50143 Globalisation 2: political economy of globalisation |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Masters |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: ES 100% |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: This unit equips students with an historical and analytical understanding of economic issues and international institutions in the context of globalisation.
Students will be exposed to diverse views in a variety of books and articles and will be encouraged to take a questioning approach to concepts and to the use of evidence. The theoretical debate on the concept of globalisation will be introduced and analysed from a historical and political economy perspective.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit, students should be able to develop a comprehensive understanding and critical awareness of both academic and more popular arguments on: 1. The ideological and historical origins of economic theories in the context of globalisation debate. 2. The role of trade, foreign direct investment and multilateral corporations, regional integration and global finance in the process of globalisation. 3. The impacts of globalisation on the ability of the nation state to produce independent domestic policies. 4. The scope for national economic policies within the globalised economy. Skills: Comprehensive and scholarly written communication (e.g. essays); Ability to select, analyse and present numerical data; Ability to select, summarise and synthesis written information from multiple sources; Ability to develop rigorous arguments through precise use of concepts and models; Ability to synthesise multidisciplinary perspectives on the same problem; Ability to select and use appropriate ideas to produce a coherent response to a pre-set question; Ability to formulate a research question, then develop and present an original & coherent answer; Ability to produce work to agreed specifications and deadlines; Ability to work independently, without close supervision of guidance. Content: Lecture 1: Methodology and an overview of the world economy. Lecture 2: A brief historical perspective. Lecture 3: Foreign Trade. Lecture 4: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Multinational Companies (MNCs). Lecture 5: Global finance. Lecture 6: Regional Integration. Lecture 7: Role of the World Bank, IMF and WTO. Lecture 8: Privatisation. Lecture 9: Globalisation and the state. Lecture 10: Debt crisis and aid. Lecture 11: National variations in policy stance. |