Global Political Economy

Master 2021/2022

Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'

Type: Elective course (Political Analysis and Public Policy)

Area of studies: Political Science

Delivered by: Public Policy Department

Where: Faculty of Social Sciences

When: 1 year, 3, 4 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Denis Ivanov, Artem Uldanov

Master’s programme: Political Analysis and Public Policy

Language: English

ECTS credits: 5

Contact hours: 40

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The course introduces basic concepts and approaches to global political economy with the focus on global economic development. We will discuss the state of global inequality and consider such possible explanations of striking differences between countries in terms of well-being as geography, human capital, institutions, and culture. A group discussion will be held to analyze comparative importance of each of these factors in global economic relationships. We will discuss complex development problems like the resource curse problem and the international aid dilemma. Students will also be required to submit their essays on contemporary issues in global political economy. Finally, the aforementioned concepts would be applied to examine possible reasons of development success and failures. The course is built on rigorous econometric evidence and also gives basic understanding of topics like causal inference applied to policy evaluation.

Learning Objectives

To examine at an advanced level with the contemporary issues in global political economy, theoretical frameworks and research approaches to analyze the issues of global political economy.
To comprehend the key issue around which the course develops its subject matter is international cooperation in various policy areas
To describe the role of international institutions in facilitating global governance of global issues such as trade, finance, development, climate change, and other social and macroeconomic policies.
To overview basic theories on origins of global economic disparities
To consider the roles geography, human capital, institutions, and culture play in creating cross-country differences in economic development
To examine origins and potential solutions of applied political economy problems like management of natural resource revenues and distribution of international aid
To offer explanations and policy solutions for individual country cases of development successes and failures

Expected Learning Outcomes

To apply the concepts from the course to development problems like management of natural resource revenues and distribution of international aid
To suggest novel development strategies and solutions for development problems facing the global community basing on concepts from the course.
To analyze comparative roles of geography, human capital, institutions, and culture in shaping global economic disparities
To name basic theories and conceptual frameworks used to analyze international economic relations and global development
To be able to work with primary data sources and literature on the unfolding dynamics of the global political economy

Course Contents

Introduction into Global Political Economy. Global economic actors
Global inequality
Global labor migration
Alternative explanations for global economic disparities: Geography and natural resources
Alternative explanations for global economic disparities: Human capital.
Alternative explanations for global economic disparities: Governance and institutional quality.
Alternative explanations for global economic disparities: Culture
State and business as global economic actors
International aid and international governance
NGOs as global economic actors

Assessment Elements

Activity during seminars
Essay on a global political economy problem
Final Exam

Interim Assessment

2021/2022 4th module

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Abhijit V. Banerjee, & Esther Duflo. (2009). The Experimental Approach to Development Economics. Annual Review of Economics, (1), 151. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.economics.050708.143235
Abhijit V. Banerjee, & Esther Duflo. (2010). Giving Credit Where It Is Due. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 3, 61. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.24.3.61
Acemoglu, D., Johnson, S., & Robinson, J. A. (2005). Institutions as a Fundamental Cause of Long-Run Growth. Handbook of Economic Growth, 385. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.h.eee.grochp.1.06
Alberto Alesina, & Paola Giuliano. (2015). Culture and Institutions. Journal of Economic Literature, (4), 898. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.53.4.898
Burnside, C., & Dollar, D. (2000). Aid, Policies, and Growth. American Economic Review, 90(4), 847–868. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.90.4.847
Dani Rodrik, Arvind Subramanian, & Francesco Trebbi. (2002). Institutions Rule: The Primacy of Institutions over Geography and Integration in Economic Development. CID Working Papers.
Dollar, D., & Alesina, A. (2000). Who Gives Foreign Aid to Whom and Why?
Economic development, Todaro, M. P., 2011
Guns, germs, and steel : the fates of human societies, Diamond, J., 1999
John Luke Gallup, Jeffrey D. Sachs, & Andrew D. Mellinger. (1999). Geography and Economic Development. International Regional Science Review, (2), 179. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.sae.inrsre.v22y1999i2p179.232
Milanovic, B. (2013). Global Income Inequality in Numbers: in History and Now Global Income Inequality in Numbers: in History and Now. Global Policy, 4(2), 198–208. https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12032
One economics, many recipes : globalization, institutions, and economic growth, Rodrik, D., 2007
Pedro Carneiro, & James J. Heckman. (2003). Human Capital Policy. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.5D98E766
Rajan, R. G., & Subramanian, A. (2008). Aid and Growth: What Does the Cross-Country Evidence Really Show? Review of Economics & Statistics, 90(4), 643–665. https://doi.org/10.1162/rest.90.4.643
Ricardo Hausmann, Lant Pritchett, & Dani Rodrik. (2005). Growth Accelerations. Journal of Economic Growth, (4), 303. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10887-005-4712-0
The elusive quest for growth : economists' adventures and misadventures in the tropics, Easterly, W., 2002
Underhill, G. R. D. (2000). State, market, and global political economy: genealogy of an (inter-?) discipline. International Affairs, 76(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2346.00166

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Making democracy work : civic traditions in modern Italy, Putnam, R. D., 1994
Why nations fail : the origins of power, prosperity, and poverty, Acemoglu, D., 2012

Course Syllabus