Units of Assessment

Weighting Towards Module Mark (%)

 

2 Hour Examination (Closed Book)

65

Group Coursework 1 (3,000 words)

35

Alternative Assessment (to replace Group Coursework, unless the entire group re-sits the Coursework 

Individual Coursework (2,000 words)

Qualifying Condition(s) 

A weighted aggregated mark of 40% is required to pass the module.

None, however, as this module is taught from an International Political Economy angle some knowledge of the International System, Political Economy and how governments interact is desirable.

Upon completion of this module students will:

 ·               Have obtained familiarity with and knowledge of various aspects of International Trade;

 ·               Be able to assess International Trade from different angles including from a  government’s, a trading bloc’s, societies’ and business/industry’s perspective;

·               Have been introduced to actors in the international arena such as international political organisations, international financial organisations and regional trading blocs (RTBs).

 ·               Be able to understand the importance of International Trade to the business and industry’s operations.

 ·               Have been made aware of the role of states in international trade.

 ·               Have been introduced to the developed versus developing countries’ issues of international trade.

 ·               Have learnt the theoretical ideologies that underpin International Trade.

 ·               Have gained knowledge related to the European Union and other RTBs.

 ·               Have develop a sound understanding of the role and workings of the WTO.

·               State / firm relations and international trade

·               The role of governments in international trade and tools at their disposal

 ·               Developed versus developing countries and aspects of trade

 ·               International society and international trade

 ·               Mercantilism, Liberalism and Marxism as ideologies in International Trade

 ·               International Governmental Organisations (UN and specialised agencies; Bretton Woods institutions World Bank, IMF);

 ·               Regional Trading Blocs including the EU and NAFTA

 ·               International trading regimes: the GATT as the post-WWII regime and the WTO as the post-GATT organisation

The teaching and learning strategy is based on weekly 2-hour lecture sessions and  1-hour seminar classes (also on a weekly basis) designed with the aim to provide students with the necessary tools to familiarise themselves with, as well as understand and evaluate, the forces that play a role in the field of international trade.  Rather than a pedominantly theoretical economic approach the strategy feeds into approaching the field from a more practice-oriented IPE approach.

The teaching and learning methods to support the aforementioned strategy are woven into lectures. Depending on the size of the group the lectures will take a more (small group) or less (larger cohort) seminarial character. Due to the fact that much of the contents of this module includes actors the students have not come across during their previous modules, students are REQUIRED to read the texts (chapters and or articles) recommomended for each individual lecture.

Furthermore, the lectures will be supported by mandatory weekly seminar classes where attendance shall be monitored.

ULearn will be used in support of the above.

THIS IS A VERY INTENSIVE MODULE FROM AN ANGLE (IPE) MOST STUDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EXPOSED TO SO FAR. ONLY THOSE THAT ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO WORK HARD TO COMPENSATE THIS SHOULD CONSIDER THIS MODULE AS THIS IS MODULE REQUIRES MORE OF A PRO-ACTIVE RESEARCH APPROACH THAN STUDENTS HAVE BEEN USED TO.

Assessment Strategy:

The assessment strategy is designed to encourage the student to demonstrate critical understanding of the perspectives of international trade covered in the module and consists of a 2-hour exam and coursework (as indicated above). The coursework component and the mandatory seminar sessions will facilitate formative assessment and feedback.

Essential Reading

 Oatley, T., (2010). Debates in International political Economy. Boston, MA : Longman.

Recommended Reading

 Goddard, C.R., Cronin, P., and Dash, K.C., (eds.) (2003). International Political Economy: State-Market Relations in a Changing Global Order.  Boulder, CO : Lynne Rienner Publishers.

 Gilpin, R., (1987). The Political Economy of International Relations. Oxford: Princeton University Press.

 King, P., and King, S., (2008). International Economics and International Economic Policy.  New York : McGraw-Hill Irwin.

 Razeen, S., (2003). “Whither the WTO?  A Progress Report on the Doha Round”, Trade Policy Analysis, 3 March 2003, #23, Cato Institute. Free download.

 Hocking, Brian and McGuire, Steven (eds.) (2004). Trade Politics. Oxon: Routledge.

 Young, A.R., (2004). “The Incidental fortress: the Single European Market and world trade”, Journal of Common Market Studies, 42(2), pp.393-414.

 Stopford, J., and Strange, S., (1991). Rival States , Rival Firms: Competition for World Market Shares. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hill, C., (2009). Global Business Today. New York : McGraw-Hill.

 Gilpin, R., (2001). Global Political Economy: Understanding the International Economic Order. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

 Strange, S., (1994). States and Markets. Oxford : Blackwell Publishers.

 Nye, J.S., (1990). Bound to lead: the Changing Nature of American Power. New York : Basic Books.

 Stiglitz, J.E., and Charlton, A., (2005). Fair trade for all: how trade can promote development.  New York: Oxford University Press.

 Background Reading

 Billiet, S., (2006). “From GATT to the WTO: the Internal struggle for external competences in the EU”, Journal of Common Market Studies, 44(5), pp.899-919.

 Lawrence , R.Z., (1991). "Emerging Regional Arrangements: Building Blocs or Stumbling Blocks?" in O’Brien, (ed.) Finance and the International Economy 5: The AMEX Bank Review Prize Essays.  New York: Oxford University Press, pp.23–35.