This course will focus on foundational concepts in political economy and globalization. Special emphasis will be placed on the differential experience of globalization for individuals living in more developed countries and less developed ones.
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
Main campus in-person course *(Please note in-person attendance policy for this course.)
Contact Information
Required Textbook
Name: International Political Economy in the 21st Century
Edition: 3rd Edition
ISBN: 978-1-032-32385-5 (pbk)
Author: Roy Smith, Imad El-Anis, & Christopher Farrands
Publisher: Routledge
Additional Materials
New York Times online. Activate your complimentary digital subscription to the NYTimes by going to nytimes.com/passes & providing your WC email address.
In addition, there will be relevant excerpts, articles, & video clips assigned at different times during the course. Students will be given instructions on how to access these at the appropriate times.
PS348G Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to
- identify, define, and explain foundational concepts in and approaches to international political economy and globalization;
- identify and explain global issues associated with international political economy;
- differentiate between the experience of globalization for individuals living in more developed countries and less developed ones.
Global Education Goals
PS348G is a Global course meeting WC’s Global Education goals. With reference to Wilmington College’s mission, vision, core values, and queries, students will gain a greater understanding of
1. the perspectives of cultures other than their own;
2. global issues, especially as they relate to peace, social justice, and/or ecology;
3. and the interconnectedness of the world and their own roles as engaged members of a global community.
Writing Skills Statement
PS348G is a writing-intensive course designed to support students in learning writing skills. The following are requirements for all upper-division, writing-intensive courses:
- Weekly informal or formal writing assignments must be included as a part of course requirements. These may include short (1-2 page) essay responses, questions for class discussion, or reflections upon course content. They may also be directed towards stimulating class discussion and building the skills necessary for a longer, sustained writing project.
- A minimum of two formal papers, all together totaling at least 15 finished pages must be required.
- A minimum of one formal paper must be a minimum of 7 pages in length and include a research component and integration of secondary source materials.
- A minimum of one formal paper must undergo a guided revision.
- All formal papers must involve draft review by faculty or peers.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF TOPICS & READING & HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
Subject to change during the semester. Adequate notice of changes will be given.
T 8/25 Course Introduction: Syllabus
R 8/27 Ch. 1 - Origins & Core Ideas of International Political Economy (IPE)
T 9/1 Ch.2 - Critical Approaches to International Political Economy
R 9/3 HW#1 Ch. 1 & 2 Core Ideas of & Critical Approaches to IPE DUE by 11:59pm. PLAN AHEAD: This HW is longer than most but contains foundational information.
T 9/8 Ch.4 - Globalization & International Political Economy
R 9/10 HW#2 Ch.4 Globalization & IPE DUE by 11:59pm
T 9/15 Ch. 6 - Trade (including trade & tariffs under Trump & CFR resources "Barriers to Free Trade in the News" activity/worksheet)
R 9/17 HW#3 Ch. 6 Trade DUE by 11:59pm
T 9/22 Ch.8 - Development
R 9/24 HW#4 Ch.8 Development DUE by 11:59pm
T 9/29 Immigration Policy in US - Effects on US Industries (The Daily "Trump's Clashing Goals: More Housing, Fewer Immigrants" 37 min.; Industries affected by end of TPS status for Haitians & Syrians) PLAN AHEAD: Next HW due early for class discussion
R 10/1 Immigration to Cincinnati; HW#5 Cincinnati Magazine July 2026 DUE by class period
T 10/6 Westheimer Peace Symposium (Our class meeting will be in the Westheimer's Braver Angels community forum on immigration [location TBA]); HW#6 Westheimer session featuring Imam Ayman Soliman. PLAN AHEAD: Mandatory attendance to 7pm Westheimer session with Imam Ayman Soliman for HW credit
R 10/8 Debrief Westheimer; Introduce Impacts of Globalization Paper; HW#7 Ch. 14 - Migration & Labor DUE by 11:59pm
T 10/13 NO WC CLASSES - In-service day
R 10/15 - MEET IN LIBRARY & BRING LAPTOP - Data base search instruction w/ librarian to begin Globalization Paper
