International Political Economy

Rating:
Summary: IPE Reader aimed at students new to IPE
Review: Frieden and Lake are two very well-established scholars in the IPE field. In this book they have presented 31 articles of academic journal quality in a manner that is accessbile to students with little or no IPE knowledge. Having some fundamental knowledge of micro-economics, specifically comparative advantage (the underlying rationale as to why globalization is occuring and what it really is), can be helpful in understanding some of the subject matter. The book is divided into seven main sections: 1)Contending Perspectives on IPE, 2) Historical Perspectives, 3)Production, 4) Money and Finance, 5) Trade, 6) Economies in Development and Transition, and 7) Current Problems in IPE. As is evident from the sections in the book, this is a fairly thorough look at IPE, what it was, is, as well as what it could be in the future. Would be five stars but some of the articles were quite redundant (as is oft the case with books dealing with economic subject matter).

Rating:
Summary: important for understand free trade/globilization
Review: This book a good collection of works by different authors about how our world is changing. Currently, the world is becoming more integrated and depenendent then ever before. The changes are causing fundamental changes in our economy and goverment. International political economy provides a resource to better understand the changes happening in our society with a good historical perspective. It deals things like monetary policy, politics, goverment and economics. A great cross discipline work.

Rating:
Summary: Really really boring
Review: This book provides a bunch of politically motivated exerpts that provide nothing more than endless boredom.