This field tries to overcome the artificial separation between politics and economics, between states and markets, and between domestic and international levels of analysis to analyze the interactions between international political and economic dynamics.
It uses a set of inter-disciplinary approaches to analyze structures and processes of globalization and economic integration, as well as the interactions between domestic and international political and economic phenomena. Recent empirical research has concentrated on issues such as structural adjustment, regional economic integration, state-business relations, Third World development, multinational corporations, and the institutions of international economic governance.
All students study the effect of the prevailing balance between “states” and “markets” on trade, investment, monetary policy, finance, and labor flows. They also consider global economic governance and possibilities for institutional innovation. Students then have a choice of studying such diverse issue areas as the roles of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group; specific regional areas such as Latin America, China, and the Islamic World; or specific industries such as petroleum, food or finance.
The International Political Economy field of study requires the completion of a minimum of three courses.