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GV313      Half Unit
Politics of Trade in Comparative Perspective

This information is for the 2024/25 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Stephanie Rickard

Availability

This course is available on the BSc in History and Politics, BSc in International Social and Public Policy with Politics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with a Year Abroad), BSc in Politics, BSc in Politics and Data Science, BSc in Politics and Economics, BSc in Politics and International Relations and BSc in Politics and Philosophy. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course is not available to General Course students.

This course is capped at two groups.

Pre-requisites

A background in international economics and solid understanding of key concepts, such as comparative advantage, externalities and equilibrium would be advantageous.

Course content

The course focuses on the role of interests and institutions in the process and formulation of trade policy. We examine the influences of interests and institutions in trade policy-making, focusing predominantly on developed countries. We draw on theories from economics and political science and analyze these using both historical and contemporary examples, and do so from a comparative perspective, rather than an international relations perspective.

The primary focus of the course is on policy outcomes.

Teaching

This course provides a minimum of 30 hours of lectures and seminars in the Winter Term. There will be a reading week in WT Week 6.

Formative coursework

Weekly writing assignments.

Indicative reading

Hiscox, Michael. (2002) “Commerce, Coalitions, and Factor Mobility: Evidence from Congressional Votes on Trade Legislation.” American Political Science Review 96(3): 593-608.

Evans, Carolyn. (2009) “A Protectionist Bias in Majoritarian Politics: An Empirical Investigations.” Economics & Politics 21(2): 278-307.

Milner, Helen V. and Keiko Kubota. (2005) “Why the Move to Free Trade? Democracy and Trade Policy in the Developing Countries.” International Organization 59 (Winter): 107-144.

Assessment

Essay (100%, 3500 words).

Key facts

Department: Government

Total students 2023/24: 12

Average class size 2023/24: 6

Capped 2023/24: Yes (34)

Value: Half Unit

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Communication
  • Specialist skills