International Political Economy

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International Political Economy

253.879.3136

ipe@pugetsound.edu

Director

Emelie Peine

253-879-3178

epeine@pugetsound.edu

Administrative Support

Ashli O’Strander

aostrander@pugetsound.edu

Program Description

How are global issues shaped by political, economic and social institutions? How does the relationship between states, markets, and civil society on a global stage affect issues like unemployment, poverty, and the environment? How are power and wealth distributed between and within nations?

The International Political Economy (IPE) major prepares students for an increasingly interdependent world through the study of global issues. Students take courses in IPE, as well as in economics, political science, sociology and anthropology, so they can understand the world from different (and sometimes competing) perspectives. The IPE major culminates in a senior thesis in which students demonstrate the depth and breadth of the liberal arts education to tackle a complex question. Many IPE alumni work in careers related to the interests they developed as IPE students.

Who You Could Be

Digital Fundraising Manager
Import/Export Specialist
Strategy Consultant
Cultural Exchange Associate
Research Program Coordinator
Customer Analytics Manager

Alumna

Becca Duncan '17

"IPE prepared me for the future by teaching me to think holistically. Since IPE is such an interdisciplinary major, I feel prepared to address issues at work with a multifaceted approach, and to think critically from a variety of perspectives."

What You'll Learn

Political, economic, and social factors that shape global problems
How to examine global issues through the lens of competing perspectives
Expertise and skills relevant to a wide range of careers anywhere in the world

Sample Courses

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IPE 321 The Business of Alleviating Poverty: NGOs, Corporations, and Social Entrepreneurs

This course studies the interaction between states, markets and civil society, in the fight against global poverty. More precisely it analyzes the roles of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Corporations and social entrepreneurs. The course addresses a number of issues: What do NGOs do and how do they finance their operations? Can multinational corporations play a role in the fight against global poverty, and if so, how? How can we make sense of so-called 'social enterprise'? What is the role of the state in regulating and encouraging private solutions to poverty? Are these private solutions further proof of economic liberal dominance or a move toward a new form of capitalism tailored to serve social needs?

Code

Social Scientific and Historical Perspectives

IPE 323 The Political, Economic, and Social Context of International Tourism

In the contemporary world, tourism is often the foremost process that brings together people from different parts of the world, allowing those from vastly different societies to interact on a face-to-face basis under peaceful, if not always equal, circumstances. As such, tourism as a phenomenon and as a process raises questions about global interconnections and global movements of finance, cultural and material artifacts, ideas, and people across national and cultural boundaries. The two questions this course addresses throughout the semester are 1) what are the economic, political, social, cultural, and environmental impacts of tourism in low and middle income countries? and 2) what are the tradeoffs associated with tourism? In tackling these two questions the course examines a wide range of issues, including the political, economic, social, and cultural implications of tourism, the impact of global tourism on environmental and global conservation efforts, and tourism as a vehicle of social change and as a facilitator of cultural and material globalization. Crosslisted as IPE/SOAN 323.

Code

Social Scientific and Historical Perspectives

IPE 331 International Political Economy of Food and Agriculture

Everyone eats, and therefore everyone has a relationship to global agriculture. But because less than one percent of the US population earns a living from farming, most Americans rarely think about where our food comes from. This course explores the origins of our current global food system, the political-economic relations that structure it, and emerging alternatives to industrial food. The course begins with an overview of the global food system, including the actors and ideas that have shaped its historical development. Second, students examine the dominant paradigm of industrial agriculture and the politics of its organization primarily in the US context. Finally, students discuss some of the most prescient debates over the future of our food system with a focus on the local context. Note: this course includes a required weekly three-hour experiential session in addition to regular class sessions. This experiential session provides students the opportunity for hands-on learning through field trips, volunteering, and community-based projects. Students use class materials to bring an analytical lens to these experiences, and the course culminates in a major research project and presentation that engages local community gardeners.

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Experiential LearningSocial Scientific and Historical Perspectives

IPE 333 Political Economy of Southeast Asia

This course serves as an overview of the political, economic, social, and cultural processes shaping the region known as Southeast Asia. This course utilizes a range of disciplinary approaches in order to illustrate patterns of change in the Southeast Asian context. Throughout, the course integrates discussion of theoretical issues with examples from around Southeast Asia. By applying theoretical material to specific countries and real-world examples, the class explores the ways in which broad perspectives intersect with economic, political, and social issues to shape the nature and direction of change in Southeast Asia.

Code

Social Scientific and Historical Perspectives

IPE 380 Gods, Guns, and Oil in the Middle East

This course examines the efforts of states in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to adapt to the international political economy. It examines and assesses the constraints and opportunities states face and how they have tried to reshape their political and economic institutions. Attention is paid to relationships that exist between the state, business, labor, civil society, international capital, and foreign governments. Topics include the relationship of economic reform to democratization, regional integration, religious radicalism, and corruption and illicit transactions.

Code

Social Scientific and Historical Perspectives

Prerequisites

IPE 101, PG 102, or permission of instructor.

