Dr S Woolcock, D613

The course is primarily intended for graduate students studying MSc International Political Economy, MSc Theory and History of International Relations. It is open for students MSc Global Politics, MSc Management, MPA Public and Economic Policy/MPA Public Policy and Management/MPA International Development/MPA European Public and Economic Policy, LSE-PKU Double Degree in MSc International Affairs and LSE Sciences-Po Double Degree in European Studies. Also available to students taking MSc International Political Economy as part of the LSE-Sciences Po Double Degree in Affairés Internationales programme. This course is available on an optional basis for students studying the MSc PGEU (Stream 2), with enrolment subject to staffing resources, completion of an application form and permission of the teachers responsible.

This course enables students to gain an in-depth understanding of the nature of economic diplomacy. The course focuses on decision making and negotiating processes in international economic relations and includes, as an integral part of the course, an opportunity for a dialogue with a range of senior policy practitioners.

The course covers:

• the theoretical and analytical foundations of decision making in economic diplomacy, focusing on national governments but including the role of non-state actors and international organisations;

• analysis of decision-making of processes in developed and developing countries, the European Union and multilateral institutions;

• case studies in economic diplomacy, on issues such as debt relief for poor countries, managing international financial crises, multilateral trade and investment agreements, and others.

There are 20 lectures (IR429.1) beginning in the first week of the MT and continuing through the MT and LT. In addition to the lectures given by LSE staff responsible for the course, senior policy practitioners will make presentations on the case studies. These form an integral part of the course and are designed to provide insights into the factors shaping decision making in international economic relations. The course also includes a weekly seminar series (IR429.2) which will begin in the third week of MT and continue through the MT, LT and into the ST. The seminars will take the form of student presentations followed by group discussion.

Students will be expected to write three 2,000-word essays during the course of the year to be marked by the seminar teacher.

Students will be expected to read widely in appropriate books and journals. A detailed reading list will be provided at the beginning of MT. The following provide general background to the topic: N Bayne & S Woolcock, The New Economic Diplomacy: Decision-Making and Negotiation in International Economic Relations, second edition 2007; J Odell, Negotiating the World Economy, 2001; J Spero & J Hart, The Politics of International Economic Relations, sixth edition, 2003; N Bayne, Staying Together: The G8 Summit Confronts the 21st Century, 2005.

Assessment will be by means of a three-hour examination in the ST. Students will have to answer three of 12 questions.