Taught Masters Modules: POL6550 - United States Hegemony

Level: MA
Credits: 30

Module Leader: Dr Tony Heron 

Description

This module provides an analysis of US foreign and economic policy against the backdrop of a rapidly changing global order. It does so with reference to the International Political Economy (IPE) literature, and the theoretical debate surrounding the concept of hegemony more specifically. The first two foundational seminars deal with the concept of hegemony and the complex mechanisms by which US foreign policy is made. The module then considers the origins of US hegemony vis-à-vis the post-1945 economic order. Thereafter attention focuses on a series of key issues in the contemporary global order, including international trade, finance and development, energy security and climate change, the changing role of the dollar, the global financial crisis of 2008, the rise of the so-called ‘BRIC’ economies and the reform of the Bretton Woods system. Finally, the module considers the recent metamorphosis of the G8 into the G20 and asks whether this is a reflection of further US retrenchment or merely the latest institutional mechanism for projecting its global hegemony.

Objectives

The module aims to provide an advanced level of understanding of modern US foreign and economic policy. By the end of the module students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the main issues relating to US participation in the global political economy
• Apply conceptual tools to assess the ways in which US foreign economic policy has been made and the impacts which it has had
• Demonstrate appropriate cognitive, communicative and transferable skills, including understanding complex concepts and theories, exercising critical judgement, problem-solving skills; making effective oral and written presentations, utilising specialist primary and secondary sources, and deepening the capacity for independent learning.
• Write scholarly and grammatically correct essays that are referenced in accordance with established academic practice.

Assessment

• Essay 1: 40%
• Essay 2: 60%