Working with Professor of International Political Economy Emelie Peine, Puget Sound student Phoenix Stoker-Graham ’24 spent the summer researching how community gardens can reduce food insecurity in Tacoma.

Emma Weirich '20 gives a presentation about her internship in China funded by the Vasilius International Internship grant for IPE students.

During summer 2015, Amanda Klein '17 traveled to Morocco to study multiculturalism and human rights, giving her the opportunity to experience firsthand many of the issues discussed in her classes. Her semester abroad, “reshaped how I view myself, my country, world politics and economics, and what I want to do with my life.”

Tanvi Asur '21 interning in China — Tanvi Asur '21 completed an internship in Beijing.

Through Professor Peine’s Garden Practices activity course (ENVR 356), students engage with the community through the community garden, while learning about gardening and food production in the Pacific Northwest.

Martin Klingbeil '14 worked on the Sierra Leone Trial to Introduce a Vaccine Against Ebola (STRIVE) — Martin Klingbeil '14, pictured on the right, worked on the Sierra Leone Trial to Introduce a Vaccine Against Ebola (STRIVE). As an employee with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Martin helped run the final stretch of the trial and helped stand up the permanent CDC office in Freetown.

Maddie Grossan '16 interning in Dijon, France — Maddie Grossan '16 spent a summer in Dijon, France on the International Political Economy International Internship Grant where she got the opportunity to adapt to foreign work environments and enhance her language skills in a professional setting.

IPE field trip to Thrift Books warehouse — In Spring 2017, IPE students and faculty toured Thrift Books Warehouse in Auburn, WA. The company CEO gave the group got an exclusive tour of the warehouse, and students got to learn about the company's inner workings.

Experiential Learning

A sampling of student internships and student research grants:

Sencity, China (impact entrepreneurial intern)
Court Appointed Special Advocates - CASA (program coordinator intern)
Washington State Department of Agriculture (international marketing intern)
Alex Bude '26, summer research grant, "Identifying Barriers to Exportation of Siem Reap Mangoes to High-Value Markets"
Phoenix Stoker-Graham '24, summer research grant, "The Impact of Tacoma Community Gardens on Local Food Security"
Abby Foy '19, summer research grant, "Exploring Power and Intersection Between Language, Identity, and Economic Opportunity in The Gambia"

STORIES

Faculty

Five Questions With Professor of International Political Economy Emelie Peine

As professor and director of the International Political Economy (IPE) program at Puget Sound, Emelie Peine combines tools from sociology, politics, geography, economics, and other social sciences to shed some light on how…

Expanding His Horizons

Q: What first got you interested in studying tourism and development?A: My interest grew out of my own experience. When I was a junior in college, I spent a semester studying in Australia, and after that, I traveled…

Eye Opener

There is sculpture, mixed media, playful photo-realism, and the breathtaking photography of the late Gordon Parks. Some of the works are political, confronting the viewer with unexpected …

Where Graduates Work

Our alumni work at:

Amazon (treasury analyst)
Washington State Department of Commerce (research program coordinator)
World Vision (senior technical advisor)
KQED, PBS (digital fundraising manager)
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (public health analyst)

Learn more about what graduates do After Puget Sound

Where Graduates Continue Studying

Our alumni continue their studies at:

University of California, Berkeley (School of Law)
George Washington University (Master of Public Health)
London School of Economics (Masters in International Political Economy)
Thunderbird School of Management (MBA in Global Management)

Meet the Faculty

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Nick Kontogeorgopoulos

Professor, International Political Economy, and Dean of Experiential Learning

konto@pugetsound.edu

Prof. Kontogeorgopoulos's research interests center on alternative forms of tourism in Southeast Asia. He teaches courses on tourism, international development, and international political economy.

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Emelie Peine

Professor and Director, International Political Economy

epeine@pugetsound.edu

While teaching a wide array of IPE courses, Prof. Peine conducts research focused on the role of multinational agribusiness in the global food regime, as well as local food systems and food availability.

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Pierre Ly

Professor, International Political Economy

ply@pugetsound.edu

Prof. Ly's current research explores the political economy of wine in China. He teaches international political economy courses on topics such as NGOs, trade, and finance.

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Bradford Dillman

Professor, International Political Economy

bdillman@pugetsound.edu

Prof. Dillman teaches topics such as Middle East politics, the illicit global economy, and intellectual property. His research focuses on global illegal transactions, such as smuggling, and has been widely published.

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Elizabeth Nunn

Visiting Assistant Professor, Economics and International Political Economy

enunn@pugetsound.edu

In addition to teaching courses exploring public finance and America's economic history, Prof. Nunn helped cultivate the International Political Economy Program and co-authored the first edition of the program's textbook.

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Beyond the Classroom

China

Many IPE students secure internships abroad, including a number in China in organizations such as ECOVIS, DELSK, and Hoolihome.

Argentina

Amy Colliver '20 spent a summer doing research in Argentina on the role of feminist civil society activism in creating policy change.

BRAZIL

Jonah Kone '19 did IPE summer research in Brazil on the Landless Workers' Movement and their development in rice agroecology and their struggle in the face of political change.