PUAF 700: U.S. Trade Policy and Politics

by I.M. Destler

Syllabus dated August 2009

Document (PDF)

The United States possesses the world’s largest economy, and is the most important force in global trade. Thus US trade policies have enormous impact on the world economic order. But they are driven by US domestic processes and politics. This course focuses on the economics, politics, and laws shaping United States trade policy. Among the topics it highlights are:

• the internationalization of the American economy;
• the simultaneous US engagement in global, regional, and bilateral trade negotiations;
• the shaky political base for such negotiations, and the process for managing them;
• the huge (but suddenly-shrinking) US trade deficit - its causes and effects;
• the impact of the World Trade Organization;
• the US trade relationship with China; and
• the broad controversy over “globalization.”

Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland
4113 Van Munching Hall, School of Public Policy
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 405-7601

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