POLS6021 Comparative Political Economy

Course Code: POLS6021

Course Tutor: Dr Jan-Emmanuel de Neve (Department of Political Science)

Length: One Term

Teaching: 20 hours lectures/seminars

Assessment: Two 2000 word essays (40/60%)

Credits: 0.5 course units/4 US Credits/7.5 ECTS Credits

About this course

This course is designed to introduce students to the study of Comparative Political Economy (CPE). The course surveys topics and theories on the interplay of politics and economics across the advanced democracies. The goal of this course is twofold: (1) to gain a sense of the differences in economic policy and performance across developed countries and (2) to better understand the sources and consequences of this variation. The following topics central to understanding CPE will receive special attention: institutions and economic performance, varieties of capitalism and institutional complementarities, inequality, redistribution and the welfare state.

By the end of the course, students will have a better knowledge of the comparative political economy of the advanced democracies. Students will also have been taught a number of analytical approaches and concepts that will aid in their understanding of the interplay between economics and politics in a comparative setting.

This course will not be running in 2013/14