International Political Economy

Course description

We can't begin to understand how political decisions are made without examining the economic context that shapes them, yet we also cannot grasp why the economy functions in the way it does without understanding the profoundly political decisions that determine who gets what, when, why and how.

This course will expand your understanding of contemporary capitalism by looking at how the global political economy is constituted, the ways in which it functions to benefit particular groups, countries and people, and how it is evolving.

You'll be taught by expert academics who are pushing the boundaries of international political economy. You will learn how to analyse the operation of contemporary capitalism, who wins and loses from it, and whether we can achieve more equal, just and sustainable societies. Throughout your studies you will address questions such as:

• Who are the key actors in international political economy and how do they interact with our local, national and international political institutions to produce particular economic outcomes?
• How do we generate decent living standards in a world of rapid technological change?
• Why does the global economy seem to be producing ever-greater concentrations of wealth and poverty?
• What explains the rapid development of the so-called ‘rising powers’ and is theirs a model that can be emulated?
• Which level of analysis - the family, the village, the region, the nation, the global - should we examine when seeking to make sense of the global political economy?
• Is it possible for our economies to keep growing in a world of looming environmental breakdown?
• Will globalisation continue over the coming decades, or do current conflicts mean we are now entering an era of deglobalisation?
• Whose theories and concepts can help us make better sense of a rapidly changing 21st Century context that appears to be replete with economic crises?

The MA International Political Economy degree attracts a hugely diverse student body. Some may have already studied politics and international relations previously, whereas others may have little academic experience in the subject but wish to better understand the evolution of the global political economy in an era marked by significant economic upheaval.

Students come from all sorts of different backgrounds, and this really is evident in the classroom. You will be encouraged to share your knowledge and experience, and the varied perspectives help to produce fruitful and lively discussions in seminars.

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the school/department.

Your career

Politics postgraduate students go on to work in a variety of exciting roles across the globe.

The MA International Political Economy degree will prepare you especially well for working in jobs that value an outward-looking global perspective that grasps how political and economic relationships are intertwined.

The skills developed on the degree lend themselves particularly well to careers that require advanced analysis skills. This can be in government and the wider public sector, as well as lobbying organisations, charities and private companies, as well as more overtly financial jobs in banking and insurance.

You will cover a variety of topics on the degree, from central banking to financial sector reform, development, poverty and inequality to trade policy; this means that you can shape your degree in such a way that it also prepares you for working professionally on that issue, too.

You will develop a host of transferable skills that will appeal to a range of employers. Recent graduates have secured employment with: 

• Bank of England
• Home Office
• International Development Research Network
• British Red Cross
• Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy
• WPP plc
• Ministry of Justice
• Chulalongkorn University