DWA 103 — Introduction to Global Political Economy

Diplomacy and World Affairs, Occidental College — Fall 2026

Professor: Igor Logvinenko Email: ilogvinenko@oxy.edu Office: 210 Johnson Hall Meetings: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10:05–11:25 AM (Johnson 303) Office Hours: By Appointment: in person, Thursdays 3:00–4:30 PM (210 Johnson Hall); via Zoom, Wednesdays 2:00–3:30 PM. Sign up for a slot here.

Course Description

An undergraduate survey of the field of Global Political Economy (GPE), required for Diplomacy and World Affairs majors and intended for students with some background in International Relations and Economics. The first part of the course covers the foundational theories of global political economy; the second explores globalization with a focus on trade, finance, energy, and economic development. During the second half of the semester, students write a literature review project on a topic of their choice. This course fulfills the Global Connections (CPGC) requirement of the college.

Course Objectives

This course covers the major theoretical traditions in global political economy (liberalism, realism/mercantilism, constructivism, and Marxism) and then applies them to trade, finance, energy, and development. Students acquire research and writing skills by preparing a literature review assignment on a topic of their choice.

Student Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

1. Identify and contrast the core claims of the four main GPE traditions, and say what evidence would count for or against each
2. Summarize and evaluate a scholarly argument in the field (claims, evidence, and assumptions) in writing and out loud
3. Locate, assess, and cite scholarly sources on a GPE topic
4. Write a 2,500–3,000-word literature review that organizes a body of scholarship around a research puzzle in the conventions of the social sciences
5. Apply a GPE framework to current or past events and defend the application

Course Workload

DWA 103 is a 4-unit course. On average, you should expect to spend at least twelve (12) hours a week (including in-class time) on this course.

Required Text

• Helleiner, Eric. 2023. The Contested World Economy: The Deep and Global Roots of International Political Economy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Referred to as CWE.)
• Remaining readings can be accessed electronically. Most are collected in this shared Google Drive folder.

Available at the bookstore, on course reserve, or online (rental, ebook, or hardcopy).

Course Structure

Tuesday classes generally begin with an overview of the week’s material. Thursdays are devoted to discussion in groups. Students come prepared with discussion questions framed around the readings, alternating between two roles from week to week. Connector — connects previous readings (and specific passages) to the current week’s material and constructs a question to stimulate discussion. Applier — applies the week’s material to real-world events (contemporary or historical, reported in reputable outlets), explaining why and how the framework applies. Keep all discussion questions in one document (e.g., a Google Doc); they may be reviewed during the semester.

Assignments

1. Participation (25%)

• About 20 percent: active and productive participation in class discussion. Strong participation builds on prepared notes rather than reading them aloud, cites passages, and takes up others’ points; adequate participation is prepared and speaking but stays on the talking points; weak participation is silent presence or talking without prepared questions. Attendance at relevant campus speaker events counts toward participation.
• Five percent: attendance at DWA events. Attend at least two DWA-sponsored events related to global politics (broadly understood) and submit a one-page (single-spaced) response by email within a week of each — naming the talk title and speaker(s), briefly describing the event’s purpose, and connecting it to a theme from the course. Essays are graded complete/not complete; two completed essays earn an A on this part of the participation grade.

Attendance. Attendance at class meetings is required. Absences for illness, family emergencies, or days of faith and conscience may be excused: notify the professor as early as possible to arrange another way to demonstrate the week’s preparation. Missing more than two weeks’ worth of meetings will affect your grade.

2. Two In-Class Quizzes (10%)

Short handwritten quizzes: a few identifications plus one paragraph, in the first 10–15 minutes of class. The higher of the two scores counts double; the lower counts half. Quiz 1: Thursday, September 17. Quiz 2: Thursday, October 29.

3. Blue-Book Midterm (25%)

In-class, handwritten, Thursday, October 8 (before Fall Break). The question pool will be circulated in advance (Thursday, September 24).

