International Law and the Turn to Political Economy

The Political Economy of Numbers: On the Application of Benford’s Law to International Macroeconomic Statistics

The Political Economy of “Aboriginal Customary Law”

Discussions about aboriginal-non-aboriginal relations in Canada have stressed the need to recognize “aboriginal customary law” in self-government arrangements. It is maintained that many aspects of “native law” differ radically from the legal systems that emerged in European countries, and so imposing Canadian conceptions of law on aboriginal communities is an obstacle to native self-determinat...

The Political Economy of International Trade

One of the most salient changes in the world economy since 1980 has been the move toward freer trade among countries across the globe. How do existing theories about trade policy explain this puzzle? Three sets of explanations are prominent. First, many focus on changes in trade policy preferences among domestic actors, either societal groups or political leaders. Second, scholars examine chang...

Ethical crises in the international political economy

The Icelandic banking crisis provides a useful example of how the global economic downturn transformed into a domestic crisis and then transformed again into an international conflict. Rather than a strict economic analysis, discussion around the economic causes and potential cures surrounding the Icelandic banking crisis have been framed in terms of ethics. The analysis shows that ethical para...

Social Complexity, Learning and International Political Economy, With Illustrations from the Political Economy of Trade Policy

Social Complexity, Learning and International Political Economy, With Illustrations from the Political Economy of Trade Policy Complexity is an essential element of the political economic environment. This fact implies that ignorance and learning will affect the dynamics of that environment. This paper surveys recent work from decision theory, game theory, and economics that seeks to formalize ...