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SoSe 23: Global Political Economy: The Analysis of Power and Wealth Across the Ages

Lukas Hakelberg

Comments

The seminar provides a profound introduction to Global Political Economy (GPE). GPE is concerned with the interaction of economics and politics at the global – and between the global, regional, and domestic – levels. The field is theoretically and methodologically diverse and problem oriented. That is, scholars within the field draw on a wide range of epistemological and ontological assumptions to analyze how the world economy, including global systems of trade, finance, and production shape politics and vice versa. They are, for instance, concerned with the power relationships underpinning global patterns of trade and production, the determinants of foreign direct investment, the effect of globalization and financial crises on political behavior, or the consequences of offshore banking for inequality and the sovereignty of states. The seminar’s goals are to familiarize students with the inspiring theoretical debates within the field of GPE, provide them with a deep understanding of how political and economic forces have historically shaped an ever-evolving world economy, and enable them to draw on insights from GPE to make sense of current affairs. To this end, the seminar is structured in three parts. The first part presents the field of GPE, its classic theoretical and methodological approaches, and its contemporary intellectual diversity. The second part applies GPE’s theoretical and methodological toolbox to analyze the world economy’s historical evolution from the 14th to the 21st century. The third part then showcases how GPE helps us understand the rise of populism, geopolitical instability, as well as government responses to the climate and care crises. Throughout, the lecture reflects GPE’s theoretical and methodological eclecticism, and problematizes the issues of race, gender, and eurocentrism. close