Political Economy

The study of political economy involves issues that range from the analysis of American Public Policy, globalization, comparative national economic policies, the relationship of micro-level to macro-level activity, and the ways that public and private choices affect one another. This minor is available only for the class of 2019.

Requirements for the Political Economy Minor

Since the study of politics and economics are closely and intimately related, we ask students (1) get a grounding in political science and economics, and perhaps a third discipline, sociology; (2) to specialize in either American Public Policy or World Trade and Development; and (3) to integrate their studies in a final senior seminar that cuts across the different fields of specialization.

Students who double major in Economics and Political Science/IR are not permitted to minor in Political Economy.

Lower Level Course Requirements (four courses required):

All three of the following:

  • ECON 110 Principles of Macroeconomics
  • ECON 111 Principles of Microeconomics
  • POSC 265 Pubic Policy and /Global Capitalism or POSC 263 European Political Economy

plus one course from:

  • ECON 250 History of Economic Ideas
  • HIST 141 Europe in the Twentieth Century
  • POSC 120 Democracy and Dictatorship
  • POSC 170 International Relations and World Politics

Middle-Division Requirement (one course required):

The selected course must correspond with area of specialization.

American Public Policy

  • ECON 270 Economics of the Public Sector
  • POSC 201 Lobbyists, Wonks and Social Media: Public Policy Making in Democracy
  • POSC 219 Poverty and Public Policy in the U.S. (not offered in 2018-19)

or World Trade and Development

  • ECON 240 Microeconomics of Development
  • ECON 241 Growth and Development (not offered in 2018-19)
  • ECON 271 Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment
  • ECON 280 International Trade
  • ECON 281 International Finance
  • POSC 266 Urban Political Economy (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 366 Urban Political Economy (not offered in 2018-19)

Upper Level Course Electives (three courses required):

Each student will select at least three courses from the two areas of specialization listed below in consultation with the minor coordinator. These courses must come from at least two different departments. Two of these courses will be in the same area of specialization with the third coming from the other area. Courses listed under Middle-Division Requirement (above) may also count as upper level course electives if they are not being used to satisfy the Middle-Division Requirement. Political Science 263 may be used to satisfy one upper level elective requirement in the area of World Trade and Development if Political Science 265 was used to satisfy the lower level course requirement. It may not satisfy both requirements simultaneously.

American Public Policy

  • ECON 232 American Economic History: A Cliometric Approach (not offered in 2018-19)
  • ECON 246 Welfare Economics and Mechanism Design (not offered in 2018-19)
  • ECON 259 Economics of Higher Education (not offered in 2018-19)
  • ECON 262 The Economics of Sports
  • ECON 264 Health Care Economics (not offered in 2018-19)
  • ECON 273 Water and Western Economic Development (not offered in 2018-19)
  • ECON 274 Labor Economics (not offered in 2018-19)
  • ECON 275 Law and Economics
  • ECON 276 Money and Banking
  • ECON 278 Industrial Organization and Firm Behavior (not offered in 2018-19)
  • ECON 282 The Theory of Investment Finance
  • POSC 219 Poverty and Public Policy in the U.S. (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 231 American Foreign Policy (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 266 Urban Political Economy (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 366 Urban Political Economy (not offered in 2018-19)

World Trade and Development

  • ECON 221 Cambridge Program: Contemporary British Economy
  • ECON 269 Economics of Climate Change (not offered in 2018-19)
  • ECON 271 Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment
  • ECON 281 International Finance
  • EUST 233 Cambridge Program: Capitalism and Crisis: Political Economy for Marx to Hayek
  • POSC 242 Middle East Politics (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 264 Politics of Contemporary China
  • POSC 267 Comparative Foreign Policy
  • POSC 268 Global Environmental Politics and Policy (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 322 Neoliberalism and the New Left in Latin America* (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 333 Global Social Changes and Sustainability (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 334 Global Public Health*
  • POSC 337 Political Economy of Happiness*
  • POSC 338 Politics of Inequality and Poverty* (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 361 Approaches to Development*
  • SOAN 239 Social Statistics (not offered in 2018-19)

Upper Level Seminar Requirement (one course)

  • POSC 322 Neoliberalism and the New Left in Latin America* (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 334 Global Public Health*
  • POSC 337 Political Economy of Happiness*
  • POSC 338 Politics of Inequality and Poverty* (not offered in 2018-19)
  • POSC 361 Approaches to Development*
  • POSC 366 Urban Political Economy (not offered in 2018-19)