78108 Globalisation and International Economic Law

This subject is designed to critically examine the phenomenon of globalisation, and the related changes currently underway in contemporary international economic law. A particular focus of the subject is on the role of international economic law institutions, such as the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, as they grapple with the many new issues that globalisation has thrust onto their agendas. How is globalisation changing the nature of international law, international society and global governance?

This subject undertakes a multidisciplinary examination of the phenomenon of globalisation and the associated transformation underway in contemporary international economic law.

The subject employs tools and perspectives from a variety of the disciplines which have been used to examine globalisation, such as economics, political theory, moral philosophy and sociology. These tools are used to consider issues such as the changing nature of international and global society (and what, if any, is the difference between the two); pressure on traditional concepts of boundaries, citizenship and nationality; the problem of inequality in the global distribution of resources; challenges to sovereignty and emerging forms of global governance; and how existing and new international institutions can better manage this emerging global social policy agenda.