IR489 Half Unit
Economic Diplomacy
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 (Global Politics). 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.
All International Relations (IR4) optional courses at LSE are Controlled Access and require an application via LfY. Students must include a statement in their LfY application of no more than 200 words explaining their interest in the course and its relevance to their academic and career goals.
Application deadline: 12:00 noon, Friday 26 September 2025.
Notification of outcome: by 12:00 noon, Monday 29 September 2025.
After this date, students should consult the MSc Course Availability Spreadsheet for remaining spaces on IR4-level courses.
For further details, see the LSE Selecting Courses webpage in the first instance or contact IR.Programmes@lse.ac.uk only if necessary.
All students will be required to obtain permission from the Teacher Responsible by completing the Student Statement box on the online application form linked to course selection on LSE for you. Admission to the course is not guaranteed, due to limited space. The course is primarily for students on the IPE Masters and LSE-Sciences-Po Double Degree masters.
Course content
The course introduces students to the theories and analytical frameworks relating to decision-making and negotiation in international economic relations and enables them to develop the skills needed to apply these to cases. It discusses the roles of the main actors, institutional settings and processes involved in domestic decision-making and international economic negotiations, and their interaction. The aim of the course is to provide participants with the ability to understand and analyse the factors shaping international negotiations in a range of policy issues from trade and investment, to the environment, economic summits and finance.
Teaching
15 hours of seminars and 10 hours of lectures in the Winter Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.
The course is composed of two modules. The first module (Week 1-3) discusses analytical toolkits for understanding economic diplomacy. During these initial weeks, students will learn about four approaches to economic diplomacy: a) balance of power and coercive bargaining, b) negotiations within international institutions, c) the effect of domestic politics, and d) the role of ideas and issue framing.
The second module (Week 4-10) features specific negotiation tactics frequently adopted by policymakers and important challenges that negotiators face in policy processes.
Formative assessment
Students will be expected to produce 1 essay in the WT.
Students will be expected to produce a short policy memo in the WT.
Indicative reading
- Bayne, Nicholas and Woolcock, S. The new economic diplomacy: decision-making and negotiation in international economic relations, Third edition, Ashgate, Stephen 2013.
- Koremenos, Barbara. The continent of international law: Explaining agreement design. Cambridge University Press, 2016.
- Davis, Christina L. "Food fights over free trade." Food Fights over Free Trade. Princeton University Press, 2011.
- Oye, Kenneth A. Economic discrimination and political exchange: World political economy in the 1930s and 1980s. Princeton University Press, 1993.
Assessment
Exam (100%), duration: 120 Minutes in the Spring exam period
Students will be expected to produce a policy memo of no more than 3000 words.
Key facts
Department: International Relations
Course Study Period: Winter Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: Unavailable
Average class size 2024/25: Unavailable
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
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Commercial awareness