How did global finance get to be such big business? For much of the post-war era finance was a sleepy occupation lampooned in movies such as Mary Poppins. But things have changed, and today finance is at the cutting edge of global commerce and world politics.

This module examines the rise of global finance from a political perspective. Through the study of a variety of historical, theoretical and contemporary issues the module helps you recognise the political character of financial relationships, and to understand how finance interacts with other aspects of social life.

Topics covered include the Gold Standard, the Bretton Woods regime, the re-emergence of global finance since 1973, money, credit and debt, the rise of independent central banks, and European monetary integration (the Euro). The class does NOT address issues of aid or development.

Informed by a mix of international political economy and social theory, the module focuses on the analysis of global financial politics, with fundamental questions about power, hegemony, social control, and the evolving dynamics of capitalism amongst its central concerns. If you are interested in these aspects of global finance, then this is the right module for you.