Dr. Jeffrey
Lewis Syllabus
MWF 12:15 – 1:20 p.m. MC 326
International Political Economy
This course has
two basic objectives. The first is to introduce the main theoretical
perspectives of International Political Economy (IPE), a subfield of
International Relations (IR). The second is to place these perspectives into
historical and comparative frameworks in order to explore the dynamics and
evolution of international trade and development.
Building on the
observation that political and economic interdependence has increased greatly
over the past fifty years, we will examine how
this has occurred with a focus on the structural changes in the international
economy and the consequences of this for national economies. Most importantly,
we will seek to diagnose the inherent tension and mutual interplay between an
international system organized politically into sovereign nation-states and
territorial boundaries but economically into a “borderless” world economy which
is eroding the differences among national economies and undermining the policy
autonomy of national governments.
Thus, a central
theme running through this course is an examination of the politics of the
“deeper” integration of national economies and the governance of a world
economy. Finally, we will conclude by considering whether and how governments –
developed and developing – can manage the dilemmas placed on national policies
and attempts at international cooperation in a rapidly changing and “turbulent”
external environment.
Readings
Required Text:
Gilpin,
Robert (2001) Global Political Economy:
Understanding the International Economic Order (Princeton, NJ: Princeton
University Press).
Luttwak,
Edward (1999/2000) Turbo Capitalism: Winners
and Losers in the Global Economy (Harper Perennial).
Vogel,
Steven (1996) Freer Markets, More Rules:
Regulatory Reform in Advanced Industrial Countries (Ithaca, NY: Cornell
University Press).
Palan,
Ronen (2003) The Offshore World:
Sovereign Markets, Virtual Places, and Noman Millionaires (Ithaca, NY:
Cornell University Press).
There are also a
small number of additional required readings marked below with an asterisk (*).
These readings are available in electronic format.
Highly Recommended:
An important
supplement to the weekly readings is to follow current developments and to
discuss these events in class as they arise. To facilitate this exchange of
ideas and discussion, students taking the class are strongly urged to read a
daily newspaper with good international coverage such as the Financial Times, the New York Times, or the Wall Street Journal.
For students who
have not had prior exposure to international economics and would like some
additional background, an excellent primer is Todd Buchholz’s (1999) New Ideas From Dead Economists: An
Introduction to Modern Economic Thought. Revised Edition (New York:
Penguin).
Office Hours and Contact
Information
1738 Rhodes Tower
Email: j.lewis07@csuohio.edu
Office phone: 216.687.4678
Monday, Wednesday 11:00-12:00
Or by appointment
Course Requirements
You are
responsible for all readings listed on the syllabus. Attendance is mandatory.
It is important to keep up with the weekly reading assignments since lectures
and class discussion will assume familiarity with them. I will periodically
call on people to answer questions, so coming to class prepared and ready to
discuss IPE will be a benefit to you.
There are 2
in-class exams and a cumulative final. The exam format will be a combination of
short answer and essay questions.
In addition,
each student will produce an original research paper, approximately 8-12 pages
in length, on a topic related to the themes of the course. See the attached
appendix which explains how to meet the course’s WAC requirements (in
particular, please note point 3). Additional information about the paper and
advice on selecting a topic will be provided in class.
Exam 1 20%
Exam 2 20%
Final Exam 35%
Research Paper 25%
Important Dates:
Exam 1 Feb. 27
Exam 2 Apr. 14
Final Exam May 5, 1:00-3:00
p.m.
Please check these dates
carefully. If you cannot
make any of these exam dates or paper deadlines, I recommend you do not take
this course. No early exams will be given under any circumstances. Make-up
exams will only be given in exceptional circumstances; in all cases, students
must have a valid excuse and written documentation (doctor’s note, etc.) AND I
should be notified PRIOR to the exam. Make-up exams will be given at my
convenience and any missed exam must be taken within ONE WEEK of the original
exam or a zero for that exam will be recorded. An essay format will be used for
all make-up exams.
