UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS OF OKLAHOMA
ECONOMICS 3773: 

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS AND GLOBALIZATION

FALL SEMESTER 2011 SYLLABUS

MWF: 10:10-11:10PM

 

Course Information

 

Instructor: Dr. Erik Guzik     

Contact: eguzik@usao.edu

Office: 312 Troutt Hall   Phone: 574-1269     

 

Course Description

 

This course seeks to explore current understandings of a world economy and globalization.  We will critically examine three existing theories of an interactive global economic system--economic nationalism, economic liberalism, and critical theory.  We will also investigate new frameworks for understanding the complex and complicated monstrosity that is an evolving global economic structure.  Our goal is to help you develop your own ideas and positions on issues that now dominate discussions of a world economy.

 

Texts and Readings              

 

Some readings will be posted online.  Others will be taken from the following texts:

 

Required:

(1) Global Political Economy: Evolution and Dynamics, Robert O’Brian and Marc Williams, Second Edition.

(2)  International Political Economy: The Struggle for Wealth and Power, Thomas Lairson and David Skidmore, Third Edition.

(3) Introduction to International Economics Study Guide, Dominick Salvatore.  You may also use International Economics texts available through library reserve, or purchase/use still other IE texts/resources.  Please, please, PLEASE, do not spend more than $20-25 on this text, as you will be expending valuable collegiate resources never to be recovered again.

 

Suggested:

(4) The Theoretical Evolution of International Political Economy, A Reader, George Crane and Abla Amawi, Second Edition.  Also available through library reserve. 

 

Course Requirements

Class Discussion and Assignments.  Discussion of assigned readings and completion of a small set of in-class assignments. 

Course Exams.  There will be two take-home exams during the semester--a midterm and a final.  Exams will consist of three essay questions on material presented and discussed in class, each essay requiring a three page answer. 

Course Project and Presentation.  A project on an activity or topic of your choice.  A 2 page proposal is due by the midterm exam date, and the final project is due by the final exam date.

 

Course Grading

Midterm Exam…….................30%

Final Exam…….......... ……....30%          

Project Proposal….................10%

Presentation............................10%

Final Project…………..............20%

 

Current Important Dates and Deadlines

 

Midterm Exam Due: October 19, 2011

Paper Outline Due:  October 19, 2011

 

Final Exam

 

 

COURSE OUTLINE

(* denotes required reading)

 

 

  Material Covered So Far   

 

 

Part I: Introduction to Course: A Global Economic System, Issues, and Positions

 

(a)       World Economy and Globalization: Introduction

 

*YaleGlobal: Overview and Economic Globalization (feel free to skim articles)

*GlobalPolicy.org:  Defining Globalization  

*Globalization Website: Globalization Debates; Globalization Issues

*Economist:  One World?

*Peter Drucker: The Global Economy and the Nation-State

*Cato Institute: Globalization: Curse or Cure?

 

The Beginning Debate

    The Potential Costs

*Nouriel Roubini: Globalization and Global Unrest

*George Stiglitz: Globalization and its Discontents, Introduction

*Pope John Paul II:  Pontifical Address and Peace Message, Parts 9 and 10.

*George Soros: The Capitalist Threat

*Jeffrey Sachs: Tripped Up By Globalisation (must register at Financial Times website)

*James K. Galbraith: Debunking the Economist -- Again

Marx Cooper:  Behind Globalization's Glitz

Immanuel Wallerstein: Globalization or The Age of Transition?

The Potential Benefits

*IMF (Anne Krueger):  Preserving the Benefits

*Cato Institute: The Benefits of Globalization (skim 2-3 articles of your choice--that is, read the summaries)

*Ben Bernanke:  Warnings Against Protectionism

*Alan Greenspan:  Remarks

*Paul Krugman: What Do Undergrads Need to Know?; Questions and Answers

*Wall St. Journal: Globalization Has Role in this Double Whammy

*Thomas Friedman: It's a Flat World, After All  

           

The Continuing Debate

 

*Globalization: Two Visions

*Paul Krugman: Threats to Globalization; Criticism of William Greider

Harvard CID: Anti-What?

George Scialabba: Criticism of Thomas Friedman 

          

Thomas Friedman: Interview on Globalization;

 

 

 

 

            (b)       Understanding a World Economy: Introduction to Current Issues and Theoretical Positions

*O’Brian and Williams, Introduction, Chap. 1

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 1

*Salvatore, Chap. 1

                       Also on Reserve:

*Crane and Amawi, Introduction.  Available online.  (Please use the password distributed in class.) 

