IR468 Half Unit
The Political Economy of Trade
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Boram Lee
Availability
This course is available on the MSc in International Affairs (LSE and Peking University), MSc in International Political Economy, MSc in International Political Economy (LSE and Sciences Po), MSc in International Political Economy (Research) and MSc in Political Science (Political Science and Political Economy). This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
How to apply: All students must include a brief written statement of no more than 200 words explaining why they wish to take the course and how it will benefit their academic/career goals.
Places on capped courses cannot be guaranteed.
Deadline for application: The deadline for applications is 12:00 noon on Friday 26 September 2025.
You can expect to be informed of the outcome of your application by 12:00 noon on Monday 29 September 2025.
For questions about the academic content of a Department of International Relations course, students should contact the teacher responsible as listed in the hyperlinked course guide.
For questions about your programme regulations, please contact your programme convenor/director or your Academic Mentor.
For questions about the process of applying to a Department of International Relations course, if not already clear from the information provided, please contact ir.msc@lse.ac.uk.
Students are advised to check the MSc Course Availability Spreadsheet.xlsx for information on the remaining availability of EU4, DV4, GV4, IR4, PP4 and SO4 courses after 12:00 noon Monday 29 September.
All students are required to obtain permission from the Teacher Responsible by completing the online application form linked to course selection on LSE for You. Admission is not guaranteed.
This course has a limited number of places (it is controlled access) and demand is typically high.
Course content
This course examines how politics shape policies and institutions that govern international trade. The course is divided into three modules: i) introduction, ii) theories, and iii) topics in international trade. After the introductory week, the course surveys classical readings that provide different approaches to international trade. During the theory module, students will investigate how geopolitics, interest groups, institutions, and ideas shape international trade. Students will compare different arguments and evidence provided by scholars of these traditions and build foundations to apply these perspectives to analysing new topics in international trade. Once the theory module is complete, students will apply these theoretical approaches to new topics in international trade. This module focuses on a variety of topics: trade and climate, trade as a human rights strategy, the World Trade Organization, US-China trade war, populism & trade-related welfare policies, intellectual property rights, and negotiations of bilateral & plurilateral trade deals. Students will examine competing IR and political science theories that explain trade policy outcomes, and use those theories in analysing important topics on trade. Most of the required readings are by IR scholars and political scientists who are grappling with international trade policies from political science/IR perspectives. They are recently published journal articles, book chapters, and case studies.
Teaching
15 hours of seminars and 10 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.
Formative assessment
Students will be expected to produce 1 essay in the AT.
Students will do a 7-minute presentation during seminar. In the presentation, students will choose a reading and critically assess it, comparing it to other essential readings. They will articulate how the chosen reading helps answer an important question or not and compare the author’s approach to other approaches. Critical thinking is an important component that will help students do well in the summative exam.
Indicative reading
Davis, Christina L. Food fights over free trade: how international institutions promote agricultural trade liberalization. Princeton University Press, 2011.
Gowa, Joanne. Allies, adversaries, and international trade. Princeton University Press, 1995.
Woll, Cornelia. Firm interests: How governments shape business lobbying on global trade. Cornell University Press, 2008.
Steinberg, Richard H. "In the shadow of law or power? Consensus-based bargaining and outcomes in the GATT/WTO." International organization 56.2 (2002): 339-374.
Mutz, Diana C. Winners and losers: The psychology of foreign trade. Vol. 36. Princeton University Press, 2021.
Assessment
Essay (100%) in January
The essay will be a take-home assessment in January.
Key facts
Department: International Relations
Course Study Period: Autumn Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 45
Average class size 2024/25: 15
Controlled access 2024/25: NoCourse 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
- Leadership
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Application of information skills
- Communication
- Application of numeracy skills
- Commercial awareness
- Specialist skills