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Political economy addresses a wide range of issues, including the ways in which public policies and institutions shape economic performance and the distribution of income and economic power; the impact of public policies on the evolution of economic institutions and relationships over time; and the ways in which economic performance impinges upon governmental decision making and political stability. This course examines the American political economy. We are thus concerned with examining the above-mentioned issues to better understand how patterns of state-economy relations have changed over the course of the past century and the ways in which this evolutionary process has affected and reflected the development and expansion of the American state. A special emphasis will be placed on economic globalization in the contemporary period. We will explore a number of questions, including: How does the contemporary wave of corporate restructuring and the emergence of global production networks impact on the income and job security of workers in the United States? How can one reconcile the heightened insecurity faced by workers with recent welfare reform efforts and the lack of a coherent fiscal policy? How does global production in a free trade regime impact on environmental quality and the efficacy of existing environmental regulations? Can we adjust existing policies and institutions to better manage the tensions inherent in the contemporary political economy? Although there is no prerequisite for this course, students will find previous exposure to courses in American politics, economics, and quantitative methods an asset.
COURSE FORMAT: Lecture
Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: NONE Grading Mode: Graded
Prerequisites: NONE Links to Web Resources For This Course.
Last Updated on MAR-21-2005
Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459