PS 321 – Introduction to Political Economy (CRN: 14990)

Fall 2009

4:00-5:20pm Tues/Thurs – 250 CLS

Instructor: Jason Hartwig

Office: PLC 913

Office Hours: 2:30-3:30 Tues/Thurs or by appointment

Email: jhartwig@uoregon.edu

Web Site: http://blackboard.uoregon.edu

Readings:

The following required book for this class is available in the bookstore:

Todd G. Buchholz, 2007, New Ideas from Dead Economists, Revised Edition

Other reading comes from articles as listed in the syllabus.

Assignments: (more details on assignments will be given in class)

Your grade for this class will come from three sources: a midterm examination (30%) on October 27, a final examination (40%) on December 9, and a policy analysis paper (30%) due November 12.

The midterm and the final will be on the assigned readings AND material covered in class. Make up exams will only be given in the event of a prearranged or doctor-excused absence.

The policy analysis paper is to be 8-10 pages in length and will explore a current issue in political economy. Students will be allowed to select their own topic (examples will be given in class), but all topics must be approved by either the instructor or a GTF for the class. Papers will integrate material from class with outside research on the topic chosen.

Students are expected to do their own original work. Plagiarism of any form will not be accepted.

Schedule

September 29, October 1

Introduction and Approaches to Political Economy

Buchholz, chapter 1, 3; Smith, Wealth of Nations, Book IV, Chapter 1 (on Blackboard)

October 6, 8

Nineteenth-century Political Economy – Rise of Liberalism and After

Buchholz, chapters 2, 4, 5, 7, 8; Smith, Wealth of Nations, Book I, Chap. 1-4, Book IV, Chap 2-3 (on Blackboard)

October 13, 15

Into the Twentieth-century Political Economy – New Deals and New Economic Orders

Buchholz, chapters 6, 9, 10; Marx, Communist Manifesto (on Blackboard)

October 20, 22

Actors and Structure in the Contemporary Political Economy

Buchholz, chapters 11, 12, 13

———————— MIDTERM EXAM on October 27 —–——————

October 29, November 3, 5

Monetary, Fiscal, and Economic Stabilization Policies

John Mark Hansen, "Individuals, Institutions, and Public Preferences over Public Finance," American Political Science Review, v92, n3, September 1998, pp. 513-531.

William Bernhard, "Democratic Institutions and Exchange-rate Commitments," International Organization, v53, n1, Winter 1999, pp. 71-97.

Glenn Fong, "Breaking New Ground or Breaking the Rules: Strategic Reorientation in U.S. Industrial Policy," International Security, v25, n2, Fall 2000, pp. 152-186.

November 10, 12

Regulation and Deregulation

Richard Lehne, "Regulatory Policy," Chapter 11 in Government and Business. ON RESERVE

Edward L. Glaeser and Andrei Schleifer, "The Rise of the Regulatory State," Journal of Economic Literature, v41, n2, June 2003, pp. 401-425.

——————— Policy Analysis Papers Due November 12 ———————

November 17, 19

Trade and International Political Economy

Michael J. Hiscox, "Class Versus Industry Cleavages: Inter-Industry Factor Mobility and the Politics of Trade," International Organization, v55, n1, Winter 2001, pp. 1-46.

Keith Griffin, "Economic Globalization and Institutions of Global Governance," Development and Change, v34, n5, 2003, pp. 789-807.

November 24

The Economics of Social Policy

Richard Lehne, "Business as Social Actor," Chapter 15 in Government and Business. ON RESERVE

Brian Burgoon, "Globalization and Welfare Compensation: Disentangling the Ties that Bind," International Organization, v55, n3, Summer 2001, pp. 509-551.