• Understand key contemporary Comparative Political Economy theories and approaches.
• Distinguish, differentiate, and analyze these theories and approaches through an application to a case based on the student’s independent research.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the main trends and dynamics in the maintenance and transformation of advanced capitalist societies.

The Comparative Political Economy (CPE) course introduces students to the comparative approach to understanding modern capitalism and drivers of political, economic, and social differences between societies. The course is structured around key theories and approaches for the comparison of Firms, Economies, and People. This includes theories and approaches that locate the comparative political economy of corporate governance structures, macroeconomic regimes and growth models, as well as welfare regimes and household policies.

Students will learn comparative method and the use of typology, as well as prominent theoretical traditions that offer explanations for why capitalism looks different in different societies. The strengths and weaknesses of these approaches will be explored through a series of cases in advanced capitalist societies structured around the key themes of Firms, Economies, and People. Students will learn how policies for corporate governance, financialization, macroeconomic policy, welfare, and household economies are developed in different societies.

Students will develop an essay that provides the basis for a group oral exam. The essay will apply two theories/approaches from the course to a case from their own independent research, reflecting on the benefits and deficiencies of the theories/approaches in light of the comparative empirics. Through the comparative method and typology the CPE course provides students with the means to analyze topics of relevance to government-business relations.

The CPE course supports Nordic Nine 4, “competitive in business and compassionate in society” by highlighting social and economic structural disadvantages while promoting business-minded solutions.

In relation to Nordic Nine

The Comparative Political Economy course supports the Nordic Nine

values in providing the means to understand and explain the social and politico-economic

structures that replicate both prosperity and inequality over generations (NN7), as well as

how some disadvantages can be addressed with business-minded solutions (NN4). The

course’s focus on comparative methodology supports both critical thinking and to locate

business in a broad context (NN1). The course format supports critical thinking and

constructive collaborations between students in providing a research-led assignment in

preparation for the group oral exam.

The readings are based on scholarly articles specified in the course guide. However, students looking for a textbook in Comparative Political Economy will benefit from reading: Clift, B. (2021). Comparative Political Economy: States, Markets and Global Capitalism, 2nd edition. Bloomsbury Publishing.