MA Political Science - European Politics & Policy Pathway (Research Route) / Course details

This course will provide a critical examination of the political economy of globalisation. Students will be introduced to the main debates on the impact of globalisation on world order and of the issues surrounding the historical emergence of a global economy. The course is organised so as to provide a background understanding of international political economy after the Second World War, the global turn towards the ‘free market’, and then to explore a series of major issues that provide windows onto the encompassing process of globalisation: production; money and finance; trade; governance; economic and climate crises; the politics of anti-globalisation and the more recent resurgence of reactionary forms of politics across the world. 

Knowledge and Understanding: Students will develop and have the opportunity to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of contemporary literatures and debates on the political economy of globalisation.

Intellectual skills: Students will critically engage with theoretically-driven interpretations of contemporary political, economic and social events, and will put these approaches to work in the original critical analysis of central dimensions of globalisation. They will develop an understanding of the basic concepts of the critique of globalisation; possess a knowledge of a range of different issues connected with globalisation and the emergence of a global economy; be able to offer critical analyses concerning issues related to globalisation; and will formulate their own opinions on the political-economic challenges brought about by globalisation. 

Transferable skills and personal qualities: Students will be encouraged to exercise and demonstrate their own independent critical judgement of literature, arguments, and events. The module will foster improved writing, debating, teamwork and presentation skills, as well as the capacity to summarise, criticise and mobilise complex ideas. 

Seminars are central to the learning experience at MA level and attendance is compulsory.  If you know in advance that circumstances beyond your control will prevent you from attending a seminar, you should contact the Course Unit Director (CUD) to explain your absence.  

On this course, we will meet together on a weekly basis in a two-hour seminar. Each seminar after week 1 will be divided into a workshop component followed by a lecture component. 

From week 2 of the course, the first 50 minutes of the seminar will comprise a workshop and discussion of student's responses to material introduced by the CUD the previous week, as well as students' responses to additional learning materials as directed in Blackboard. 

After a short comfort break, the second 50 minutes of the weekly seminar will comprise an introductory lecture by the CUD on the theme of the following week's workshop. 

1.      2,000 word assessed essay (65% of final mark)

2.      1,000 word written assignment (35% of final mark)

Hannah, E. and Ravenhill, J. (eds.) (2024) Global Political Economy. 7th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.