T 10/20 - work on Globalization papers
R 10/22 - work on Globalization papers (including appointment with WC Writing Assistant)
T 10/27 MEET IN LIBRARY & BRING LAPTOP - Discussion about Globalization Paper findings. Begin Research Papers; Impacts of Globalization Paper DUE (Please submit papers via Blackboard AND provide me with a paper copy for written feedback.) (NOTE: Last day to withdraw from courses)
R 10/29 MEET IN LIBRARY
T 11/3 MEET IN LIBRARY
R 11/5 MEET IN LIBRARY
T 11/10 MEET IN LIBRARY
R 11/12 MEET IN LIBRARY
T 11/17 MEET IN LIBRARY - PLAN AHEAD: Bring 2 paper copies of research paper draft for mandatory peer editing exercise during class period
R 11/19 MEET IN LIBRARY - Begin Preparation for Presentations (NOTE: All students will work on presentations during the class periods. In addition, one-on-one meetings with the professor will be required in preparation for class presentations, & these may take place within or outside of scheduled class time.) Research Papers DUE (Please submit papers via Blackboard AND provide me with a paper copy for written feedback.)
T 11/24 MEET IN LIBRARY
R 11/26 NO WC CLASSES - Thanksgiving
T 12/1 MEET IN LIBRARY
R 12/3 Presentations
T 12/8 Presentations
We will schedule class presentations during our final few class meetings. One-on-one meetings with the professor will be REQUIRED in preparation for class presentations. These may take place within or outside of scheduled class time.
T 12/15 3:15-5:15 pm Final Meeting during scheduled exam period (mandatory) - Presentations
**The professor reserves the right to change this syllabus in part or in full at any time.
Coursework information will be posted on Blackboard. Reading assignments appear on the syllabus. Homework assignments and instructions for papers & the final presentation will be posted on Blackboard.
In-class Worksheets/Assignments (25% of overall grade): Regular worksheets & other similar assignments corresponding to in-class material will be given for a grade throughout the semester. These will include work in preparation for class discussions & activities. These or appropriate substitutes, along with instructions, will also be posted on Blackboard. Students who are absent from in-person class meetings are required to complete & submit the work independently or will receive a zero for the worksheet grade. All in-class worksheets/assignments are to be submitted in person directly after class, & make-up work is submitted via Blackboard. Please note that making up worksheets outside of class is NOT equivalent to attendance for the missed class. PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL ASSIGNMENTS!!!!
Homework Assignments (25% of grade): Assignments will be given on a regular basis in connection with scheduled readings & topics as a tool for exploring certain international political economy (IPE) issues in greater depth. Homework assignments will be posted on Blackboard and should be completed before class on the due date.
Impacts of Globalization Paper (15% of grade): Students will write a 4- to 5-page paper comparing the impact of globalization on the Global North & the Global South in targeted areas. Instructions will be provided at a later date. There will be a mandatory follow-up class discussion for students to share ideas from their papers with the class.
Research Paper (25% of grade): Students will also be required to write a substantial research paper (approximately 8-10 pages in length) related to international political economy topics. The research paper will be qualitative, case study research. Students will focus on a specific geographic sector of the global economy and explore emerging themes OR a transnational issue related to political economy and explore important aspects of it. Students will work individually with the professor & other key WC resource personnel during draft stages of the paper. Instructions for the research paper will be provided at a later date.
Presentation (10% of grade): Students will give a well-developed, formal in-class oral presentation based on the research paper topic. Presentations will be 30-40 minutes in length. Dates for presentations will be worked out with the professor and dependent on the topics. Students will be required to work with the professor during the planning stages of the presentation to ensure organization & quality. In-class presentations are designed to allow other students to learn about and be engaged in particular themes coming out of the research. Detailed instructions for presentations will be distributed at a later date.
