Course coordinator
Associate Professor Heloise Weber
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Politic Sc & Internat Studies
This course critically examines the organization of the international (and global) political economy, considering its significance for everyday lived experiences. We will examine how distinctive aspects of globalization shape the global political economy and the challenges it engenders for development. We will engage with theories and methods in the study of international (global) political economy as well as examine key issues. The course adopts a critical approach and will be guided among other aspects, by questions about inequalities and injustices in the global political economy of development. Our approach will link the global and the local, addressing, for example, poverty and social exclusion as well as ecological sustainability.
This course critically examines the organisation of the international (global) political economy (IPE) and its implications for everyday lived experiences. We will examine theories and approaches to the analysis and study of IPE, including more contemporary trends in IPE shaped by globalization and struggles over development. We will adopt a global to local approach, guided by questions about inequalities and injustices in the global political economy. The first part of the course will engage with more conceptual and theoretical aspects of the global political economy, including in relation to questions of development and social exclusion. The second part of the course will examine key sites of political economic significance from global to local levels, connecting with the analytical insights from the first part. Among the issues we will examine are, for example, gender and IPE, labour relations, and political economies of environmental change.
Course requirements
Assumed background
POLS7107 is a core (mandatory) course in the Master of International Relations. It is designed to provide an advanced-level learning experience. To participate successfully and to the maximum benefit, students should have at least introductory level knowledge of basic concepts, methods and approaches in international relations and political science.
If you are not sure whether choosing POLS7107 is advisable at the stage you are at, please contact the Course Convenor at: h.weber@uq.edu.au.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Associate Professor Heloise Weber
Tutor
Mrs Sara Mejia Munoz
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
This course is taught through a mix of a 1 hour contact in plenary mode and subsequent small group 1 hour seminars.
Aims and outcomes
The course provides and advanced level understanding of critical issues in global and international political economy and development, an appraisal of the theories and methods underpinning their practices and analysis, and an appreciation of historical legacies for past and future trajectories. We consider socio-economic inequality and exclusion from perspectives informed by intersectionality, and examine struggles characterised by tensions over ‘societies with markets’, or ‘market society’ (Polanyi). The course covers key international institutions, considers their scope, and probes how to evaluate the impacts of their policies.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Understand and analyse global political economic dynamics, the international institutional arrangements through which they are shaped and managed, and their local implications.
LO2.
Appreciate the contested nature of development policies, the continuing implications of colonialism and its legacies in contemporary global political economy, and the importance of studying and analysing alternative approaches.
LO3.
Be able to analyse contemporary problems in international political economy in light of their historical constitution and understand the formative influence of resistance and contestation.
LO4.
Conduct critical analysis of case-studies/examples in the international political economy of development and present such analysis verbally and in the form of high-quality research essays.
LO5.
Successfully survey, select and reconstruct contemporary research in international political economy of development for self-directed critical research in the field.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay/ Critique | Short essay 1,800-2,000 words | 40% |
4/09/2024 4:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Research Essay (2,800-3,000 words) | 60% |
23/10/2024 4:00 pm |
Assessment details
Short essay 1,800-2,000 words
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
4/09/2024 4:00 pm
Task description
Essay Questions: You will be provided a list of essay questions and you will be required to answer one question from this list. The required word length is between 1800 and 2000 words.
For your essay, you are should engage with the required as well as recommended readings for POLS7107. While you may research independently for your assignments for POLS7107 (and you are highly encouraged to do so as well), you should nevertheless engage with the required readings for your respective assignments, as well as the recommended readings. Your essay should engage with the topic as it is scoped and engaged in this course.
Presentation: Your essay must be typed (1.5-line-spaced) fully referenced and include a bibliographic list. You are required to use the author-date in-text referencing system.
Please note that submissions have to be made via the designated Turnitin Link (Blackboard), using Word-encoding( .doc, or .docx extensions); .pdf files are not acceptable!!!
Word count: Please ensure that you provide a word count at the end of your essay excluding the bibliographic list.
The essay should demonstrate a high standard of grammar, spelling and general presentation and conform to the standards set out in the School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Research Essay (2,800-3,000 words)
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 60%
- Due date
23/10/2024 4:00 pm
Task description
Essay Questions: You will be provided a list of essay questions and you will be required to answer one question from this list. The required word length is between 2800 and 3000 words.
