This course examines the politics of international economic relations. Government decision-making in areas such as trade policy, exchange rates, and financial flows is influenced not only by economic factors but also by political processes within and among countries. Only by systematically analyzing these political processes can we understand and explain the actual patterns of economic exchange that we observe—both today and throughout history. This course begins with a discussion of the analytical “lenses” through which we can view the global economy. It then examines the evolution of the global trade regime and the international monetary and financial system, economic globalization, and its impact on production, development, and the environment. Along the way, we will discuss some “hot-button” issues in the global economy such as the proper role of international financial institutions (including the IMF); and the impact of the global economy on the ability of governments to make policy within their own borders.