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International Political Economy

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Syllabus
INTA 3301: International Political Economy
Spring 2013

Class meets MWF 1:05-1:55, Instructional Center 109 Instructor: Michael Murphree
Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
137 Habersham Building
Email: michael.murphree@gatech.edu
Office Hours: Monday 2:00-3:00, 137 Habersham, or by appointment

TA: Kathleen Thompson
Email: kthompson136@gatech.edu Political economy is the study of the role of government, politics and collective human behavior in shaping economic outcomes. This exciting field is both old and new. Political economy predates both political science and economics but only reemerged as a distinct field in the 1960s and 70s. It is concerned with understanding how political forces (broadly defined) shape and are shaped by economic ones (broadly defined). There are many research and policy-relevant questions addressed in this field:

1. What is globalization and is it really good for everyone? 2. Is free trade really the only “appropriate” means for international exchange? 3. Why are some countries or regions rich while others struggle? 4. How did the global casino of high finance emerge and what is its purpose? 5. Is economic performance the root of power or power the root of economic performance? 6. What should be the role of government in the economy? 7. Is there a best practice for government economic policy or are there many workable practices? 8. Why has Asia seemed to perform so well over the last 30 years while Europe appears to have stagnated? 9. Does a rising tide really life all boats?

This is a critical class. Although I have my theoretical inclinations, I hold no sacred cows in terms of theories or approaches. Capitalism, socialism, economic liberalism, mercantilism and any other “ism” are all open for support, criticism and analysis. It is my hope we will be able to have debates and discussions rather than just listen to me drone on. To enable this, we will need to remember to be respectful of one another. There are no incorrect perspectives; all points of view will be respected.

The following required textbook has been ordered for purchase and will be available at the Engineers Bookstore: Introduction to International Political Economy (5th Edition), David Balaam and Bradford Dillman, 2011

Other class readings will be distributed electronically or available online for download.

Grading:

Attendance/Class Participation: 10%
Test One: 15%
Test Two: 15%
Test Three: 15%
Final Paper: 35%
Final Presentation: 10%

Computer Policy: No open screens in class. Notes will be hand written. Leave your laptops, smart phones, tablets, and all other non-tree and ink-based materials in your bag.

Attendance Policy: As an introductory lecture course, attendance is essential to getting the critical points from the readings. I will also cover material in the lectures that is NOT in the readings. You will be held accountable for this material on the exams. Each class, a sign-in sheet will be distributed. If you need to be absent, please email me in advance.

Tests: as an upper level undergraduate course, examinations will be short-answer and essay based rather than multiple choice. The emphasis will be on applying the principles in an analytical way.

Final Paper: You will write a final paper in teams of two for this class. Each team will submit one version of their paper. The topic of the paper can address any of the concepts we are looking at in this class including, but not limited to, international trade, national sovereignty under globalization (think Greece in the Euro Crisis), globalization of labor markets, economic development, international science and technology, or humanitarian issues. While there is no “page limit” per se, brevity is the soul of wit. Unless you are writing a prospectus for your dissertation, it should not exceed 40 pages.

A note on plagiarism: In accordance with the Georgia Tech Honor Code, plagiarism is treated as a form of cheating to be dealt with accordingly. Plagiarism includes directly copying material from another source without quotation and citation AS WELL AS using information from other sources and paraphrasing without giving citations.

A note on sources: Wikipedia is NOT an acceptable resource. Do not use Wikipedia and cite it. You may, however, use Wikipedia for background and then follow its citations to get to usable sources. Further, there is a formal way of citing web sites; simply giving a web address is not sufficient. As advanced undergraduates, your research will be expected to include books and journal publications, in addition to the usual litany of web or print media sources.

Final Presentation: A brief 10-minute presentation of topic and issues raised in their research will be presented by each pair during Dead Week. Like briefings in politics or business meetings, we have a hard schedule. You will be cut off at 10 minutes. Teams which do not finish will lose points toward their grade.

