POLI 2515 The Politics of International Money and Finance
The management of money is generally understood to be a highly complex and technical matter, and as a result, it is commonly argued, best left in the hands of dispassionate technocrats guided by the neutral logic of abstract economic theory. But money is always and everywhere a political phenomenon. When it comes to questions of money and finance, locally and globally, political factors and forces inevitably, inescapably, and fundamentally shape choices and determine outcomes. In this course we consider the political foundations of monetary matters, with a focus on topics including central banking, financial crises, the future of the dollar, the unique social meaning of money, the Euro crisis, and more.
Course overview
- Department
- Political Science
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Periodically in the Spring
Requirements fulfilled
- International Studies: Concentration: Cooperation and Conflict – approved courses (six courses in one concentration) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- International Studies: Concentration: Political Economy and Development Studies – approved courses (six courses; either cluster counts) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 3.98 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.14 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 2
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | Jonathan Kirshner | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4–6 hrs/week | 26 of 35 |
| Fall 2022 | Jonathan Kirshner | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 7–9 hrs/week | 28 of 34 |