Dr. Marta Soprana

This course is available on the MSc in International Affairs (LSE and Peking University), MSc in International Political Economy, MSc in International Political Economy (LSE and Sciences Po), MSc in International Political Economy (Research) and MSc in Political Science (Political Science and Political Economy). This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

All students are required to obtain permission from the Teacher Responsible by completing the online application form linked to course selection on LSE for You. Admission is not guaranteed.

This course has a limited number of places (it is controlled access) and demand is typically high.

The course explores the economic and political factors shaping international trade policy and the role of  international institutional arrangements underpinning world trade, with a focus on the World Trade Organization (WTO). It  covers the nature of the global trading system, the ideational factors that have shaped and continue to shape trade policy, some of the core analytical models that help with our understanding of the political economy of trade, the nature of trade and investment in the 21st century, including the impact of the growth of global supply chains on the political economy of trade and investment, and the domestic and international institutional frameworks within which trade and investment policy are conducted. The course also focuses on discussing key topics in current international trade negotiations, investigating the links between trade and development, and addressing issues related to sustainable trade and fair trade. Attention is also dedicated to examining growing trends towards the use of preferential and plurilateral trade agreements rather than multilateral approaches to trade negotiations, and discussing the current crisis in the world trading system and the sources of international trade frictions.

10 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the WT.

Students on this course will have a reading week in Week 6, in line with departmental policy.

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

The formative essay is 2,000 words. 

• Heydon. K and Woolcock. S (eds) (2012) The Ashgate Research Companion to International Trade Policy, HF 1379 A 82: e-book and hard copies available.
• Hoekman. B and Kosteki. (2009) The Political Economy of the World Trading System HF 1359 H69 e-book available but reasonably price in paperback so something to purchase.
• Martin. L (ed) (2014) Oxford Handbook of The Political Economy of International Trade, available as an e-book.

Take-home assessment (100%) in the ST.