This syllabus will be posted on T-square and is subject to change.

Semester Schedule

January 7 – Monday: Introduction to Class

January 9 – Wednesday: Liberalism – Orthodox Neoclassicists Reading: 1-27

January 11 – Friday: Liberalism – Heterodox Interventionists Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 28-54

January 14 – Monday: Mercantilism Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 56-79

January 16 – Wednesday: Mercantilism: Dead and Loving It

January 18 – Friday: Structuralism: The Role of Class Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 81-104

January 21 – Monday: MLK Day, NO CLASS

January 23 – Wednesday: Structuralism: Socialism after Communism January 25 – Friday: Alternative “isms”: Constructivism and Feminism Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 106-126

DEADLINE TO PICK PARTNERS FOR PAPER AND PRESENATION

January 28 – Monday: Test One

January 30 – Wednesday: Production and Trade Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 130-154

February 1 – Friday: Production and Trade – Fragmentation Reading: “Gereffi, G “A Commodity Chains Framework for Analyzing Global Industries”

February 4 – Monday: Finance: Gold Standard to Dollar Standard to Casino Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 156-181 PAPER TOPIC PROPOSALS DUE

February 6 – Wednesday: Debt Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 138-208

February 8 – Friday: Booms, Manias, Crashes, and Other Fun Friday Passtimes Reading: Garber: “Famous First Bubbles”

February 11 – Monday: Security – The Westphalian System and Soveriegnty Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 210-234

February 13 – Wednesday: Guest Lecture – Tong Zhao: Nuclear Security

February 15 – Friday: Security: the Post 9/11 World

February 18 – Monday: Science and Technology Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 235-261 Goodman: “Computing in the Soviet Union”

February 20 – Wednesday: Science and Technology – Standards Reading: Kindleberge: “Standards as Public, Collective and Private Goods”

February 22 – Friday: Test Two

February 25 – Monday: Development – The State as Economic Driver Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 265-293

February 27 – Wednesday: Guest Lecture: Dr. Mark Taylor – ISI versus Export Promotion Reading: World Bank, “The East Asian Miracle”

March 1 – Friday: Development: The Japanese and Korean Miracles Reading: Johnson: “MITI and the Japanese Miracle”

March 4 – Monday: Development – the Rise of the Rest Reading: Amsden: “The Rise of the Rest Chapter 1 and 2”

March 6 – Wednesday: Development – Dependencia and the Rise of Brazil Reading: Baer “Import Subsitution in Latin America” Economist Special Report

March 8 – Friday: The Rise of the Rest: India Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 323-349

March 11 – Monday: The Rise of the Rest: China Reading: “Murphree, Run of the Red Queen: Introduction”

March 13 – Wednesday: The Rise of the Rest: The Middle East Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 351-379

March 15 – Friday: Extended Office Hours to Discuss Group Papers

PAPER THESIS AND OUTLINE DUE

March 18-22: Spring Break, NO CLASS

March 25 – Monday: EU – The Promise and Perile Readings: Balaam and Dillman: 295-322; European Coal and Steel Community Charter

March 27 – Wednesday: EU – Guest Lecture from Vince Pedicino DEADLINE TO SIGN UP FOR PRESENTATION TIMES

March 29 – Friday: Test Three

April 1 – Monday: Black Markets Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 382-404

April 3 – Wednesday: International Migration Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 406-433

April 5 – Friday: MNCs Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 436-462

April 8 – Monday: MNCs Reading: Berger, “How We Compete: Chapter 1 and 2”

April 10 – Wednesday: Energy Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 489 -505

April 12 – Friday: Energy Reading: Economist “Oil Industry” and FP “The Devil’s Excrement”

April 15 – Monday: Environment
Reading: Balaam and Dillman: 507-528

April 17 – Wednesday: Environment
Reading: “The IPE of Climate Change”

April 19-26: Group Presentations

May 1: Final Papers due to box outside Habersham 137 by 5:40 PM

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