For your essay, you should engage the required as well as recommended readings for POLS7107. While you may research independently for your assignments for POLS7107 (and you are highly encouraged to do so as well), you should nevertheless engage with the required readings for your respective assignments, as well as the recommended readings. Your essay should engage with the topic as it is scoped and engaged in this course.
Presentation: Your essay must be typed (1.5-line-spaced), fully referenced, and include a bibliographic list. You are required to use the author-date in-text referencing system.
Please note that submissions have to be made via the designated Turnitin Link (Blackboard), using Word-encoding ( .doc, or .docx extensions); .pdf files are not acceptable!!!
Word count: Please ensure that you provide a word count at the end of your essay, excluding the bibliographic list.
The essay should demonstrate a high standard of grammar, spelling and general presentation and conform to the standards set out in the School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Submission:
Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: None of the above criteria will have been met. This student will not have addressed the question, shown no or very little evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: None of the above criteria will have been met. This student will not have addressed the question, shown no or very little evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. The student will have demonstrated a minimal grasp of the chosen topic and will have made an effort to establish a single major argument for the essay. The student will have employed some research which correlated with the argument and will have made a visible effort to achieve adequate grammar, spelling and punctuation. Evidence of attempting to achieve a recognisable narrative flow should appear throughout the assignment. This student will have addressed the question, showing evidence of required research and a basic grasp of the issues at hand. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated an adequate grasp of the chosen topic and will have made a reasonable effort to provide evidence to support a visible argument. The student will have employed an adequate research base to support the argument and will have achieved a reasonable, if not completely coherent standard of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. A recognisable narrative flow should be sustained throughout the essay. This student will have answered the question, showing evidence of adequate research and a degree of understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated a sound grasp of the chosen topic and will have addressed the argument by providing suitable evidence to support an argument. The student will have employed a comprehensive research base that directly relates to the topic though it may not completely support the argument and will have achieved decent levels of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. This student will have answered the question in a direct, well supported fashion, showing evidence of some wide reading and a reasonable understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated a very good grasp of the chosen topic and will have addressed the argument by providing a considerable amount of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student will have employed a reasonably extensive and well-organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and will have achieved a high level of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. This student will have answered the question in a direct, reasonably sophisticated fashion, employing wide research and showing a sound understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated a highly sophisticated grasp of the topic and will have succeeded in addressing the question by providing a high level of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student will have employed an extensive and well organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and will have achieved impeccable levels of grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. This student will have answered the question in a direct and elegant fashion, employing significant research and showing a deep understanding of the issues at hand. |
Additional course grading information
ﾠ
Grades will be awarded on the following basis:
1. Fail 1 - 19%
2. Fail 20 - 44%
3. Fail 45 – 49%
4. Pass 50 - 64 %
5. Credit 65 - 74 %
6. Distinction 75 - 84 %
7. High Distinction 85 - 100 %
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Word Length Penalty
The essays are specified in terms of a word-limit range. You must stay within this range, not counting the bibliography or footnotes.
Students should note:
• The Author-date in-text referencing system will count toward the word length;
• References in the Footnote referencing system will not count toward the word length. If you are using footnotes, any content included in footnotes beyond the specific text reference will count towards the word length.
Marking Criteria/Rubric
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Essay Guide
The School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide can be downloaded from the School’s Student Support webpage.
The Guide sets out guidelines you should follow in preparing written assignments.
Essay Writing Assistance
The School of Political Science and International Studies schedules regular “drop-in” sessions designed to provide one-on-one advice and assistance in essay planning and writing.
There is no need to make an appointment and you are encouraged to bring your essay with you.
The day and time of these sessions will be finalized at the beginning of each semester and published on the Student Support webpage.
Student Services
Student services offer a variety of short courses during the semester which will help you improve your study, research and writing skills and thus your academic performance in this course.
Library Resources
UQ Library offers training in software, assignment writing, research skills, and publishing and research management.
The University’s library holdings for Political Science and International Studies are primarily located in the Central Library.
There is a help desk in the Library. Students are also welcome to contact the BEL/HASS Librarians for assistance.
