GV313 Half Unit
Politics of Trade in Comparative Perspective
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Prof Stephanie Rickard
Availability
This course is available on the BA in Social Anthropology, BSc in History and Politics, BSc in International Social and Public Policy with Politics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (with a Year Abroad), BSc in Politics, BSc in Politics and Economics, BSc in Politics and International Relations, BSc in Politics and Philosophy and BSc in Social Anthropology. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course is not available to General Course students.
This course is capped at two groups.
Requisites
Additional requisites:
A background in international economics and solid understanding of key concepts, such as comparative advantage, externalities and equilibrium, would be advantageous.
Course content
The course focuses on the role of interests and institutions in the process and formulation of trade policy. We examine the influences of interests and institutions in trade policy-making, focusing predominantly on developed countries. We draw on theories from economics and political science and analyze these using both historical and contemporary examples, and do so from a comparative perspective, rather than an international relations perspective.
The primary focus of the course is on policy outcomes.
Teaching
15 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the Winter Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.
Formative assessment
Continuous assessment weekly
Weekly writing assignments in the WT.
Indicative reading
Hiscox, Michael. (2002) “Commerce, Coalitions, and Factor Mobility: Evidence from Congressional Votes on Trade Legislation.” American Political Science Review 96(3): 593-608.
Evans, Carolyn. (2009) “A Protectionist Bias in Majoritarian Politics: An Empirical Investigations.” Economics & Politics 21(2): 278-307.
Milner, Helen V. and Keiko Kubota. (2005) “Why the Move to Free Trade? Democracy and Trade Policy in the Developing Countries.” International Organization 59 (Winter): 107-144.
Assessment
Essay (100%, 3000 words) in Spring Term Week 1
Key facts
Department: Government
Course Study Period: Winter Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 6
CEFR Level: Null
Keywords: Political Science, Politics of Trade, Trade Policy
Total students 2024/25: 32
Average class size 2024/25: 16
Capped 2024/25: Yes(34)Course selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Specialist skills