Summary International Political Economy

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Plagiarism and Citation Method: As a student at LSU, it is your responsibility to refrain from plagiarizing the academic property of another and to utilize appropriate citation method for all coursework. Ignorance of the citation method is not an excuse for academic misconduct. Remember there is a difference between paraphrasing and quoting and how to properly cite each respectively. If you have questions regarding what is appropriate, please consult with the library’s tutorials on avoiding plagiarism and proper citation formats (links are also provided on the course Moodle page). Group work and unauthorized assistance: All work must be completed without assistance unless explicit permission for group or partner work is given by the faculty member. This is critical so that the professor can assess your performance on each assignment. If a group/partner project is assigned, the student may still have individual work to complete. Read the syllabus and assignment directions carefully. You might have a project with group work and a follow up report that is independently written. When in doubt, e-mail the faulty member or ask during a class session. Seeking clarification is your responsibility as a student. Assuming group/partner work is okay without permission constitutes a violation of the LSU Code of Student Conduct. Students requiring special accommodation: Louisiana State University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak with the Disability Services and the instructor, as early in the semester as possible. All discussions will remain confidential. This publication/material is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact the Disability Services, 115 Johnston Hall, (225) 578-5919. Course Outline & Reading Schedule Week 1 –August 23 - Introduction Introduction Video: “Commanding Heights” Part I: Theories and History Week 2 – August 30 - History Oatley – Chapter 1 Cohn – Chapter 2 Polanyi – Chapters 1 & 2 Week 3 – September 6 - Theories of IPE Cohn: Chapters 3-5 Fallows, James. 1993. “How the World Works.” Atlantic Monthly 272(6): 60-87. Part II: International Trade Week 4 – September 13 - Theory of International Trade Oatley: Chapter 3 Week 5 – September 20 - Globalization Oatley – Chapter 16 Fallows, James. 2008. “The $1.4 Trillion Question.” Atlantic Monthly 301(1): 36-48. Week 6 – September 27 - Politics of International Trade Oatley: Chapters 4 & 5 Crook, Clive. 2007: “Beyond Belief.” Atlantic Monthly 300(3): 44-46. Week 7 – October 4 - Alternative views of International Trade Polanyi : Introduction (by Fred Block), Chapters 3, 4, 6, 19, 21 List: Book 2, Chapters 11, 13-16; Book 3, Chapter 31 Group leadership presentations and class discussion on Polanyi & List Week 8 – October 11 - Midterm Week Midterm Exam (in class) Part III: Multinational Corporations & Globalization Week 9 – October 18 - MNCs Oatley: Chapters 8 & 9 Part IV: International Monetary Relations Week 10 – October 25 - The System of International Monetary Relations Oatley: Chapters 10 & 11 Week 11 – November 1 -The Politics of International Monetary Relations Oatley – Chapters 12 & 13 Strange, Susan. 1971. “The Politics of International Currencies.” World Politics 23(2): 215-31. Group leadership presentation and discussion on Strange Part V: LDC’s, Aid and the IFIs Week 12 – November 8 - Trade and Development Oatley – Chapters 6 & 7 Week 13 – November 15 - LDCs and IFIs Oatley: Chapters 14 & 15 Cohen, Benjamin J. 1982. “Balance-of-Payments Financing: Evolution of a Regime”. International Organization 36(2): 457-478. Group leadership presentation and discussion on Cohen Week 14 – November 22 – IMF Conditionality: The Experience of Jamaica Film – “Life and Debt” Week 15 – November 29 – Competing Perspectives on Aid December 2 - Easterly: Chapters 1, 2, 6, 10, 11 Sachs: Chapters 1-4, 12, 13, 15, 16 Group leadership presentations and discussion on Sachs & Easterly Week 16 – Final Exam Tuesday, December 6 beginning at 8:00pm (as determined by Registrar’s issued final exam schedule) Critical analysis projects are due by Friday, December 9th at 9:00am. Group Discussion Leadership Each student will participate in a group which is tasked with leading the in-class discussion on an assigned supplementary reading. The group will give a 10-15 minute presentation summarizing the critical components of the assigned work, and also prepare an accompanying handout to be distributed to the other students in the class. Students are encouraged to conceptualize of the presentation and handout as a precis or “Cliff’s Notes” version of the reading, covering such areas as: • What is the main thesis of the work? • What critical assumptions does the author make, or supporting material does he or she use, to support the argument? • How does the work relate to other material discussed in class and/or contemporary events? Following the presentation the group members will lead an in-class discussion of the material. Assignment grades will be determined based on the thoroughness and accuracy of the presentation and handout, style and grammar, and how well they satisfy the assignment requirements (including not exceeding the time allotted for the in-class presentation). Each student will participate in one of the following groups Group Date Material Group 1 10/4/16 Polanyi Chapters Intro, 3, 4 Group 2 10/4/16 Polanyi Chapters 6, 19, 21 Group 3 10/4/16 List Group 4 11/1/16 Strange Group 5 11/15/16 Cohen Group 6 11/29/16 Sachs Group 7 11/29/16 Easterly Students will be assigned to groups in a manner to be discussed in class. Each group member who participates in a project will receive the same grade for each portion of the assignment, with no exceptions. Should you have difficulties with your group issues must be raised with the instructor prior to submitting the paper and/or giving the in-class presentation. Issues raised after this time will not be able to be accommodated Critical Analysis Project All students enrolled in the course will submit a paper which critically analyses a contemporary issue of his or her choosing in international political economy. The purpose of the project is to summarize the selected issue and apply the relevant models and theories from the course and broader IPE literature to improve understanding of the matter and potential resolutions. Questions that should be addressed in the analysis include, but are not limited to, the following:  What is the issue of contention/interest and who are the actors involved?  What is the history of the issue/actors?  What are the suggested potential resolutions or outcomes for the issue?  How does this issue relate to the materials we have studied in class and other literature? (i.e. theories, problems, etc)  What are the primary factors which encourage or inhibit cooperation  What are possible resolutions to the issue, and how likely is each possible outcome? Submissions should be 10-12 pages in length (excluding figures or works cited). All work must properly cite any relevant materials, including all arguments that are not the original contributions of the author. Failure to properly attribute credit for any cited or utilized material will result in a grade reduction of at least one half letter grade or a maximum of failing the assignment. Papers must be emailed to the instructor in .pdf format by the date indicated in the syllabus. The project will be judged on the thoroughness, accuracy and creativity of the analysis, and the appropriate use and application of the relevant scholarship on the topic including materials not discussed in class. Additional grading consideration will be given to the technical quality of the materials, including grammar, editing, and clarity.