4. Literature Review (40%)

A 2500-3000-word review of the literature on a GPE topic (excluding bibliography), expanding on a course topic or one of your own choosing, after consulting with the professor. Example topics: China–US rivalry; global kleptocracy; the green/circular economy; gender and the global economy; corporate citizenship and responsibility; the rise of populism/authoritarianism; the sustainable development goals (SDGs); social and economic rights. Three parts:

• Description & annotated bibliography (10%) — due Thursday, November 5
• Presentation (10%) — week of November 17 (5 minutes each, hard stop, plus questions)
• Final draft in narrative form (20%) — due Thursday, December 10 (finals period); no 48-hour extension; graded on the rubric distributed with the assignment

Grade Distribution

A: 93–100 | A−: 90–92.9 | B+: 87–89.9 | B: 83–86.9 | B−: 80–82.9 C+: 77–79.9 | C: 73–76.9 | C−: 70–72.9 D+: 67–69.9 | D: 60–66.9 | F: below 60

Final exam. There is no final exam in this course. The final literature review is due Thursday, December 10, during the finals period.

Mid-Semester Progress Reports. Mid-semester progress reports are not intended to be used as determinative or predictive of the final grade in a course, but to provide an opportunity for the faculty to communicate an approximate estimation of progress by the students in the course by the midpoint of the current semester. I will submit yours during the Fall 2026 reporting window (October 5–18). Please review your report before you meet with your academic advisor.

Incompletes. You are eligible for an incomplete if you have completed at least one-third of the graded work, that work is of passing quality, and the Dean of Students Office has verified a personal circumstance that prevented you from finishing. Even then, the decision rests with the professor. In this course an incomplete will normally be granted only when the only outstanding work is the final paper.

Key Dates

• Thu Sep 10 — no class (instructor away; documentary lab)
• Thu Sep 17 — Quiz 1
• Thu Sep 24 — midterm question pool circulated
• Thu Oct 8 — blue-book midterm (in class)
• Tue Oct 13 — no class (instructor travel)
• Thu Oct 15 — no class (Fall Break, Oct 15–16)
• Thu Oct 29 — Quiz 2
• Thu Nov 5 — annotated bibliography due
• Tue Nov 10 & Thu Nov 12 — literature review workshops (peer-review worksheet due in class Thu Nov 12)
• Week of Nov 17 (Nov 17 & 19) — literature review presentations
• Tue Nov 24 — remaining presentations & wrap-up (Thanksgiving Nov 26, no class)
• Thu Dec 10 — final literature review due (finals period)

Young Initiative Speakers

All talks are 12–1pm (In Choi Auditorium, unless noted otherwise). Attendance counts toward participation.

• Thu Sep 3 — Amb. Virginia Palmer (Stuart Chevalier Professor of the Practice, Diplomacy & World Affairs), “Q&A + International Careers”
• Thu Sep 17 — Sergii Glebov (UC Irvine/Odesa National University), “Russia’s War on Ukraine and European (In)Security” (room Choi)
• Thu Sep 24 — Jason Bell, Operation Sparrow author talk
• Thu Oct 29 — Daniel Treisman (UCLA), co-author of Spin Dictators, on how modern autocrats rule through political spin
• Wed Nov 4 — Leah Stokes (UCSB), The Carbon Wave — how the largest US climate investment was built
• Thu Nov 12 — Phillip Ayoub (UCL), on the global resistance to LGBTIQ rights

Course Policies

Communication

Email replies within 24 hours on weekdays, 48 on weekends. If you have not heard back after that, follow up.

Late Assignments

48-hour grace period after each deadline, no questions asked. For every 24-hour period after the end of the grace period, a letter grade is deducted. This policy does not apply to the final draft of the literature review.

Laptop & Smartphone Use

Laptops and smartphones may not be used during lectures (except with accommodations or prior approval); take notes on paper. Bring your laptop for in-class writing and discussion work; you will be told when to use it.

AI Policy

1. In-class work (discussion, quizzes, the blue-book midterm, presentations): closed-book except where stated, and no AI.
2. Take-home writing: written without generative AI. AI may be used to learn, look for sources, verify data, or generate illustrations, but you are responsible for whatever appears on the page with your name on it.
3. No detectors. Work will never be run through an AI detector. If something in your work doesn’t sound like you, you will be asked to walk through your argument in conversation.
4. When in doubt, ask first.

