MA in International Political Economy: Critical Theories, Issues, and Conflicts

Overview
Structure
Teaching
Students
Staff

Overview

Launched in October 2009, the MA in International Political Economy (IPE) concentrates on the critical comprehension, understanding, and analysis of developments in international political economy, in terms of its theories, issues and conflicts. Students will be equipped with critical analytical insights into contemporary issues such as globalisation, trans-nationalisation, development, conflict and human rights. Competency will be developed in the critical theories of and contemporary approaches to international political economy. On completing the programme students will have a deeper understanding of the historical evolution of different approaches to international political economy, and be able to apply these approaches to contemporary issues in international political economy. Students will apply the intellectual skills developed in the programme in the preparation and presentation of theoretical and/or applied analyses in the form of a dissertation.

Structure

Participants are required to take the following core modules:

Critical Theories of International Political Economy (20 credits, autumn term)

The module introduces students to different approaches and theories of international political economy, ranging from classical political economy to Marx’s critique of political economy, and from neo-liberal economics to contemporary critical theories of international political economy. Students will be made familiar with the critical ideas and arguments in political economy, their evolution, and contemporary significance and application. The module develops an Open Marxist critique of economic categories, focusing on the social processes that inform state economy relationships, market organisation, and economic developments.

Critical Issues in International Political Economy (20 credits, spring term)

The module introduces students to contemporary issues in the field of International Political Economy. Topics examined include the politics of global finance and trade; transnationalization of production; regionalism and development; and critical approaches to global governance.

Students can choose two courses among the following modules that are normally available in either the Autumn Term or Spring Term:

Finally, in the summer period all course participants will be required to complete dissertation of up to 15,000 words (90 credits) which is supported through personal supervision and a dissertation support workshop.

Diploma in International Political Economy

The Diploma student follows a similar course to a Masters student. There are three differences between a Diploma and a Masters mode of study. A Diploma student must hand in a 8,000 world long essay rather than a 15,000 word dissertation. The Diploma long essay is submitted on the Friday of Week 10 of the Summer Term. The assessment of a Diploma student is different from a Masters student. The award of the Diploma will be based on a reduced credit weighting of the Dissertation (30 credits). The Diploma is composed of the full credits for course work (90 credits), totalling 120 credits. The Diploma assessment is 16.68% for the each of the four discipline based modules, 8.28% for the Dissertation Workshop, and 25% for the diploma long essay.

Teaching

The MA in International Political Economy relies on a range of teaching methods. Most modules combine weekly one-hour lectures with longer interactive and participatory seminars. Essays are the main form of assessment in most modules. Students receive feedback from their instructors on ‘procedural essays’ at the end of term. These are designed to give students practice in essay writing and useful feedback on how to improve. Students interact regularly with staff members teaching their modules during feedback and consultation hours. Each student is also assigned an academic supervisor who is responsible for overseeing the student’s general progress and is available to offer advice. A separate dissertation supervisor will be assigned in the spring to assist with dissertation writing. Students are encouraged to attend regular department seminars where staff and post-graduate teaching and research students exchange ideas on a range of research topics.

Learning outcomes include:

Knowledge of the contemporary issues, critical theories, and competing approaches to the study of international political economy, and also of the social processes that inform them.
Understanding of:
- the impact of global economic developments on national states and their enduring indispensability for global market economies;
- the evolution of the theories of international political economy, its issues, approaches, philosophical perspectives theoretical positions on social class, state-purpose, state economy relationships and market organisation;
- of the contemporary approaches to trans-nationalisation/globalisation in critical theoretical perspective;
- and of the impact of social and political conflict on state-economy relationships.
Discipline-related and transferable skills that include:
- Preparing and presenting theoretical and applied analyses in international political economy;
- Analysing and evaluating complex information, assessment and critical scrutiny of competing approaches and issues in IPE;
- Ability to pursue independent research work, writing of concise academic papers, bibliography and other library skills, and capacity to reflect on the frameworks and concepts provided by the programme, to complete work within set deadlines.
- Development of oral presentational skills, and capacity to work in groups and to pursue independent study.

Students

Gyu Lee

MA in International Political Economy, 2009-10

"It seems questioning the existing ideas of mainstream IPE has become essential, not optional in the wake of the global financial crisis. This is why I decided to do the MA in IPE here at the University of York. The course provided me with a good chance to lay the theoretical foundation ranging from Adam Smith and Karl Marx's contribution to classical political economy to neo-Gramscian and Polanyian approaches to global production and finance. It was an intellectual springboard enabled me to critically interpret diverse global phenomena including the current global crisis. The fascinating intellectual experience as well as approachable professors made me decide to make a further study as a PhD student under the guidance of Prof. Werner Bonefeld and Dr. Nicole Lindstrom."