Political Economy (POEC) 393

Overview

Countries everywhere are looking for ways to compete and increase their global share of exports. One of the most common 'buzzwords' in the contemporary Canadian political lexicon is 'global competitiveness.' But what is meant when people say that Canada must be more competitive? Are there different ways to compete? What should the role of governments be in the quest for global competitiveness? Is free trade the best way to increase our share?

POEC 393, written by leading Canadian political economist Professor Daniel Drache, and revised by Gunhild Hoogensen, is designed to give students the analytical tools they need to consider such questions. The course examines the rise of globalization and the institutional arrangements it has initiated in a worldwide and North American context.

POEC 393 discusses a number of debates about the best ways to 'compete,' many of which rely on the 'market' or co-operative and state-aided industrial strategies. Students learn to analyze these broad issues and formulate policy-related initiatives for Canadian cases.

Outline

The course consists of the following four units.

Unit 1: Globalization and Competitiveness: State Policy and Market Power

Unit 2: To Trade or Not to Trade?

Unit 3: Is a Zero-tariff Trade Policy a Viable Goal for Canada?

Unit 4: Competing Globally: Getting the Most from Markets

Evaluation

To receive credit for POEC 393, you must complete all the assignments, receive a minimum mark of 50 per cent on the final examination, and obtain a course composite grade of at least "D" (50 per cent). The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.