AI use by assignment

Newspaper and Magazine Access

Occidental College provides free access to these outlets; students are expected to use them for the Applier role and throughout the course.

• The Atlantic: visit accounts.theatlantic.com/institutional-login, type in “Occidental College,” click Continue, and sign in with your Oxy credentials (or: theatlantic.com → Sign In → “Sign in through your institution” → Occidental).
• The Economist: visit economist.com, click Log in, enter your Oxy email with the password field blank, and enter your Oxy credentials on the Oxy login page.
• Los Angeles Times: visit latimes.com/Oxy25, enter your Oxy email, create a password and click “Agree and Continue,” then enter redemption code OXYSS25 and complete the form with your name and zip code.
• New York Times (new subscribers): visit accessnyt.com, search for and select Occidental College, click “Create Account” with your @oxy.edu email, create a password, validate via the confirmation email, then select Student or Faculty/Staff and complete sign-up.

Student Support Services

• Writing help (including starting a draft): the Writing Center
• Finding sources: library research consultation or Ask a Librarian
• Time management and organization: the Academic Success Coach (academiccoaching@oxy.edu)
• Laptop loans: the Library
• Digital tools and media work: the Center for Digital Liberal Arts
• Community and belonging: the Intercultural Community Center

Required College Policies

Statement of the Shared Academic Integrity Commitment

Academic Integrity is a shared community value. It is built around trust and respect between members of the Occidental Community, and embodies a commitment to honesty and integrity in every aspect of one’s academic life.

All members of the Occidental community are committed to uphold the highest degree of academic integrity. Unless stipulated otherwise, the academic work done for all assignments is expected to be the student’s own; students are expected to give proper credit to the ideas and work of others.

Signing the Academic Integrity Commitment at the beginning of every semester represents a student’s affirmation to uphold the shared values of honesty and integrity. When signing the Integrity Commitment associated with work in a course, students are affirming that they have not cheated, plagiarized, fabricated, or falsified information; nor assisted others in these actions.

Refer to Student Handbook for the framing of the commitment, definitions of Academic Ethics, and Process for alleged violations of the commitment.

Civil Rights & Title IX

In the event that you write or speak about having experienced discrimination or harassment on the basis of a protected characteristic or sexual misconduct (including sexual assault, dating/domestic violence, stalking, sexual exploitation or any other form of sexual and/or gender-based harassment), as a designated Responsible Employee, I must inform the Civil Rights & Title IX Office. They will contact you to let you know about resources and support services at Oxy, as well as reporting options both on and off-campus. You have no obligation to respond to the Civil Rights & Title IX Office or to meet with them to discuss support services and reporting options.

If you do not want the Civil Rights & Title IX Office contacted, instead of disclosing this information to your instructor, either through conversation or a class assignment, you can speak confidentially with:

• Oxy’s Survivor Advocate, Project SAFE (survivoradvocate@oxy.edu)
• Emmons Counseling (For appointments, call: 323-259-2657)
• Rev. Dr. Susan Young, Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (young@oxy.edu)
• Oxy 24/7 Confidential Hotline (323-341-4141)

The College’s civil rights policies, along with additional resources, can be found at: https://www.oxy.edu/civil-rights-title-ix. If you would like to contact the Civil Rights & Title IX Office directly, you may email Civil Rights & Title IX Coordinator Alexandra Fulcher at afulcher@oxy.edu or call 323-259-1338.

Special Accommodations/Learning Differences

Occidental College (Oxy) complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, and other applicable state and federal law prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities.

