EU482      Half Unit
Europe in World Trade

This information is for the 2023/24 session.

Teacher responsible

Asha Herten-Crabb

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in European and International Public Policy, MSc in European and International Public Policy (LSE and Bocconi), MSc in European and International Public Policy (LSE and Sciences Po), MSc in Political Economy of Europe, MSc in Political Economy of Europe (LSE and Fudan) and MSc in Political Economy of Europe (LSE and Sciences Po). This course is not available as an outside option.

This course has a limited number of places (it is controlled access) and demand is typically very high. Priority is given to students from the European Institute, so students from outside this programme may not get a place.

Course content

After decades of globalisation and trade liberalisation, the world economy faces significant protectionist challenges. The Ukraine War, COVID pandemic, the spread of populism and the US-China trade war all put considerable pressure on global value chains, the international trade regime and global governance. The purpose of this course is to provide students with the necessary knowledge to understand and analyse the EU’s role in the global economy and evolving international trade regime. It familiarises students with the workings of EU trade and foreign economic policy and the World Trade Organisation. It further introduces students to different substantive trade domains including goods and services trade, trade defence instruments and sanctions, the diffusion of free trade agreements, investment regulation and investor-state dispute settlement as well as sources of regulatory power in world markets known as the 'Brussels effect'. It also dwells on the implications of the rise of new economic powers such as China and India for EU trade and foreign economic policy and the World Trade Organisation.

Teaching

This course is delivered through a combination of lectures and seminars totalling a minimum of 25 hours across Winter Term. This course includes a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term, and a review session will be held at the start of the Spring Term to prepare for the online assessment.

Formative coursework

Students will be expected to produce 1 presentation and 1 essay in the WT.

Indicative reading

  • Gstöhl, Sieglinde, and Dirk De Bièvre, The Trade Policy of the European Union. Macmillan, Basingstoke, 2018.
  • Hoekman, Bernard, and Michael Kostecki. The Political Economy of the World Trading System. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.
  • Martin, Lisa, ed. The Oxford Handbook of the Political Economy of International Trade. Oxford University Press, 2015.
  • Woolcock, Stephen. European Union Economic Diplomacy: The Role of the EU in External Economic Relations. Global Finance Series. Burlington: Ashgate, 2011.
  • Grady, Jo, and Chris Grocott, eds. The Continuing Imperialism of Free Trade: Developments, Trends and the Role of Supranational Agents. Routledge Frontiers of Political Economy. London and New York: Routledge, 2019.

Assessment

Online assessment (100%) in the ST.

The online assessment for this course will be administered via Moodle.  Questions will be made available at a set date/time and students will be given a set period in the ST to complete the answers to questions and upload their responses back into Moodle.

Key facts

Department: European Institute

Total students 2022/23: 64

Average class size 2022/23: 16

Controlled access 2022/23: Yes

Lecture capture used 2022/23: Yes (LT)

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

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
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Communication