English   Danish

2023/2024  KAN-CPOLO1802U  Applied International Political Economy

English Title
Applied International Political Economy

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BSc/MSc i International Business and Politics, MSc
Course coordinator
  • Lindsay Whitfield - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • International political economy
Teaching methods
  • Blended learning
Last updated on 15-08-2023

Relevant links
Learning objectives
  • Explain the key concepts and propositions of the theoretical approaches studied;
  • Critically analyze, compare and discuss various theories with a clear understanding of differences and relations between them;
  • Explain the main features of the empirical examples studied in the course;
  • Relate theories to empirical cases and draw practical implications
  • Draw upon the theories to pose, discuss and answer research questions in international political economy, in accordance with the expected academic standards of the IBP programme
Course prerequisites
This is not an introductory course to International Political Economy, thus successful participation requires a foundation in this discipline. Students without a foundation in IPE similar to what is provided by the IBP bachelor program are strongly recommended to read, before the course starts, at the very minimum an IPE textbook and attend the first two preparatory lectures specifically dedicated to them. These lectures are also open to other students who may want to refresh their knowledge on this topic. We recommend reading the following textbook:
O’Brien, Robert and Williams, Marc (2020) Global Political Economy. Evolution and Dynamics. Sixth Edition, Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan
Examination
Applied International Political Economy:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
Assignment type Written assignment
Release of assignment The Assignment is released in Digital Exam (DE) at exam start
Duration 2 weeks to prepare
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Autumn, The exam duration and hand-in can be found in Digital Exams.
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
A new exam assignment must be answered. This applies to all students (failed, ill, or otherwise)
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

This course examines the relations between business, political institutions and non-governmental organizations – and how they shape the governance of international business. It is an advanced and specialized course that focuses on the research frontiers in selected topics within International Political Economy, with an emphasis on transnational dimensions and interactions. The course covers a selection of key theoretical debates and their research-based empirical applications – in view of providing the tools for a nuanced understanding of real-world challenges and their possible solutions.

The course focuses on two main themes:

  • The transnational governance of international business, with particular attention to the functioning of global value chains and global wealth chains;
  • How international regimes and organizations seek to govern and impact international business, with particular focus on sustainability issues and finance.

The purpose of the course is to provide an in-depth understanding of theoretical and empirical debates and research results in these topics, and a solid foundation for engaging in independent research projects in the field of International Political Economy.

For those who do not have a previous foundation in IPE, the course includes two preliminary sessions that are explicitly designed to provide an introduction to the main tenets and thematic fields of the discipline. These sessions are also open to students who have taken IPE courses before, but feel they need a short refresher.

 

In relation to Nordic Nine

The Applied International Political Economy course incorporates most of the Nordic Nine. By examining how firms operate in the global economy through multiple theoretical approaches, concrete industry cases, and incorporating a non-Eurocentric perspective, the course addresses NN1, NN2, NN6 and NN8. Through examining the drivers of the global green transition, including government regulations, innovation and the predominant role of Asian countries, the course addresses NN3, NN7, and NN4. Through exploring the multiple dimensions of global wealth chains, finance, and taxation (or the lack of it) as well as the geopolitics and security tensions around global competition at the technological frontier, students engage with complex issues that contain ambiguity and ethical dilemmas (NN2, NN5).
Description of the teaching methods
Each teaching session takes place in-person and is divided in two main parts: a first part consisting of a lecture covering the main theoretical and analytical aspects related to the topic at hand; and a second part dedicated to Q&A and plenary debate.

This course includes exercise sessions that cover thematic areas from the course. For these sessions, students are assigned randomly to parallel groups.
Feedback during the teaching period
We seek to provide continuous feedback and establish an ongoing dialogue with students. This will take place:

(a) individually, on-demand, during office hours;

(b) collectively in plenary sessions, during the plenary discussion and Q&A periods, when pre-communicated questions will be discussed and oral feedback provided; and

(c) collectively, in smaller groups, during the exercise sessions; these sessions include student presentations – where they will receive oral feedback both from their peers and from faculty – and a quiz and resultant feedback on its results – to help students assess how far along they are getting in meeting the learning objectives of the course.
Student workload
Preparation time (readings, group work etc.) 105 hours
Lectures / discussion sessions/ class exercises / quizzes 30 hours
Exam (incl. preparation for the exam and actual exam period) 75 hours
Expected literature

There is no textbook for the course, except for the two preliminary sessions. The readings consist of journal articles, papers, and book chapters, which are made available on Canvas or are available online or via the CBS Library.
Last updated on 15-08-2023