This course explores the intersections of politics and economics on a global scale, consisting of three parts: 1) global trade, 2) international finance, and 3) the outcomes of globalization. The first part examines the determinants of trade from individual, institutional, and political regime perspectives, explores the role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in governing global trade, the rise of regionalism in trade, and the (changing) role of China in global trade. The second part focuses on international finance, exploring the politics of currency exchange and money markets, international financial governance, the new financial actors, such as the BRICS nations, and the role of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in development. In the final part, the course addresses how globalization has led to environmental challenges, transformed immigration patterns, exacerbated socioeconomic inequalities, and stimulated illicit economic activities. Alongside a theoretical and empirical foundation, the course provides students with hands-on experience in navigating the complexities of global economic governance through simulations of the WTO and World Bank. By the end of the course, students will gain a critical perspective on the interplay between global politics and economics and be equipped with the analytical tools to interpret the evolving global economic landscape.
- Teacher: Ibrahim Oker