The grading criteria & scale will be as follows:
Grading Criteria (tentative weight of assignments)
In-Class Worksheets 25%
Homework Assignments 25%
Impacts of Globalization Paper 15%
Research Paper 25%
In-class Presentation 10%
*Please note the attendance component of the grade explained in the "Instructor's Course Attendance Policy."
Grading Scale
94-100 A 90-93 A-
87-89 B+ 84-86 B 80-83 B-
77-79 C+ 74-76 C 70-73 C-
60-66 D 67-69 D+
0-59 F
*(Please note that only C- or above counts toward an Political Science major or minor.)
Instructor Course Policies
Attendance & Engagement
Attendance will be taken in every class. A student may have up to 3 unexcused absences without penalty. After that point, it is the responsibility of the student to supply the professor with documentation for excused absences. Please see the current Student Handbook for the college’s attendance policy as it pertains to excused absences. Unexcused absences in excess of the first 3 will result in 3 points per unexcused absence off of the final grade. It is the student’s responsibility to sign the attendance sheet during each class & to provide documentation for excused absences. Students who are absent from in-person class meetings FOR ANY REASON are required to make up the work independently or will receive a zero for the worksheet grade. Make-up assignments will be available through Blackboard & take up to 1.5 hours (the length of our class) to complete. In-class worksheets are to be handed in directly after class in person, & make-up assignments are to be submitted via Blackboard. No Zoom option is available for this course without formal accommodations through the Disabilities Services office.
Consistent tardiness or failure to follow classroom etiquette may also lead to an “unexcused absence.” Please also note the following points of classroom etiquette:
Classroom Etiquette
- Arrive on time & do not pack up early to leave
- Take notes & be engaged
- Offer your ideas and perspectives respectfully and listen to others to understand their ideas and perspectives
- Do not use cell phones or Smart watches for texting
- Do not use electronic music devices; no earbuds or headphones
- Do not use laptops or iPads for anything other than authorized note-taking and looking up information needed for immediate classroom discussions
- Do not “rest” with eyes closed
- Do not hold sidebar conversations
- Do not work on homework, other coursework, or any materials that are not being used for the current class meeting
Academic Integrity
Integrity and respect are Wilmington College Core Values, and honesty is our mutual responsibility. Students are responsible for following the Wilmington College’s rules relating to academic integrity & other conduct. Cheating (or helping a classmate to cheat), plagiarism, or the unauthorized use of AI* will result in a grade of 0% on the work in question, & the professor reserves the right to notify the Office of Academic Affairs. Please see the current Student Handbook for the college’s Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, & the process for handling academic misconduct charges. Students are expected to behave with integrity & respect within the classroom & while carrying out any PS348G assignments.
Generative Artificial Intelligence:
You are not permitted to use generative AI tools for any work in this course. This includes the use of popular tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, GitHub Co-Pilot, as well as all other tools built on generative AI technologies. Due to the nature of this course, work can only be fairly and accurately evaluated if student writing has NOT been assisted by generative AI. Use of generative AI for assignments in this course will be considered a violation of the College’s academic integrity policies. Research and writing assignments in this course are designed to develop independent skills and critical thinking. Use of AI undermines that work, its purpose, and ultimately any benefit that it could provide towards students’ learning experience. Therefore, the use of any generative AI to help with any assignments will be considered cheating/plagiarism and will be graded and handled accordingly.
Communication
Communication Outside the Classroom
Communication with students will sometimes take place via email, & messages will be sent to the students’ Wilmington College email address. It is the student’s responsibility to check emails regularly. Blackboard will be used in support of this course, and students are also responsible for accessing Blackboard on a regular basis. Students may choose to communicate with the professor via email or text messaging (texting between 7am & 10 pm only). Contact information is provided at the top of this syllabus. (Cell phone # will be provided separately.) When emailing, please include your name and the course number (PS348G) in all correspondence. Please include this information in any initial text message as well.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: FA26 Final Exam Schedule
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery Definition of Courses |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. Academic Integrity Policy |
Class Attendance Policy Institutional Class Attendance Policy |