• All accommodation requests including academic, housing (ESA & Services Animal) and temporary accommodations are managed by the Disability Services Office. It is a student’s responsibility to request accommodations via the Disability Services website. For information about additional accommodations and support services, students can email accessibility@oxy.edu.
• Oxy’s Psychological Testing Program: We offer low cost psychological testing for students who qualify. Any student who thinks they may have a learning, or psychological disability may complete Oxy’s Psych Testing Application to be added to the waitlist.
• Academic Success Coaching: Our Academic Success Coach assists students in developing skills and strategies to enhance their academic performance. They provide personalized guidance on time management, organization, study techniques, goal setting, and self-regulation. By collaborating with students, our coach helps identify and overcome obstacles to academic success, fostering a supportive environment that promotes personal and educational growth. Contact: academiccoaching@oxy.edu

Accommodations for Reasons of Faith and Conscience

Consistent with Occidental College’s commitment to creating an academic community that is respectful of and welcoming to persons of differing backgrounds, we believe that students should be excused from class for reasons of faith and conscience without academic consequence. While it is not feasible to schedule coursework around all days of conviction for a class as a whole, faculty will honor requests from individual students to reschedule coursework, to be absent from classes that conflict with the identified days. Information about this policy and a religious and spiritual holiday calendar are available on the ORSL website.

Schedule

Reading load. Where a week lists more than three items, some are marked Depth (optional); quizzes, the midterm, and on-deck discussion draw on the Core readings only.

PART I — THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON GPE

Week 1 (Aug 25 & 27) — Introductions: Contesting Globalization

• Introductions and course logistics
• Slides: Global Roots of IPE
• CWE, Ch. 1 (pp. 1–16)
• Frieden, J. A. 2007. Global Capitalism: Its Fall and Rise in the Twentieth Century. (pp. 1–27)
• Keohane and Nye, “Globalization: What’s New? What’s Not? (And So What?)” Foreign Policy (Spring 2000): 104–118
• Carney, Mark. “Read Mark Carney’s Full Speech After Trade Talks with the U.S. Collapsed,” CBC News (August 22, 2026)
• Farrell and Newman, “Chained to Globalization,” Foreign Affairs (February 2020) (optional)

Week 2 (Sep 1 & 3) — Liberalisms

• CWE, Chs. 2–3 (pp. 19–55)
• Aggarwal, V., and C. Dupont. “Collaboration and Coordination in the Global Political Economy”
• Lake, D. A. 2009. “Open Economy Politics: A Critical Review.” The Review of International Organizations 4(3): 219–244 (Depth — optional)
• Thu Sep 3, 12–1pm — Amb. Virginia Palmer (Stuart Chevalier Professor of the Practice, Diplomacy & World Affairs), “Q&A + International Careers” (Young Initiative); attendance counts toward participation

Week 3 (Sep 8; no class Thu Sep 10) — Political Economy and Security: Realism & Mercantilism

• CWE, Ch. 4
• Drezner, D. W. 2010. “Mercantilist and Realist Perspectives on the Global Political Economy.” Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies
• Kirshner, J. 2009. “Realist Political Economy: Traditional Themes and Contemporary Challenges.” Handbook of International Political Economy, pp. 36–47
• Hirschman, A. O. 1980. National Power and the Structure of Foreign Trade. (pp. 13–52) (optional)
• Thu Sep 10 — instructor away; documentary lab

Week 4 (Sep 15 & 17) — Ideas and Identity: Constructivisms

• CWE, one chapter from Part 2 (Chs. 8–13, your choice)
• Abdelal, R. 2009. “Constructivism as an Approach to International Political Economy.” In Handbook of International Political Economy, ed. M. Blyth, pp. 57–71
• Nelson, S. C. 2014. “Playing Favorites: How Shared Beliefs Shape the IMF’s Lending Decisions.” International Organization 68(2): 297–328
• Tickner, J. A. 2004. “The Gendered Frontiers of Globalization.” Globalizations 1(1): 15–23 (Depth — optional)
• Thu Sep 17, 12–1pm — Sergii Glebov (UC Irvine/Odesa National University), “Russia’s War on Ukraine and European (In)Security” (Young Initiative, room Choi); attendance counts toward participation
• Quiz 1 — Thursday Sep 17

