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12345 EL MONTE ROAD, LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA 94022-4599 - foothill.edu

Effective: Fall 2020
ECON 9HHONORS POLITICAL ECONOMY4 Unit(s)

Advisory: Advisory: Not open to students with credit in ECON 9, POLI 9 or 9H.
Grade Type: Letter Grade, the student may select Pass/No Pass
Not Repeatable.
FHGE: Social & Behavioral Sciences Transferable: CSU/UC
4 hours lecture. (48 hours total per quarter)

Student Learning Outcomes -

  • Critically analyze contending theoretical formulations of the International Political Economy.
  • Critically analyze contending theoretical formulations on Development and Underdevelopment.

 

Description -

Analysis of the contending theoretical formulations of International Political Economy (IPE), emphasizing the interconnection between economics and politics in the broad context of a global economy and the formulation of national public policy. Economic and political policy issues of current national and international significance are emphasized. The honors course is a full thematic seminar with advanced teaching methods, focusing on extensive writing, reading, research assignments, student-led seminar discussions, group discussions, oral presentations and interactions. Distinguishing features include: heightened focus on and evaluation of global objectives and components of developed and developing nations, increased depth of analysis and breadth of examination, higher level of student critical thinking. Expanded learning outcomes and fuller description of these focused elements.

 

Course Objectives -

The student will be able to:
  1. Identify and analyze the contending theoretical formulations of the International Political Economy and their interconnections to the state.
  2. Critically evaluate the International Political Economy, including trade, finance and development within the broad context of world politics.
  3. Assess competing analytical and theoretical models used in the study of political economy particularly in evaluating the historical development and current operation of the world economy.
  4. Identify the central structural and historical features of the global political economy and their changing circumstances in a global market.
  5. Identify and critically analyze some of the leading policy issues in the global political economy, such as global finance, trade, terrorism, non-governmental organizations and the role of international economic institutions, such as: the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and trade blocs in social, economic and national development strategies.
  6. Identify and systematically analyze the political ideologies underlying global political economy issues.
  7. Analyze the role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the IPE.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment -

None.

 

Course Content (Body of knowledge) -

  1. Analysis of contending theoretical formulations of political economy
  2. Analysis of the nature of politics and economics, power and wealth
  3. Analysis of globalization, the International Political Economy, national security, and their effects on governments, societies and citizens
    1. Investigate the role of socialist economics in the capitalist world economy
    2. Analysis of international finance in the IPE
    3. Examine the role of multinational corporations in the IPE
    4. Assess the role of non-governmental organizations in the IPE
  4. Economic theory and history
    1. Capital flows
    2. International trade
  5. International development; population, poverty
  6. Contemporary problems in political economy, such as indigenous populations, environment, poverty, status of women
  7. Socio-economic organizations
    1. Laissez faire, mixed economy, socialism
    2. Marxism, fascism, and corporatism
  8. Extent and role of the public, quasi-public, and private sectors: government, proprietorship, partnership and corporation
  9. Sustainable capacity-building and government role
    1. Infrastructure
    2. Allocation distribution
    3. Stabilization
    4. Education, research and development
    5. Institutions in monetary and fiscal policies
    6. Environment, workplace safety
    7. Resource conservation
  10. Geopolitics vs. geo-economics
    1. Protectionism, trade issues, industrial policy
    2. Colonialism and revolution
  11. American impacts
    1. World War I and the 1920s
    2. Great Depression, New Deal, Keynesianism, World War II and globalism
    3. Cold War, affluence, poverty, Fair Deal, New Frontier, Great Society
  12. Efforts to restructure and downsize
    1. Intermestic linkages
    2. Ethnic fragmentation, welfare state, entitlements
  13. Regionalism: NAFTA, European Community (European Union), APEC
    1. IGOs, NGOs, IMF
    2. IBRD, WTO, MNCs
  14. Democracy, efficiency and justice: meeting the needs of all
  15. Methodological approaches: contending theories in the International Political Economy

Methods of Evaluation -

Methods of evaluation may include the following:
  1. Development of research paper topic, thesis, and outline
  2. Analytical research paper on topic of interest utilizing the scientific method of analysis
  3. In-class assessments (quizzes, exams)
  4. Active participation in individual or group oral presentation on assigned topics
  5. In seminar, demonstrate substantial knowledge of literature and ability to systematically analyze and synthesize material
  6. Actively critique positions held by classmates in scholarly manner; defend positions both verbally and in writing

Representative Text(s) -

Benn, Dennis, and Kenneth Hall, eds. Globalization A Calculus of Inequality: Perspectives from the South. Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers, 2000.
Cohn, Theodore H. Global Political Economy: Theory and Practice. 4th ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2008.
Goddard, C. Roe, Patrick Gronin, and Kishore C. Dash. International Political Economy: State-Market Relations in a Changing Global Order. Lynne Rienner, 2005.
McWilliams, Wayne C., and Harry Piotrowski. The World Since 1945. 8th ed. Lynne Rienner, 2013.
Ravenhill, John. Global Political Economy. NY: Oxford University Press, 2011.
Seligson, Mitchell A., and John T. Passe-Smith. Development and Underdevelopment: The Political Economy of Global Inequality. 5th ed. Lynn Rienner, 2014.
Wallerstein, Immanuel. The Modern-World System I: Capitalist Agriculture and the Origins of the European World-Economy in the 16th Century. NY: Academic Press, 1974.
Wallerstein, Immanuel. The Modern-World System III: The Second Era of Expansion of the Capitalist World Economy, 1730-1840s. Academic Press, 1974.

NOTE: Although some of the texts are older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, they remain seminal pieces of scholarship (texts) in these areas of study.

 

Disciplines -

Economics or Political Science
 

Method of Instruction -

  1. Weekly formal lectures
  2. Weekly intensive seminar style discussions that are highly interactive
  3. Weekly written notes on reading assignments that demonstrate substantial and systematic understanding of material
  4. Oral presentations (PowerPoint) on assigned modules of course
  5. Literature search on topics of class discussions
 

Lab Content -

Not applicable.
 

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing and Outside of Class Assignments -

  1. Weekly reading assignments of required texts
  2. Accessing the New York Times and The Economist (online versions) to keep abreast of worldwide economic and political issues and informing class of findings during seminar
  3. Accessing online versions of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy and other relevant journals that will assist students in their knowledge of relevant issues
  4. Development of research paper topic, thesis and outline with assistance from instructor
  5. Critical analytical research paper utilizing the scientific method of analysis
  6. Weekly written notes on major themes and ideas of reading assignments

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