James Busumtwi-Sam and Laurent Dobuzinskis have assembled a leading team of experts in the field to examine how phenomena associated with globalization impact on political economy in theory and in practice. The volume employs a variety of theoretical and analytical approaches to examine the very changeable nature of the global political economy, in terms of academic analysis, policy and practice.

2nd ed.

Sugar is a commonplace product with a complex background, mainly because of the high degree of protectionism given to the industry and the benefits of ensuring domestic producers stay in business. This book asks why there are such disagreements over trade policy, who profits within the current regime, and where power ultimately lies.

The crisis of the current global financial order is challenging us to critically reflect on how this order has been driven, and the development outcomes produced by its central political and economic actors. There is a great deal of academic knowledge about the role of the international financial institutions, powerful states and capital markets in international development, but there is little understanding of how regional dynamics and regional institutions influence global governance and developing countries. This book offers an independent and grounded investigation concerning the political economic role of Regional Development Banks through a study of the world’s leading regional development bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The book examines the political economy of the IDB and its role in regional and national development during the neoliberalisation processes of the 1990s. In particular, the investigations explore the IDB’s power in regional and national development – via its technical, political and financial interventions – to frame policy alternatives, absorb opposition forces, support specific coalition forces and justify a particular direction of development, all in order to legitimize specific political economic projects directed by market-led pro-reform coalitions aligned with global financial forces and financial development guidelines. This book will be relevant to scholars and professionals interested in the international and regional political economy of development financing.

How has globalization impacted on development? For Harrison, the answer lies in the international political economy, and the ways in which states have managed economic globalization - from positions of strength or weakness. Key themes emerge, such as new geographies of development and the constant need for state economic action.

Investigates the intimate relationship between regional governance processes and global crises. Analysing the current turmoil in the European Union, it also looks at regional cooperation and integration in the Arab world, Africa, Asia and Latin America through topical case studies.

Political scientists by and large ignore cultural industries and technologies whereas they are prominent in other disciplines. This book provides insights from local, societal, national, and international levels in understanding cultural industries, technologies, and policies and integrates these perspectives into the study of political science.

This book demonstrates how housing systems are built from political struggles over the distribution of welfare and wealth. The contributors analyze varieties of residential capitalism through a range of international case studies, as well as investigating the links between housing finance and the current international financial crisis.

The Forest and the Marine Stewardship Councils constitute new global governance institutions using voluntary certification and labelling as market incentives to encourage sustainable management. Utilizing a comparative political economic framework, the authors analyse shifting British, Canadian and Australian responses to the stewardship councils.

This is a global study of government subsidies to attract investment. The book shows how corporations use site selection as rent extraction, with developing countries investing more than developed ones. It demonstrates that incentive use is rarely a good policy, especially for countries without adequate education and infrastructure.