Week 5 (Sep 22 & 24) — Global Capitalism as Social Structure: Marxism

• CWE, Chs. 6–7 (pp. 87–122)
• Wallerstein, I. 2013. “World-Systems Analysis.” Sociopedia.isa, 1–8
• Przeworski, A. 2020. “What Have I Learned from Marx and What Still Stands?” Politics & Society
• Táíwò and Bright, “A Response to Michael Walzer,” Dissent (2022) (optional)
• Thu Sep 24, 12–1pm — Jason Bell, Operation Sparrow author talk (Young Initiative); attendance counts toward participation
• Midterm question pool circulated Thursday Sep 24

PART II — SELECT ISSUE AREAS IN GPE

Week 6 (Sep 29 & Oct 1) — Trade

• “Why Trade Is Good for You,” The Economist (October 1, 1998)
• Rodrik, D. 2012. “Why Doesn’t Everyone Get the Case for Free Trade?” Ch. 3 in The Globalization Paradox.
• Milner, H. 1999. “The Political Economy of International Trade.” Annual Review of Political Science 2: 91–114

Week 7 (Oct 6 & 8) — Global Finance

• Tuesday:
• Bhagwati, J. 1998. “The Capital Myth.” Foreign Affairs 77(3);
• Kirshner, J. 2003. “Money Is Politics.” Review of International Political Economy 10(4): 645–660;
• Oatley, T., et al. 2013. “The Political Economy of Global Finance: A Network Model.” Perspectives on Politics 11(1): 133–153
• In-class midterm — Thursday, October 8*

Week 8 (Oct 13 — instructor travel; Fall Break Oct 15–16) — No Class

• No class Tuesday Oct 13 — instructor travel
• No class Thursday Oct 15 — Fall Break

Week 9 (Oct 20 & 22) — Global Capitalism, Democracy, and Dictatorship

• Friedman, M. Capitalism and Freedom, Ch. 1
• Krugman, P. 1994. “The Myth of Asia’s Miracle.” Foreign Affairs (Nov/Dec): 62–78
• Rodrik, D. “The Myth of Authoritarian Growth.” Project Syndicate
• Ansell, B., and D. Samuels. 2010. “Inequality and Democratization: A Contractarian Approach.” Comparative Political Studies 43(12): 1543–1574 (optional)

Week 10 (Oct 27 & 29) — Global Economic Development

• Olson, M. 1993. “Dictatorship, Democracy, and Development.” American Political Science Review 87(3)
• Basu, K. 2006. “Globalization, Poverty and Inequality: What Is the Relationship? What Can Be Done?” World Development 34(8)
• Stiglitz, J. E. 2008. “Is There a Post-Washington Consensus Consensus?” In The Washington Consensus Reconsidered, pp. 41–56
• Thu Oct 29, 12–1pm — Daniel Treisman (UCLA), co-author of Spin Dictators, on how modern autocrats rule through political spin (Young Initiative); attendance counts toward participation
• Quiz 2 — Thursday Oct 29

Week 11 (Nov 3 & 5) — Global Energy System Transformation

• Scholten, D. “The Geopolitics of the Energy Transition”
• Clabough, A. “It’s Complicated: The US 2024 Electoral Outlook & Consequences for Energy and Climate Security”
• Singh, J. T. N. 2023. “Recentring the Industrial Policy Paradigm within IPE and Development Studies.” Third World Quarterly 44(9): 2015–2030
• Wed Nov 4, 12–1pm — Leah Stokes (UCSB), The Carbon Wave (Young Initiative); attendance counts toward participation
• Annotated bibliography due Thursday Nov 5

Week 12 (Nov 10 & 12) — Literature Review Workshops

• Tuesday: literature review workshop (framing, sources, research design)
• Thursday: peer workshop
• Thu Nov 12, 12–1pm — Phillip Ayoub (UCL), on the global resistance to LGBTIQ rights (Young Initiative); attendance counts toward participation

Week 13 (Nov 17 & 19) — Presentations

• Student literature-review presentations

Week 14 (Nov 24 only — Thanksgiving Nov 25–27) — Presentations & Wrap-Up

• Remaining presentations + course wrap-up

Final literature review due during finals period — Thursday, December 10