Early/late
paper policy: Early papers are always welcome. I will read and provide feedback
on late proposals or rough drafts – but you will not earn any credit towards
your paper grade if you miss the deadline (deduct 5 points from your final
paper grade if you miss the proposal deadline and 10 points if you miss the
rough draft deadline). Late final
revised papers will be accepted, but late penalties apply; for each calendar
date late, deduct 15 points out of 100; if you consider this late
assessment severe, I agree, so please be sure to turn your papers in on time or
early. To be considered “on time,” papers are due in typed, hard copy form in class
the day of the deadline. No e-mail papers will be accepted.
Please
note, I do not provide information about grades by e-mail or phone.
Finally, my policy on academic dishonesty is simple: zero
tolerance. Cheating on exams or plagiarizing material (regardless of source --
this means internet sources too!) will result in a zero for that assignment.
The University’s policy on academic dishonesty can be found in the student code
of conduct; a particularly relevant passage you should be familiar with reads
as follows:
Academic honesty is essential to maintain the
integrity of the University as an institution and to foster an environment
conducive to the pursuit of knowledge. The Cleveland State University Academic
Community values honesty and integrity and holds its members to high standards
of ethical conduct. Academic dishonesty is, therefore, unacceptable, and
students must be prepared to accept the appropriate sanctions for any dishonest
academic behavior…Academic misconduct refers to any fraudulent actions or
behaviors that affect the evaluation of a student's academic performance or
record of academic progress. It includes:
Cheating
-- Fraudulent acquisition and/or submission of another's intellectual property.
This includes but is not limited to the unauthorized giving or receiving of a
copy of examination questions, the use of unauthorized or fabricated sources in
carrying out assignments, and copying the examination answers of others.
Plagiarism
-- Stealing and/or using the ideas or writings of another in a paper or report
and claiming them as your own. This includes but is not limited to the use, by
paraphrase or direct quotation, of the work of another person without full and
clear acknowledgment.
Please
read the definition of plagiarism carefully. “I didn’t know how to cite things”
is not a valid defense for failing to give full
and clear acknowledgment of the ideas or writings of someone else. If there
is any reason to think your research paper does not provide full and clear
acknowledgement, I will require you to submit an electronic version of your
paper to me so that I may systematically check it at turnit.com. More
information about the research paper and how to cite things will be provided in
class.
Course Outline
1. Introduction. The Nature of Political
Economy and Increasing World Economic Integration. Is the world economy today a “new
economic order”? Are we witnessing a rebirth of the 1870s, the 1930s, or
something altogether ‘new under the sun’? How and why are markets and states
“inextricably intertwined”? What is globalization and how is it occurring?
Gilpin, preface
and chapter 1.
Luttwak, preface
and chapter 1.
Vogel,
introduction.
Palan, preface
and introduction.
2. Theories (“Ideologies”) of
International Political Economy (IPE). What is the study of Political Economy? What are the main
ideologies of IPE? Classifying diverse research traditions such as: national
autonomy, regime theory, hegemonic stability, “governance” approaches, and new
economic theory. What are the key differences between these approaches? The
dynamics and mechanisms of structural change.
Gilpin chapters
2-6.
3. The Postwar International Economic
Order. The design of the
“Bretton Woods System” (BWS). How the Great Depression and WWII were critical
junctures: The lesson: avoid the nasty 1930s and make way for welfare states!
The development of a “managed” world economy, the golden age of the Bretton
Woods system and welfare capitalism, and the role of American hegemony.
Gilpin, chapters
8-10.
Luttwak, chapter
2.
Exam 1, Wed, FEBRUARY 27
4. Why the Postwar Order Did Not Last. The atrophy of Bretton Woods in the
1970s. A more egoistic version of American hegemony: benign neglect and the
gold-dollar standard. The “reemergence” of globalization. Why the 1970s did not come to resemble the 1930s. Winners and
losers in the new era of “globalization.” Structural unemployment, the “Western
malaise,” and the outsourcing debate.
*Matusow, A.
(1998) Nixon’s Economy: Booms, Busts,
Dollars and Votes (Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas), chapters 5-6.
Luttwak, chapter
3.
Vogel, chapters
1-2.
