International Political Economy

The gap between the rich and the poor is getting larger in the 21st Century. How? Why are America and China fighting over international trade rules? Why can't young Australians afford to buy a house anymore? How are economics and security joined at the hip? Why do women get paid less than men? Can free markets deliver enough food to feed the earth's ever-expanding population? What are crypto-currencies, and how do they challenge traditional forms of monetary exchange? Who runs the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund? Are the markets gearing up for World War Three? International political economy links economics to politics, international relations, security and culture. First, this course will begin with an historical view of IPE, beginning with the International Slave Trade prior to the emergence of Pax Britannica in the 17th and 18th Centuries; through Industrial Revolutions and two world wars; and up until the present day tussle between the two great powers of the 21st Century: The United States and China. This course then explores how economy, politics, security and culture interact with one another in a broad spectrum of areas, such as: the political economy of international trade and security; the global division of labour between the `haves and have-nots?; the nature of transnational production; and the political economy of money, central banking, international finance and multinational corporations. The course will enable students to gain a better understanding of current issues: the evolution of global financial crises; the United Kingdom's BREXIT and Greece's GREXIT processes; the emergence of a US-led Indo-Pacific economic and security coalition in response to the rise of China; the unequal position of women and children in local and global economies; the challenge to traditional ideas of IPE being posed by green and progressive movements; and the Global Food Crisis.