I teach the following subjects at the University of Melbourne:
- POLS90026: International Political Economy – this is a compulsory subject in the Master of International Relations program, co-taught with Andrew Walter
- POLS90012: Trade Policy, Politics and Governance – this is a post-graduate elective offered by the School of Social and Political Sciences
Students who are enrolled in POLS90012: Trade Policy, Politics and Governance might find it helpful to read the World Trade Organization’s “Understanding the WTO” as a primer on the contemporary global trade system.
Students who are enrolled in POLS90026: International Political Economy and who are unfamiliar with the issue area might find it helpful to consult one or more of the following texts in advance:
- Robert O’Brien and Marc Williams, Global Political Economy: Evolution and Dynamics, Palgrave Macmillan, 4th Edition, 2013 [this text offers a good overview of (the historical evolution of) the international political economy]
- Thomas Oatley, International Political Economy: Interest and Institutions in the Global Economy, Pearson, 5th Edition, 2012 [a single author text that provides a good introduction to more recent, mostly rationalist approaches to IPE]
- Robert Gilpin, Global Political Economy: Understanding the International Economic Order, Princeton University Press, 2001 [an update on Gilpin’s 1987 classic IPE text]
Honours/Minor Thesis Supervision
I also supervise students’ research projects in honours or post-graduate minor thesis programs. Students who have been assigned to me for supervision should consult this page.
Appointments/Meetings
If you would like to meet, send me an email (jikon.lai AT unimelb.edu.au) to organise an appointment or make a booking online at this site.
Previous Teaching
I have previously taught the following subjects/courses:
- The Politics and Economics of East Asia and the Pacific
- Development and Change
- International Relations Theory
Jikon Lai 