MIR508 Political Economy of Globalization
Spring 2016
Gül Sosay
Office: IB 513
Office Hours: by appointment
Office Phone: 359 6518
e-mail: sosay@boun.edu.tr
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course investigates the political economy of global monetary, financial, trade, and production
relations. In addition to exploring the institutional context within which these relations are developed
and shaped, the course examines the major issues of contention/conflict and cooperation as well as
problems on the agenda.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Required readings: Selected book chapters and articles
Grading:

Class attendance and participation
20 %
Class attendance and active participation in classroom discussions and activities are required and
students are expected to have done assigned readings before class.

Essays
25 %
Each student will write and present three essays. Essays assigned for February 16 (5 %) and February
23 (10 %) are required for all students. The third essay (10 %) will be on one of the following three
topics: “Economic development”, “Equality/inequality in the global economy”, “Transnational issues:
population, resources, and environment”. Students must let the instructor know on which of the three
topics they will write and present by March 15.


In-class assignment
Term project
20 %
35 %
For this assignment, students will work in groups of 2-3. Groups should be formed based on shared
concerns and interests in questions/issues/problems related to the course material. A fair division of
labor must be ensured among group members.
The assignment comprises the following steps:
1) Research question (2.5 %): Each group will formulate a research question and write a 1-2
page proposal briefly clarifying and presenting the question and its significance.
Due date: March 15
2) Improved research question and preliminary bibliography (2.5 %): Groups should
improve their research questions based on the feedback given by the instructor. In the
meantime, each group should conduct a thorough research in the library and web based
databases for articles and books relevant to its research question and compile a list for the
bibliography for the term paper. At this point it is not necessary that students read all the
articles and books in this list but they should at least have skimmed through in order to know
whether they will be relevant the research question formulated. The preliminary bibliography
should not comprise less than fifteen articles and five books.
Due date: March 29
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3) The draft of the term paper (15 %): Upon expanding their research beyond the preliminary
bibliography, groups will write a literature review of the scholarly works directly and
indirectly related to their research question. How each book, article, etc. reviewed helps
addressing the research question formulated should be clearly presented. The last part of the
paper will present a list of hypotheses derived from the literature reviewed. The first draft of
the paper will include: (a) the presentation of the research question, (b) the literature review,
(c) the list of hypotheses, and (d) the expanded bibliography.
Due date: April 26
4) Presentation of the first draft of the term paper (5 %): Groups will present the first drafts
of their papers according to the schedule to be announced by the instructor.
Dates: April 26, May 3, 10
5) Final version of the term paper (10 %): The final version of the paper, which will include
the same sections as the first draft, must incorporate the feedback received from the instructor
on the first draft of the paper and from the classmates after the presentation. The score for the
final version of the paper will be based on the amendments and improvements groups will
make. After handing in the paper, groups must also upload it to Turnitin.
Due date: May 22
Academic Honesty
The Department of Political Science and International Relations has the following rules and
regulations regarding academic honesty.
1. Copying work from others or giving and receiving answers/information during exams either in
written or oral form constitutes cheating.
2. Submitting take-home exams and papers of others as your own, using sentences or paragraphs
from another author without the proper acknowledgement of the original author, insufficient
acknowledgement of the consulted works in the bibliography, all constitute plagiarism. For
further guidelines, you can consult:
http://library.citytech.cuny.edu/instruction/plagiarism/index.php
3. Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and will result in:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
an automatic “F” in the assignment or the exam
an oral explanation before a Departmental Ethics Committee
losing the opportunity to request and receive any references from the entire faculty
losing the opportunity to apply in exchange programs
losing the prospects of becoming a student assistant or a graduate assistant in the
department
The students may further be sent to the University Student Ethics Committee or be subject to
disciplinary action.
COURSE OUTLINE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS
Feb. 9
Introduction to the course
Feb. 16
Main concepts, questions, and debates
Robert Gilpin, “The Nature of Political Economy” in Global Political Economy, Princeton and
Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2001, pp. 25-45
David Held and Anthony McGrew, “The Great Globalization Debate: An Introduction” in David Held
and Anthony McGrew (eds), The Global Transformations Reader, Blackwell, 2000, pp. 1-45
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Essay and brief presentation: For this assignment, after reading the assigned book chapters, students
