Transforming the Global Political Economy

The course is an in-depth course in the second cycle and can be studied as a single subject course.
The course can be part of the following program: 1) Master's Program in Global Studies (S2GST)

Entry to the course requires 20 credits of completed second cycle courses in the field of global studies, social sciences or equivalent.

The current global political economy is at a crossroad. Organizations like IMF, World Economic forum and IPCC all agree that the unsustainable use of energy and material resources will have to change. This will have not only vast ecological but also social, economic and geopolitical consequences. At the same time the global economy is becoming increasingly multipolar and fragmented, and the multilateral institutional order is drifting towards reduced relevance for the global development as geopolitics and geoeconomics increasingly determine developments. In this course students will learn about the role of markets, regulation, policies, social mobilization and international institutions, and practice to analyse this complicated situation with the overall purpose to substantiate how a just transition to a low-carbon economy could be designed, institutionalized and function. Different ideological approaches such as green growth, degrowth and green new deal will be used to organize critical discussions over how different sustainable futures can take form in the global political economy. The course will look at the current situation and possible future shifts from different substantive perspectives, starting with a theorization of global economic order, global finance, trade and development. The overall aim is to make students capable of using concepts and theories from GPE to analyse what a just global sustainability transition could be.

After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding 

• account for different theories about transformations of the global political economy. 
• identify and describe how important actors, institutions and structures in the global economy relate and contribute to global economic change. 

Skills and abilities 

• analyse power, justice and agency in the current global economic transformation. 
• discuss and analyse how different Global Political Economy (GPE) theories relate to sustainability policies. 

Judgement and approach 

• critically reflect on sustainability and other transformation projects and policies with concepts and theory from Global Political Economy research.

The course is given with a combination of lectures, seminars, and student-led sessions.

Language of instruction: English

Examination consists of one individually written essay worth 4.5 credits, and four seminars with compulsory attendance worth 3 credits. The essay is graded U/G/VG (Fail/Pass/High Pass) and the seminars are graded U/G (Pass/Fail). If absent from a compulsory seminar the student will have to do a make-up assignment.

Any restrictions regarding the use of generative AI (genAI) applications are indicated on the course's Canvas page (or equivalent). Students are obliged to inform themselves about the applicable rules for written assignments, seminar tasks, and exams in the current course.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed. The same applies to placement and internship (VFU) except that this is restricted to only one further examination session.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

• The individual essay, including presentation and peer review, is graded on a three level scale (U-G-VG). 
• Seminar attendance and presentations are grade on a two level scale (U-G). 

To be awarded a Pass grade (G) for the course requires active participation in all seminars and a pass in the final examination. To be awarded Pass with Distinction (VG) for the course requires fulfilment of the criteria for Pass, as well as a Pass with Distinction in the individual essay.

The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.