Topics in IR: International Finance and Political Institutions

This course examines the politics of international financial institutions, with attention to the old-guard International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, and the African Development Bank, as well as new initiatives led by China, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. China's rise has altered the balance of global financial power. Meanwhile, the election of Donald Trump marked a distinct rupture in US engagement with the rest of the world. As we study these international dynamics, the course examines the domestic political motivations for (apparently) international affairs.