Email: librarians@library.uq.edu.au
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 1: Welcome and Introduction to the Course Introduction- Please note that this session will run for two hours (no seminars in week 1). We will introduce ourselves, course content and course modalities. |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 2: IPE/Global Political Economy- Theory and Method In our first substantive session, we will unpack questions of theory and method in IPE/Global Political Economy from the perspective of juxtaposing conventional state-centic and critical (historical-) relational analyses. We will do this through the lens of a more recent high-profile debate about the scope and purposes of IPE, its epistemological principles and the nature of its explanatory objectives. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Seminar 1: IPE/Global Political Economy- Theory and Method Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 3: The Great Transformation- Organizing Liberal Capitalism In this session, we draw out the contradictions and tensions at play in the expansion of market-relations in societies and the potentially destructive consequences this can have. The work of Karl Polanyi provides a primer, and also some instructive input for us to discuss contemporary political constellations reflected in movement politics. We will also discuss and probe sympathetic critical work on Polanyi's thesis in order to see where we may want to improve on his analysis. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Seminar 2: The Great Transformation- Organizing Liberal Capitalism Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 4 (12 Aug - 18 Aug) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 4: Colonialism and the the Organization of the Global Political Economy Colonialism and imperialism have profoundly patterned the contemporary global political economy, the unequal relations it has solidified and the resulting struggles and contestations. We enter through the example of colonial plantations in order to unpack extractivism and expropriation as conditions of wealth-accumulation. In this context, we come to understand the racialized justifications intrinsic to the formation of modern political economy, and its ongoing legacies. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Seminar |
Seminar 3: Colonialism and the the Organization of the Global Political Economy Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 5: The Bretton Woods Institutions- Austerity and Resistance The aftermath of WWII saw the organisation of the Bretton Woods Institutions, initially to 'rebuild' war-torn Europe, but soon tasked with managing international development by providing a financial and policy-framework to be applied globally. We take a closer look at this institutional architecture and the role it has played in structuring development and North-South relations right to the contemporary context. |
Seminar |
Seminar 4: The Bretton Woods Institutions- Austerity and Resistance |
|
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 6: Neoliberal Globalization: Organizing Market Society In this session, we examine key actors and organizations involved in advancing market-relations, and the forums and settings through which such efforts are coordinated. |
Seminar |
Seminar 5: Neoliberal Globalization: Organizing Market Society |
|
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 7: Neoliberal Globalization and Social Struggles for Justice-Labour Today, we explore the rise of neoliberalism through the lens of labour and struggles for socio-economic protection and justice. We consider IPE frames, such as the 'competition state', and 'new constitutionalism' as conceptual schemes for explicating the contentious and conflictual dynamics of neoliberalisation. |
Seminar |
Seminar 6: Neoliberal Globalization and Social Struggles for Justice-Labour |
|
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 8: Social Reproduction and Inequalities- Depletion and Feminist Care Ethics We deepen our analysis of the political economy of neoliberal development and its social impact and implications through a critical gendered analytical lens centered on the concept of depletion, which we will consider in relation to social reproduction. In this context, we will also consider feminist care ethics as an alternative approach. We will draw on selected case-examples to explicate this. |
Seminar |
Seminar 7: Social Reproduction and Inequalities- Depletion and Feminist Care Ethics |
|
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 9: The Buffalo Treaty- Indigenous Struggles In this session, we look at the intersection between indigenous political struggles and political economy, which also involve restorative work in terms of alternative modes of social and political reproduction. The example of recent reinstatements of buffalo-treaties serves as an entry point for us into a wider discussion. |
Seminar |
Seminar 8: The Buffalo Treaty: Indigenous Struggles |
|
Mid Sem break (23 Sep - 29 Sep) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-Semester Break |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 10 : The Environment and Development We look at the increasingly important and fraught relationship between conventional understandings of development and urgent questions about ecological change. Using forestry and REDD+ as an access-route, we will unpack the constellation that pitches ecological and social objectives as mutually detracting, and consider what alternative approaches may be plausible. Guest Lecturer, Dr Martin Weber. |
Seminar |
Seminar 9: The Environment and Development |
|
Week 11 (07 Oct - 13 Oct) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 11: De-Growth: Opportunity and Challenge De-growth has emerged as a strategy towards changing economic imperatives. We will consider core assumptions behind this as well as examples, and probe the opportunities and potentials these may disclose. |
Seminar |
Seminar 10: De-Growth: Opportunity and Challenge |
|
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
General contact hours |
Plenary 12: Wrap-up and Outlook We are wrapping up the course, and considering how we may take what we learned further. Please note that this session is scheduled for 2 hours. There will be no Seminars this week :-). Learning outcomes: L03, L05 |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Practical |
Independent Study This final week is kept free to give you extra time to finalize your essay. Learning outcomes: L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.