The module provides an introductory overview of international political economy (IPE). In the era of globalization, international economic or financial problems such as financial tsunami in 2008 have profound international and transnational ramifications. So, how will sovereign states (or non-state actors) deal with those transnational challenges that have direct impacts on economic development and national welfare?

In order to examine the problems facing multi-level players, the module explores the history of, and the current issues in IPE and introduces contending theoretical approaches of IPE to analyse them. Topics include financial de-regulation, trade liberalisation and protectionism, international investment, politics of global finance and economic regionalism.