SYLLABUS:

INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY

COURSE # 790:327:90 AND 790:327:91

FALL 2015

INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Daniel Herman

Email address: dlh2108@columbia.edu

Phone number: 973-655-7576

Office hours: By Appointment

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Course Overview

Course DeliveryThis course is fully online. To access the course, please visit sakai.rutgers.edu . For more information about course access or support, contact the Sakai Help Desk via email at sakai@rutgers.edu or call 848-445-8721.

Course Description and Learning Objectives

After completing this course, students will understand the micro political economy approach to political behavior, and the ways in which it clarifies our understanding of global affairs.

In Part I, students will focus on the concepts and theories that form the foundation for understanding international political economy.

In Part II, students will study the micro- level conditions and mechanisms that influence political and economic outcomes and how domestic concerns and interest groups may influence actors’ decision- making to set priorities that are not objectively logical.

Finally, Part III, students will use the insights of Parts I and II to make sense of the changes in the global political economy over the past two hundred years.

This covers the periods from the end of the Napoleonic Wars through industrialization and the development of globalization; the breakdown in globalization and cooperation during the interwar years; the revival of globalization during the Bretton Woods period and transition to the post–Bretton Woods period; and the current era of global financial liberalization, its crises, and responses to those crises.

PrerequisitesThere are no prerequisites for this course.

Important DatesThe course begins on 9/1/15 and ends on 12/13/15.

The last day to drop the course without a “W” grade is 9/8/15

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Course Materials

Required TextAndrew Sobel (SAGE Publications, Inc., 2013)

International Political Economy in Context: Individual Choices, Global Effects

http://www.coursesmart.com/IR/5090830/9781608717118

ISBN-13 9781608717118 (paperback)

Required Videos and/or Website MaterialsSee Course Website

Technology Requirements

Baseline technical skills necessary for online courses

Basic computer and web-browsing skills

Navigating Sakai

Required EquipmentComputer: current Mac (OS X) or PC (Windows 7 or newer) with high-speed internet connection

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Assessment

Assignment SummaryBelow are the assignments required for this course and the value of each assignment to the course grade as a whole. Please refer to the course calendar (on Sakai) and/or the course schedule (below) for specific due dates.

Assignments Percentage

Weekly quizzes on the textbook chapters 45%

Weekly quizzes on supplementary video presentations 35%

Weekly participation in course discussion forum:

Original Forum Post + Response to 2 classmates20%

Total 100%

See course schedule, below, for due dates.

Assignment Overview

Weekly quizzes on the textbook chapters

Each week, you will be required to take a quiz on the textbook chapter for the current week.

To help you study for the weekly quiz, I have prepared the following study aids:

A brief video lecture on weekly textbook chapter summarizing the highlights and the topics that are likely to be on the quiz

A video presentation of the Powerpoint slides provided by the publisher in which I am narrating from the relevant passages of the weekly textbook chapter

Practice quizzes on the weekly chapter from the publisher’s website

Each weekly test is timed to allow approximately 30 seconds per question.

You may take the weekly quiz twice. The average score will be recorded in the gradebook.

If you choose to take the quiz a second time, be aware that

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some new questions will be asked

all questions and answers will be presented in random order.

If you are satisfied with your score on the first attempt, there is no need to take it a second time. If you take it a second time, you are strongly urged to re-read the textbook and not try to outguess the quiz.

Please re-read the section on Academic Integrity above and be aware that severe penalties await those who try to cheat on these quizzes.

Weekly quizzes on supplementary video presentations

Each week, you will be required to take a quiz on a video presentation from YouTube or PBS.

These videos are intended to show International Political Economy in “real life” both historically and in the current world.

After you have watched the video assignments, your comprehension will be assessed with the aid of online quizzes.

Each weekly test is timed to allow approximately 30 seconds per question.

You may only take the weekly quiz once.

Please re-read the section on Academic Integrity above and be aware that severe penalties await those who try to cheat on these quizzes.

Weekly participation in discussion forum

Each Monday morning, I will publish a Discussion Question on a topic of relevance to IPE.

This question may be accompanied by a video clip.

Examples:

the debt restructuring talks between Greece and the EU, ECB and IMF;

outlook for the Chinese economic slowdown (or stock market bubble);

developments in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (or other international trade negotiations);

regulatory reforms related to Dodd-Frank

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Each student is required reply to my post by Tuesday evening. Your post should include at least two complete sentences. Please see the Grading Rubric for Discussion Questions for other details.

To further facilitate this “virtual class”, I will randomly assign everyone to a group of 4-5 students. By Sunday night, you are required to respond to two (2) posts from members of your team (hence the need for everyone to make an initial response by Wednesday mornings).

Again, your post should include at least two complete sentences. Please see the Grading Rubric for Discussion Questions for other details.