will first select a recently published (after January 1, 2015) news article from a newspaper (e.g. The
International Herald Tribune, The Guardian, The Independent, The New York Times, The Financial
Times) or from the website of an international news or broadcasting agency (e.g. Reuters, BBC, Al
Jazeera), then write a 2-3 page (double-spaced, 12-font, proof-read) essay and prepare a 5-10 minute oral
presentation (no ppt etc. necessary) demonstrating how the economy, politics, and globalization are
interrelated in the news piece (i.e. the case) selected. The essay must be handed in together with the news
article selected.
Feb. 23
Theoretical perspectives
Theodore H. Cohn, Global Political Economy: Theory and Practice, Addison Wesley Longman Inc. ,
2000, pp. 59-129
Essay and brief presentation: The case covered in the news article selected for the written
assignment of the previous week will constitute the basis of this assignment. After reading the
assigned book chapters, students will write a 3-4 page (double-spaced, 12-font, proof-read) essay. The
essay will start by formulating a “why” question based on the case covered by the news article
selected and then address the question from one of the theoretical perspectives. For this assignment,
students are not expected to conduct additional research. It is sufficient to start with a plausible
hypothesis and develop a credible argument from a theoretical perspective. Students will also prepare
a 5-10 minute oral presentation (no ppt etc. necessary) of their essays.
March 1
International monetary and financial relations
Robert Gilpin, Global Political Economy: Understanding the International Economic Order,
Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University, 2001, pp. 234-277
Benjamin Cohen, “The International Monetary System: Diffusion and Ambiguity”, International
Affairs, 84, 3, 2008, pp. 455-470
Erica R. Gould, “Money Talks: Supplementary Financiers and International Monetary Fund
Conditionality”, International Organization, 57, 2003, pp. 551-586
March 8
Multinationalization of production
Robert Gilpin, Global Political Economy: Understanding the International Economic Order,
Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University, 2001, pp. 278-304
David L. Levy and Aseem Prakash, “Bargains Old and New: Multinational Corporations in Global
Governance”, Business and Politics, 5, 2, 2003, pp. 131-150
March 15
International trading system
Robert Gilpin, Global Political Economy: Understanding the International Economic Order,
Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University, 2001, pp.196-232
Helen V. Milner, “Political Economy of International Trade”, Annu. Rev. Polit. Sci., 1999, 2, pp. 91–
114
March 22
In-class assignment
March 29
Economic development
Robert Gilpin, Global Political Economy: Understanding the International Economic Order,
Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University, 2001, pp. 305-340
Andreas Schneider and David Kernohan. 2006. “The Effects of Trade Liberalisation on Agriculture in
Developing Countries”, CEPS Working Document, No. 244
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Elisa Giuliani and Chiara Macchi, “Multinational Corporations’ Economic and Human Rights Impacts
on Developing Countries: A Review and Research Agenda”, Cambridge Journal of
Economics, 2014, 38, pp. 479–517
Essay and presentation: The essay will start by specifying/formulating a question based on the readings
assigned under the topic, address that question in the light of the theoretical perspectives, arguments,
empirical evidence, etc. provided by the assigned readings, and conclude with the student’s own
assessment of the question in relation to the readings. The essay should be 4-5 pages (double-spaced, 12font, proof-read) long. Students will also prepare a 5-10 minute oral presentation (no ppt etc. necessary)
of their essays.
April 5
Equality/inequality in the global economy
Robert Hunter Wade, “Is Globalization Reducing Poverty and Inequality?”, World Development 32,
4, 2004, pp. 567–589
David L. Richards and Ronald Geleny, “Women’s Status and Economic Globalization”, International
Studies Quarterly, 51, 207, pp. 855-876
Jan Nederveen Pieterse, “Global Inequality: Bringing Politics Back In”, Third World Quarterly, 23, 6,
pp. 1-24
Essay and presentation: The essay will start by specifying/formulating a question based on the readings
assigned under the topic, address that question in the light of the theoretical perspectives, arguments,
empirical evidence, etc. provided by the assigned readings, and conclude with the student’s own
assessment of the question in relation to the readings. The essay should be 4-5 pages (double-spaced, 12font, proof-read) long. Students will also prepare a 5-10 minute oral presentation (no ppt etc. necessary)
of their essays.
April 12
Global economy and the environment
Jeffrey A. Frankel, “The Environment and Globalization”, NBER Working Paper Series, Working
Paper No. 10090, November 2003
Peter Newell, “The Political Economy of Global Environmental Governance”, Review of International
Studies, 2008, 34, pp. 507–529
Essay and presentation: The essay will start by specifying/formulating a question based on the readings
assigned under the topic, address that question in the light of the theoretical perspectives, arguments,
empirical evidence, etc. provided by the assigned readings, and conclude with the student’s own
assessment of the question in relation to the readings. The essay should be 4-5 pages (double-spaced, 12font, proof-read) long. Students will also prepare a 5-10 minute oral presentation (no ppt etc. necessary)
of their essays.
April 19
Spring break
April 26, May 3, 10
Student presentations, discussion, and concluding remarks
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