International Political Economy

Lectures

Here are some examples of the topics of our weekly lectures: the variety & transformations of Capitalism (from industrial to neoliberal, platform or 'crack up' capitalism), Global Production, Trade & Labour, The Financialisation of the Global Economy, The Political Economy of Regionalism (the case of the EU), the role of International Financial Institutions, Artifical Intelligence, Development & Emerging Economies, The Environment, etc.
 

Seminars

Two assignments are done in class, during seminars that take place throughout the semester:
Case-Study Analysis
Policy Brief
Attending seminars is compulsory.

During the course, students will develop the ability to:

1. Identify the main actors (regional and international organisations, government and public service, non-governmental organisations, think-tanks, the private sector, citizens), trends and dynamics of today’s global political economy.
2. Acquire knowledge of the functioning rules, practices, and challenges involved in inter-national economic regulation and governance.
3. Produce contextualised and critical analysis of IPE that is relevant for the media, academia, policy-makers, think-tanks, the private sector, or civil society (trade-unions, NGOs).
4. Improve their ability to participate in real-life and policy-oriented discussions about the global economy.
5. Use theoretical and analytical tools to approach specific topics, including current events and concrete situations of everyday life.
6. Identify the main topics and debates, arguments, and theories of the discipline of IPE.
7. Improve their ability to write academic essays, policy briefs, policy recommendations, and case-study synthesis.

Each lecture may typically include:

• A lecture on the main aspects of the weekly topic;

• The presentation of case-studies. They usually have a geographical focus or are inspired by the news;
• The use of interactive media such as maps, videos (e.g. documentaries, films or interviews with relevant actors or academics), press articles;
• Group work sessions; and,
• A discussion about the readings

Required work for each session

Before each lecture, students must prepare two readings (indicated as ‘compulsory’ on the list and uploaded on the UV). Each student should be prepared to present and reflect critically upon the weekly readings in class. Seminars (= Travaux Pratiques) are based on in-class assignments that will systematically be graded. As a consequence, your presence is compulsory to these assignments as well as feedback sessions with the TA. Specific instructions for each assignment are provided in this syllabus or in documents on the UV.

Course notes

• Université virtuelle

Contacts

Office : R 41.4.201 (REPI/ Institut d’Études Européennes)
Office hours: check the syllabus (& please make an appointment by email beforehand)
Webpage: https://repi.phisoc.ulb.be/fr/membres/corpsacademique/
professeur%C2%B7e%C2%B7s/isaline-bergamaschi
Email : isaline.bergamaschi@ulb.be
When addressing me in person or in an email, please call me Prof. (instead of Miss or Mrs),
indicate the course’s name and be as specific in framing your requests as you can. Be aware
that emails will not be replied to (i) if they do not include an object and main text (i.e. only an
attachment) and (ii) if the answer to your question(s) can be found in this course syllabus.
Erasmus students are welcome to follow this course !

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• written examination
• Other

written examination

• Open question with short answer
• Open question with developed answer

Other

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

Grading:

1. Reading Note: 20% of the final grade

1 page. 12pt Times New Roman. Single spacing.

Each week, students are required to write a one-page answer to the question indicated for each session in the syllabus. Two reading notes per student will be randomly graded during the semester (one during the first 6 sessions of the course, the second during the 6 last sessions of the course). Papers have to be uploaded on the UV before the lecture or be printed and handed in class.

If students cannot come to class, they have to let us know (by email), and upload their reading note on the UV BEFORE class. If they do not have an acceptable excuse for, or do not give previous notice of, their absence, or if they fail to upload the note before class, they will get a zero for the reading note for that session.

2. Case-Study Synthesis: 20% 
3. Policy Brief: 20% 
4. Final exam: 40% (date to be determined – 3 hours – no word count): academic essay (‘dissertation’ in French) OR case-study analysis/ policy brief.

Plagiarism & AI

Plagiarism will automatically result in a 0 grade for the course and a formal examination procedure will be launched by then dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social sciences. Using artificial intelligence is forbidden, unless indicated otherwise and explicitly by the Professor and/or TA.

Language(s) of evaluation

• english