This module on International Political Economy is concerned with the (re)production of power and wealth within the contemporary world order. The module explores complex questions and global challenges that are rooted in an understanding of power, international relations and economy. Students are asked to think critically about how the politics of the international economy is governed and through an evaluation of power and inequality. Such questions include: Why and how does the politics and economics of the world take its current form? In what ways do the structural features of the world economy shape power and visa versa, and with what consequences? In what ways does the international political economy create uneven consequences and shape interactions in the international community?  Case studies will be drawn from across the world and, in particular, from Latin America. Indicative content includes:

• Theoretical Approaches of IPE: Orthodox, Critical and Radical theories.
• The Subject of International Political Economy and its Methods
• The Evolution of the IPE: Empires and mercantilism; economic liberalism; the liberal economic order; Pax Britannica, industrial capitalism and imperialism; Power, Contemporary capitalism and global governance – who does the governing?; contemporary imperialism.
• Bretton Woods Institutions; the Washington Consensus, Post-Washington Consensus and Critique; Dismantling Embedded Liberalism; States, Markets and Institutions.
• Key issues, global challenges and responses in the IPE: Globalization and its discontents; North-South Relationships; International Trade, Finance and Development; Transnational Production; Global Division of Labour; Sustainable Development; International Security, Conflict and Migration; Culture, Indigeneity and IPE; Resistance to the Global norms; Climate change and energy security; the IPE of ideas and knowledge production

The aims of this module are four-fold:

• To provide an in-depth understanding of the historical development of the IPE.
• To provide a critical analysis of the main institutional and structural contours of the global political economy and the effects of these.
• To offer perspectives and insights that engage with, stand in contrast to and challenge dominant paradigms about power dynamics within the global political economy.
• To provide a sophisticated understanding of global issues and challenges through mainstream, critical and radical theories of IPE.

This module explores the key factors influencing the relationship between human society and the environment. The content will be divided into blocks according to specific topics:

• The theory of environmental policy (property rights, market instruments, pollution control...) and case study for contemporary environmental issues (acid rain, deforestation...)
• Natural resource economics (differences between renewable and non-renewable resources, fisheries, forests, energy resources)
• Environmental valuation techniques (Contingent valuation, Hedonic pricing, Valuation of human life, travel cost method)
• The consequences of trade over the environment through their theoretical underpinnings (Pollution havens, Porter Hypothesis, carbon leakage) and case studies
• Global environmental issues (climate change)

This module addresses key areas of the Economics subject benchmark, helping students understand how economic principles can be applied to design, guide, and interpret policies that address economic, social, and environmental issues. Building on foundational concepts introduced in other modules in Levels 4 and 5, such as externalities and market failures, this module further develops students' analytical skills for assessing and shaping policy.

The purpose of this module is to provide an introduction to the problems of economic development and the related issues of economic growth, and to relate this to theories of macroeconomics. Topics to be covered include:

• Definitions and theories of development
• Human capital and development: education and health
• Income distribution and nutrition; measurement issues
• Models of economic growth; inequality, poverty and growth
• Rural-urban migration and rural development
• Trade as a driver of development,
• Migration and growth
• Debt, Financial crisis, foreign finance and aid
• Markets, states and civil society
• Governance
• Conflict

The overarching aim of this module is to develop in students an in-depth understanding of  how  media stories, whether factual or fictional, are generated globally: by whom, why and in whose political interests are a multiplicity of stories circulated and competing? What is at stake when some stories are amplified, whilst others are invisibilised? What methods of journalism whether transnationally-disseminated  or citizen -led, serve to obscure or enlighten? How are stories  received or resisted  in distinct parts of the globe?  In what ways do popular culture narratives serve as a form of  cultural imperialism? Students will  critically analyse and evaluate the role of communication in the political sphere.

The module will cover the following areas: political and media organisations and their relationships with one another; propaganda and disinformation; globalisation, popular culture and power; theories and practice of political marketing; political campaigning; new campaigning methods; the role of spin doctors, media managers, polling companies. The role of lobbyists and public affairs agencies; political representation; theories of media analysis,  and visual decoding. Implications of new and social networking media in a range of global contexts will be considered.

The Major Independent Project in Global Affairs is designed to provide an opportunity for sustained and independent study in the final year of the Global Affairs, Politics and International Relations Programme. It intends to develop knowledge of, and critical insight into, a topic of the student's choice within the subject area under study. Students are enabled to undertake first-hand enquiry and encouraged to develop an analytical and reflective approach to the subject identified for study. The module aims to encourage the articulation of a critically informed perspective on the subject being studied. It also intends to enable the production of a coherent document of rigorous academic standards.

There are three routes within this module, each producing a major piece of written work through different methodologies and formats.

Route 1: Major Independent Project in Global Affairs: Dissertation

Route 2: Major Independent Project in Global Affairs: Policy Document

Route 3: Major Independent Project in Global Affairs: Field/Archival Immersion and Publishable Research Article

Each of these routes combine scheduled teaching and learning, individual supervision, and independent research. The number of hours for each, depend upon the route taken. In addition, those on the Field/Archival Immersion route will spend dedicated hours on this. The total number of hours for the module add up to 400.

The module concludes with a Professional Conference for students to showcase their work.