5. National Systems of Political Economy – Are There
Varieties of Capitalism and Can They Suvive the New Era of Globalization? The institutional and cultural foundations of
American, German, and Japanese versions of capitalism. What explains the
continued divergence of capitalist models? Does one system outperform the
others? Does globalization and “deeper integration” of national systems lead to
convergence of types?
Gilpin, chapter
7.
Luttwak,
chapters 5-6.
Vogel, chapters
3-10.
6. The “New” Multinationalism. The increasing importance of
Multinational Corporations (MNCs) as actors in IPE. The role of FDI in
increasing integration of national economies. New age of “global production
networks.” International Corporate Alliances (ICAs) and the “end of geography”
thesis. How does the new
“globalization” era affect the strategic behavior of firms?
Gilpin, chapter
11.
Luttwak, chapter
4.
7. Developmental Strategies and Future
Prospects for Less Developed Countries. Uneven growth and the spread of the world economy. The rise
of “Newly Industrialized Countries” (NICs). Does economic integration hold the
key for developing countries to “catch-up” with the developed world? Do
international institutions such as the World Bank and World Trade Organization
help or hurt development?
Gilpin, chapter
12.
8. Globalization and State Sovereignty. How “footloose” capital, offshore
markets, tax havens, export processing zones (EPZs), e-commerce, and the like
are affecting IR notions of sovereignty and what this means for nation-states.
Are markets becoming more powerful than states? Does the offshore economy help
create a world of rival capitalist states? Who wins, who loses?
Palan, chapters
1-conclusion.
Exam 2, Mon, APRIL 14
9. Economic Nationalism, Regionalism, and
Shifts in “Relative Power.” The
“next generation” of economic nationalism and challenge of “deeper integration”
among advanced industrial states. Is the US hegemon in decline? Are China and
India a rising threat to advanced industrial economies? What does the quality
of economic competition today imply for continued globalization? Is regionalism
a “stumbling block” or “building block” for a more integrated and cooperative
international system? What does the explosion of regional agreements (now more
than 200 in force) mean for IPE?
Luttwak,
chapters 7-8.
Gilpin, chapter
13.
10. A Post-Modern World Economy? The
World Economy of the Early 21st Century. Forecasting the adaptability of welfare
capitalism in the new age of globalization. What is the future for the
contemporary international economic order? The prospects and pitfalls of global
free trade. What does the future hold for the nation-state? The capacity for
national governments to manage economic change. National diversity and
international convergence revisited.
Gilpin, chapters
14-15.
Luttwak,
chapters 10-appendix.
Vogel, chapter 11.
Final exam, Mon., MAY 5, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Appendix:
Writing
Across the Curriculum
Cleveland
State University, MC 321
Director,
Prof. Mary Murray, m.murray@csuohio.edu, 216-687-6982
___________________________________________________________
A Course meets the WAC requirement when the following criteria are
met:
1. Students must be required to write a minimum of 2,000 words in
writing assignments.
2. The required writing must be in at least two separate
assignments or drafts. The instructor should give feedback to assist the
student in prepring subsequent papers or drafts of papers. This must include
feedback on the writing. It should not consist entirely of mechanical
correction of punctuation and grammar.
3. In order to receive a C or better in this course, the student
must write at a satisfactory skill level (C or better). If the student's
writing is weak, but shows understanding of the course material, the student
may be assigned a D, in which case WAC credit will not be received for the
course.
4. Maximum enrollment for this course is 35 or 45 with a graduate
assistant.
WAC
Workshops for Your Students
Writing workshops on a wide variety of topics are available by
calling the Director at extension 6982. Popular topics include Structuring a
Research Paper, Focusing Your Paper, Internet Research and more.
Writing
Center Services for Your Students
The Writing Center located at MC 321 is a free service for
students, staff and faculty. Here are some of the services we provide:
* 30-minute tutorials (students call 687-6981 to schedule)
* drop-in help
* 2-credit hour courses (English 105/106--tutorials + workshops)
* a wide variety of style manuals (APA, MLA, Turabian, and so on)
* a wide selection of writing textbooks and readers
* computers for Internet research and for composing.
Our staff consists mostly of graduate teaching assistants from the
English department who enjoy working with students.