Gilpin, Chapter 1

         

            (c)   The Elements and Logic of Globalization Theory

                        *O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 12, pp. 363-368

(d)   Importance of Current Issues and Positions (JUST SKIM THIS SECTION QUICKLY TO GET A BASIC IDEA OF THE ISSUES.  DO NOT SPEND MORE THAN 30 MINUTES ON THIS.  WE WILL RETURN TO THESE ISSUES LATER) 

World Trade, MNCs and Transnational Production, the Third World, Global Environment, Global Governance

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 2, pp. 17-22

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 5 (skim)

*O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 11 (skim) and Chap. 13 (pp. 398-407)

              

Part II:  Globalization 1.0: Beginnings of World Economy and International Economic Theory

 

Introduction

                       

(a)   History: Forging a World Economy: 1400-1750

*O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 2

*Angus Maddison: The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective, Intro and Chapter 1 (skim)

*Angus Maddison: The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective, Chapter 2, pp. 49-94 (skim). 

 

Read more carefully one of the following chapter sections. 

III: THE VENETIAN REPUBLIC, pp. 52-58

VI: THE TRADING WORLD OF CHINA, JAPAN AND THE PHILIPPINES, pp. 65-70

VII: THE PORTUGUESE IN BRAZIL, pp. 71-74

VIII: THE NETHERLANDS, pp. 75-88.

 IX: BRITAIN, pp. 89-94 only

OR ANY OTHER SECTION WITHIN THIS CHAPTER.

 

(b)   Understanding an Emergent Global Economy: The First Modern Economists: The Mercantilists

*Colbert: Message to People of Marseilles

*Mun England's Treasure by Foreign Trade, Chap. 2-3 (SKIM ONLY)

*Sumberg: Antonio Serra: A Neglected Herald of the Acquisitive System

 

(c)   Initial Response to Mercantilist Theory and Policy: Economic Liberalism

*O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 3, pp. 89-92.

*Crane and Amawi, Chapter 2.

Adam Smith, The Commercial or Mercantile System and Restraints Upon Importation

*David Ricardo, On Foreign Trade

*Salvatore, Chap. 2-3.

 

Evolution of a World Economy: 1750-1900

 

            (d)  The Industrial Revolution

*O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 3, pp. 77-85

*O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 3, pp. 85-105 (read for Gold Standard, Free Trade, and New Imperialism)

           

            New Understandings of a Global Economy 

 

(e)   Economic Nationalism

*Crane and Amawi, Chap. 1 (Intro. to Hamilton and List)          

*Hamilton:  Report on Manufactures (Read Intro, and Parts 1-6)

            *List: National Economy:  Summary and Chapter 11: Political and Cosmopolitical Economy

    

  Material Covered So Far  

   Current Material 

            (f)  Marx and Engels

*Crane and Amawi,  Chap. 3 (Intro to Marx)

Read one of the following:

*Marx, The Rise of Manufactures

*Marx, The Communist Manifesto

*Marx, On Free Trade

AND one of:

*Marx: Capital, Vol. I, Ch. 31

*Engels, Outlines of a Critique of Political Economy

  Current Material  

    

    Case Studies on the United States, Great Britain, and Japan

(g)   From Colonial Hold to Nation-State: The Case of the United States

*List, National System, Chap. 9

(h)  Rise of Liberalization in Great Britain and Europe

*Angus Maddison: The World Economy: Acceleration of Technical Progress and Real Income Growth, 1820–1913

pp. 97-101 (skim) 

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 3, pp. 43-46 (skim as review)

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 3, pp. 46-58

(i) The Case of Japan

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 3, pp. 55-57

           

Part IV Development of the Modern World Economy: 1900-Present

                       

     Global Conflict and Change

(a)   The World Wars

*O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 4, pp. 106-115

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 3, pp. 57-64.

 

    Post War Economic Evolution

(b)   Post-1945 Economic Order

*O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 4, pp. 115-133

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 4.

(c)   The Third World and Economic Development

*O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 10

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 8, pp. 239-248

(d) Dependency and World Systems Theory

*O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 7, pp. 301-302

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 8, 252-258   

Robert Cox:  Global Perestroika

Immanuel Wallerstein: Globalization or The Age of Transition? (skim, we will look at this again after TG)

(e) The Return of Japan and China, and the Case of Taiwan

PLEASE READ ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BLOCKS:

*Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 7, pp. 198-211.

OR

*Crane and Amawi, Chap. 6 Intro (Return to Statist Theories) 

Guzik, Chapter 10, pp. 354-377 (please note the lack of any asterisk on this very painful reading)

 

 Final Global Issues

(f)   Global Trade and Production

        *O’Brian and Williams, Chaps. 5 and 6

(g)   The Environment

        *O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 11

(h)   Gender

        *O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 9

Part V  New Global Trends and Summary

 

(a)   Global Governance

            *O’Brian and Williams, Chap. 13, pp. 383-398 AND one of the following (reading all the selections is not required, but will make you a better person):

            Development and Growth:  pp. 398-400

            Equality and Justice:  pp. 400-404

            Democracy and Regulation:  pp. 404-407

 

            *Lairson and Skidmore, Chap. 14, pp. 450-460.

                              

 (b) New Understandings

 

 (c) The Importance of Theory Once Again

        Lawrence H. Summers: Globalization Anxiety