International Political Economy and the Welfare State

The course has two main objectives. First, it aims at introducing students to the contemporary study of international political economy (IPE), by providing them with the conceptual and analytical tools to address and understand how politics and economics interact at the global, regional and national level. To this end, the course will discuss the major theoretical and analytical frameworks in the field of IPE and apply them to important contemporary empirical issues related to the impact and implications of globalization. Second, the course aims at providing the fundamental theoretical and analytical tools for the comparative study of welfare state development and reform. In doing so, the course will focus on cross-national and cross-regime comparisons of welfare state institutions, addressing both long-term transformations and recent developments.

By the end of the course, students are expected to acquire a basic knowledge and critical understanding of key topics in international political economy and comparative welfare state research, including: the integration of national economies and financial markets; global trade regimes and global value chains; the crisis of democratic capitalism; the variety of welfare regimes; the political economy of European welfare capitalism; the new politics of the welfare state; the social investment turn. Through the critical review of selected case studies, students will also develop the ability to apply their knowledge and understanding to address contemporary empirical issues in the fields of international political economy and welfare state reform.