Grading Scale(Source: Rutgers standard undergraduate grade scale)

Grade Range

A 90 – 100

B+ 85 – 89

B 80 – 84

C+ 75 – 79

C 70 – 74

D 60 – 69

F Below 60

Student Participation ExpectationsBecause this is an online course, your attendance is based on your online activity and participation. The following is a summary of everyone's expected participation:

Logging in: AT LEAST FIVE TIMES PER WEEKBe sure you are logging in to the course in Sakai each week, including weeks with holidays or weeks with minimal online course activity. (During most weeks you will probably log in many times.) If you have a situation that might cause you to miss an entire week of class, discuss it with me as soon as possible.

Time CommitmentTo be successful in this course, you should plan to dedicate approximately 8-10 hours per week.

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Office hours and live sessions: All live, scheduled events for the course, including my office hours, are optional. If you are required to discuss an assignment with me, please contact me at the beginning of the week if you need a time outside my scheduled office hours.

Participating in discussion forums: 3 OR MORE TIMES PER WEEKAs participation, each week you can expect to post at least three times as part of our substantive class discussion on the week's topics.

Discussion and Communication GuidelinesThe following are my expectations for how we should communicate as a class. Above all, please remember to be respectful and thoughtful.

Writing style: While there is no need to participate in class discussions as if you were writing a research paper, you should remember to write using good grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Informality (including an occasional emoticon) is fine for non-academic topics. Please also refrain from using all CAPITAL LETTERS, as this is often interpreted as shouting.

Tone and civility: Let's maintain a supportive learning community where everyone feels safe and where people can disagree amicably. Remember that sarcasm doesn't always come across online. Treat your instructor and fellow students with respect at all times, and in all communications.

Citing your sources: When we have academic discussions, please cite your sources to back up what you say. (For the textbook or other course materials, list at least the title and page numbers. For online sources, include a link.)

Backing up your work: Consider composing your academic posts in a word processor, where you can save your work, and then copying into the Sakai discussion.

Support and Policies

Late Work This course is structured around weekly assignments beginning Monday mornings at noon and ending Sunday nights at 11PM.

The weekly assignments must be submitted within this time frame.

No late work will be accepted unless discussed and approved with the instructor via Skype at a mutually convenient time.

Late work will only be accepted if accompanied by a note from your physician or hospital.

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Faculty Feedback and Response TimeI am providing the following list to give you an idea of my intended availability throughout the course. (Remember that you can email sakai@rutgers.edu or call 848-445-8721 if you have a technical problem.)

Grading and Feedback

Assignment Grading Timeframe

Weekly Textbook Chapter Immediately after conclusion of quiz

Weekly Supplementary Video Presentations Immediately after conclusion of quiz

Weekly discussion forum Within one week after closing of weekly forum on Sunday night

E-mailI will reply to e-mails within one day of receipt. To ensure a timely response, please include (“790:327” in subject line of your email)

Discussion BoardMentioned in above chart

Academic Integrity

The consequences of scholastic dishonesty are very serious. Please review the Rutgers’ academic integrity policy .

Academic integrity means, among other things:

Develop and write all of your own assignments. Show in detail where the materials you use in your papers come from. Create citations

whether you are paraphrasing authors or quoting them directly. Be sure always to show source and page number within the assignment and include a bibliography in the back.

Do not fabricate information or citations in your work.

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Do not facilitate academic dishonesty for another student by allowing your own work to be submitted by others.

If you are in doubt about any issue related to plagiarism or scholastic dishonesty, please discuss it with your instructor.

Other sources of information to which you can refer include:

Rutgers’ Academic Integrity website

Code of Student Conduct

Eight Cardinal Rules of Academic Integrity

Academic Support Services Rutgers has a variety of resources for academic support. For more information, check

the Academic Support website . Rutgers has Learning Centers on each campus where any student can obtain tutoring

and other help. For information, check the Learning Center website . Rutgers also has a Writing Center where students can obtain help with writing skills and

assignments. Learn more at the Writing Center website . Many library resources are available online. Assistance is available through phone,

email, and chat. For information, check the Rutgers Libraries website .

Rutgers Health Services Rutgers Health Services is dedicated to health for the whole student body, mind and

spirit. It accomplishes this through a staff of qualified clinicians and support staff, and delivers services at a number of locations throughout the New Brunswick-Piscataway area. For more information, check the Rutgers Health Services website .

Accommodations for Accessibility

Requesting accommodationsRutgers University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University's educational programs. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, a student with a disability must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. More information can be found in the Documentation Guidelines section of the Office for Disability Services website.

If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with a Letter of Accommodations. Please share this

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letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. To begin this process, please complete the Registration Form on the Office for Disability Services website.

Go to the Student section of the Office of Disability Services website for more information.

