International Political Economy Essays

International Political Economy Essays International Political Economy Essay International Political Economy Essay The first chapter of the text deals with the fundamental nature of international political economy (IPE) and some analytical issues related to its multidimensional character. Chapters 2 through 4 are the core chapters of the text that explore the history and policies associated with the three dominant IPE perspectives, namely economic liberalism, mercantilism, and structuralism. These theoretical tools are useful in understanding many political, economic, and social issues in the global economy of the past as well as the present.Chapter 5 develops two alternative IPE perspectives- constructivism and feminism- that derive, in part, from the three main outlooks under study. ChaPter 1 What Is International Political Economy? We Are the 99%: A Haitian hillside. Georgina Allen When a philosopher has once laid hold of a favorite principle, which perhaps accounts for many natural effects, he extends the same principle over the whole creation, and reduces to it every phenomenon, though by the most violent and absurd reasoning. Our own mind being narrow and contracted, we cannot extend our conception to the variety and extent of nature . . .David Hume, The Sceptic 2 The Darkness on the Edge of Town 3 the Darkness on the eDge of town What are the chances you will find a good paying jobs Doug Irwin, Martin Wolf Hong Kong, U. S. , Great Britain Walden Bello, Benjamin Barber Former East Germany, China before 1982 Amartya Sen Sweden 12 C h a Pte r 1 What Is International Political Economy? stablish a comprehensive theory with easily testable propositions about cause and effect. The world is a messy laboratory. Social science has always reflected this in explanation s of human behavior. IPE today represents an effort to return to the kind of analysis done by political theorists and philosophers before the study of human social behavior became fragmented into the discrete fields of social science. Both Adam Smith and Karl Marx, for example, considered themselves to be political-economists in the broadest sense of the term.One of our goals is to point out ways in which by mixing the elements of different disciplines we are better able to explain the global political economy. One of the ways of doing this is to think of the antecedent disciplines of IPE as varieties of plants. Just as new plant varieties are produced by splicing parts of them together, since the early 1970s the mixing of disciplinary approaches has gradually helped an appreciation of the traditional idea of international political economy re-emerge, resulting in a productive and powerful hybrid field of study called IPE.So what does the new mixture look like? To help answer this q uestion, Susan Strange suggests that we focus on a number of common analytical and conceptual issues that cut across disciplinary boundaries. For her, the starting point for studying the connections and relationships between states, markets, and society is to focus on the question of cui bono? Who benefits from complex interactions in the international political economy? 5 One good example is Pietra Rivoli’s book The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy that examines a commodity chain. 6 Rivoli traces a T-shirt from the time the cotton in it is grown in West Texas, to textile manufacturing in China, to sales in the United States, and then on to Africa, where many donated T-shirts end up being sold in local markets. Her work examines the process by which a T-shirt is made, transported, marketed, and then resold. She raises many questions about politics (the power of special interest groups to a

Overview of the Book Stigma by Erving Goffman

Overview of the Book Stigma by Erving Goffman Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity is a book written by sociologist  Erving Goffman in 1963 about the idea of stigma and what it is like to be a stigmatized person. It is a look into the world of people considered abnormal by society. Stigmatized people are those that do not have full social acceptance and are constantly striving to adjust their social identities: physically deformed people, mental patients, drug addicts, prostitutes, etc. Goffman relies extensively on autobiographies and case studies to analyze stigmatized persons’ feelings about themselves and their relationships to â€Å"normal† people. He looks at the variety of strategies that stigmatized individuals use to deal with the rejection of others and the complex images of themselves that they project to others. Three Types of Stigma In the first chapter of the book, Goffman identifies three types of stigma: stigma of character traits, physical stigma, and stigma of group identity. Stigma of character traits are: â€Å"...blemishes of individual character perceived as weak will, domineering, or unnatural passions, treacherous and rigid beliefs, and dishonesty, these being inferred from a known record of, for example, mental disorder, imprisonment, addiction, alcoholism, homosexuality, unemployment, suicidal attempts, and radical political behavior.† Physical stigma refers to physical deformities of the body, while stigma of group identity is a stigma that comes from being of a particular race, nation, religion, etc. These stigmas are transmitted through lineages and contaminate all members of a family. What all of these types of stigma have in common is that they each have the same sociological features: â€Å"...an individual who might have been received easily in normal social intercourse possesses a trait that can obtrude itself upon attention and turn those of us whom he meets away from him, breaking the claim that his other attributes have on us.† When Goffman refers to â€Å"us,† he is referring to the non-stigmatized, which he calls the â€Å"normals.† Stigma Responses Goffman discusses a number of responses that stigmatized people can take. For example, they could undergo plastic surgery, however, they still risk being exposed as someone who was formerly stigmatized. They can also make special efforts to compensate for their stigma, such as drawing attention to another area of the body or to an impressive skill. They can also use their stigma as an excuse for their lack of success, they can see it as a learning experience, or they can use it to criticize â€Å"normals.† Hiding, however, can lead to further isolation, depression, and anxiety and when they do go out in public, they can, in turn, feel more self-conscious and afraid to display anger or other negative emotions. Stigmatized individuals can also turn to other stigmatized people or sympathetic others for support and coping. They can form or join self-help groups, clubs, national associations, or other groups to feel a sense of belonging. They might also produce their own conferences or magazines to raise their morale. Stigma Symbols In chapter two of the book,  Goffman discusses the role of â€Å"stigma symbols.† Symbols are a part of information control; they are used to understand others. For example, a wedding ring is a symbol that shows others that someone is married. Stigma symbols are similar. Skin color is a stigma symbol, as is a hearing aid, cane, shaved head, or wheelchair. Stigmatized people often use symbols as â€Å"disidentifiers† in order to try to pass as a â€Å"normal.† For instance, if an illiterate person is wearing ‘intellectual’ glasses, they might be trying to pass as a literate person; or, a homosexual person who tells ‘queer jokes’ might be trying to pass as a heterosexual person. These covering attempts, however, can also be problematic. If a stigmatized person tries to cover their stigma or pass as a â€Å"normal,† they have to avoid close relationships, and passing can often lead to self-contempt. They also need to constantly be alert and always checking their houses or bodies for signs of stigmatization. Rules for Handling Normals In chapter three of this book, Goffman discusses the rules that stigmatized people follow when handling â€Å"normals.† One must assume that â€Å"normals† are ignorant rather than malicious.No response is needed to snubs or insults, and the stigmatized should either ignore or patiently refute the offense and views behind it.The stigmatized should try to help reduce the tension by breaking the ice and using humor or even self-mockery.The stigmatized should treat â€Å"normals† as if they are honorary wise.The stigmatized should follow disclosure etiquette by using disability as a topic for serious conversation, for example.The stigmatized should use tactful pauses during conversations to allow recovery from shock over something that was said.The stigmatized should allow intrusive questions and agree to be helped.The stigmatized should see oneself as â€Å"normal† in order to put â€Å"normals† at easy. Deviance In the final two chapters of the book, Goffman discusses the underlying social functions of stigmatization, such as social control,  as well as the implications that stigma has for theories of deviance. For instance, stigma and deviance can be functional and acceptable in society if it is within limits and boundaries.