Accessibility and Privacy Links

Accessibility StatementsBlackboard

eCollege

Moodle

Sakai

Privacy PoliciesBlackboard

eCollege

Moodle

Sakai

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Course Schedule and Deadlines

Template for Weekly Activities

Each week’s activities follows the format shown in this chart:

A. Weekly chapter from Sobel’s “International Political Economy in Context”

A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter

A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapter

A.3. Read weekly textbook chapter

A.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)

A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter

A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)

Supplementary video(s)

B.1. Watch supplementary video(s)

B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s)

Weekly Forum topic

C.1. Post your response to the weekly Forum topic by Tuesday night of current week

C.2. Post two (2) responses to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic by Sunday night of current week

Each of the following weekly charts may be used as a checklist for the student’s weekly progress

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Week 1: 9/1-13/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 1: “Introduction: Political Economy, Rationality, and

Social Science”A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 9/13/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary video

Course Welcome and Introduction to IPE Videos on homepageB.2. No quiz on supplementary videosC.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic9/7/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

9/13/15

Week 2: 9/14-20/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 2: “Structure, Nation-States, Power, and Order in an

International Context”A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 9/20/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary video

Niall Ferguson’s “The Ascent of Money Episode 1: From Bullion to Bubbles”

B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 9/20/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic9/15/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

9/20/15

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Week 3: 9/21-27/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 3: “Economic Liberalism and Market Exchange in the

Global Arena”A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 9/27/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary video: Niall Ferguson’s “The Ascent of

Money Episode 2: Bonds of War”B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 9/27/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic9/22/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

9/27/15

Week 4: 9/28-10/4/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 4: “The Micro Approach to Political and Economic

Markets in Theory and Practice”A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 10/4/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary video

Niall Ferguson’s “The Ascent of Money Episode 3: Risky Business”

B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 10/4/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic9/29/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

10/4/15

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Week 5: 10/5-11/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 5: “The Dilemma of Collective Action: Who Organizes,

Who Does Not, and Why”A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 10/11/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary videos

“Global Exchange: Free Trade and Protectionism” “Promoting Free Trade in the Victorian Era”B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 10/11/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic10/6/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

10/11/15

Week 6: 10/12-18/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 6: “Hegemony, Cooperation, and Globalization”A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 10/18/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary video

The Commanding Heights Episode 2: “The Agony of Reform”B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 10/18/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic10/13/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

10/18/15

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Week 7: 10/19-25/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 7: “Interest Groups and International Economic

Foundations of Political Cleavage”A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 10/25/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary video

Commanding Heights Episode 3: “The New Rules of the Game”B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 10/25/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic10/20/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

10/25/15

Week 8: 10/26-11/1/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 8: “The Role of Institutions in Political and Economic

Market Failure”A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 11/1/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary video

“Global Capital Market: Risks and Rewards” “International Capital Mobility and the ‘Impossible Trinity’

Nixon Ends Bretton Woods International Monetary SystemB.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 11/1/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic10/27/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

11/1/15

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Week 9: 11/2-8/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 9: “Around the World in Eighty Days: A Stage of

Modern Globalization “A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 11/8/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary video

“The Ascent of Money Episode 4: Planet Finance”B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 11/8/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic11/3/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

11/8/15

Week 10: 11/9-15/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 10: “The World between the Wars: A Breakdown in

Globalization”A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 11/15/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary video

“Lori Wallach Free Trade—How Free Is It”“Lori Wallach, Free Trade—The Price Paid”“Lori Wallach of Public Citizen and Professor Jane Kelsey”

B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 11/15/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic11/10/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

11/15/15

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Week 11: 11/16-22/15Activity Due Status

A. Chapter 11: “The Bretton Woods System: The Rebuilding of Globalization”

A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 11/22/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary videos

International Spread of Depression1944 Bretton Woods International Monetary ConferenceSmithsonian International Monetary Negotiations of 1971Plaza Accord of 1985 Leads to Dollar DepreciationBritain Abandons Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992The Mexican Peso Crisis of the Mid-1990s

B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 11/22/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic11/16/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

11/22/15

Week 12: 11/23-29/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 12: The World Post–Bretton Woods: Globalization

AdvancesA.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 11/29/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. Watch supplementary videos

PBS Frontline: “Money, Power & Wall Street” (Part 1 and 2)B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 11/29/15C.1. Weekly Forum topic Post your response to the weekly topic 11/24/15C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s

response to the weekly Forum topic11/29/15

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Week 13: 11/30-12/6/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 13: Détente and the End of the Cold War:

Globalization during TransitionA.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 12/6/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)

Watch supplementary videos PBS Frontline: “Money, Power & Wall Street” (Part 3 and 4)

B.2. Take quiz on supplementary video(s) 12/6/15Weekly Forum topic

C.1. Post your response to the weekly Forum topic 12/1/15C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s

response to the weekly Forum topic12/6/15

Week 14: 12/7-13/15Code Activity Due StatusA. Chapter 14: “Into the Future: Political and Economic Market

Failures and Threats to Globalization”A.1. Listen to lecture on weekly textbook chapter A.2. Watch Powerpoint presentation on weekly textbook chapterA.3. Read weekly textbook chapterA.4. Take practice quiz on weekly chapter (publisher’s website)A.5. Take “live” quiz on weekly chapter 12/13/15A.6. Repeat “live” quiz on weekly chapter (optional)B.1. No supplementary videos B.2. No quiz on supplementary videoC.1. Weekly Forum topic

Post your response to the weekly Forum topic12/8/15

C.2. Post your response to the initial response of a team member’s response to the weekly Forum topic

12/13/15