Why do some governments bail out banks in a crisis while others do not? Why can popular movements and elections affect stock market prices? Why might Financial Technologies (FinTech) increase financial inclusion and reduce economic inequality?

This course seeks to answer such questions by analyzing three issue areas: Banks, Stock Markets, and FinTech.

Specifically, this course examines the interplay of how politics affects finance and how finance shapes politics.

During our discussion, we will touch upon larger sustainable development issues, such as how financial development affects inequality and inclusive economic growth and how government regulation impacts fairness and innovation.

After successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Apply International Political Economy of Finance theories to identify real-world puzzles.
• Develop hypotheses that can explain questions related to International Finance and Politics.
• Adjudicate between competing hypotheses to recommend solutions to policy problems.
• Defend proposed solutions using reasoned arguments.

This course will be helpful for students who plan to continue their studies at the master’s level (e.g., international economics, development, political science). Students interested in pursuing a career in fields such as economic consultancy, public institutions, and corporate strategy will also benefit from this course.

This course is part of the Seminar Series on "Sustainable Economics II" (In German, "Zukunftsfähiges Wirtschaften II," frequently abbreviated as "ZuWi II"). The present course shares several overarching goals with all other courses in the ZuWi II sequence. Specifically, every ZuWi II course aims to increase students' awareness of economic activities' social and environmental context. Moreover, students learn to consider the impact of their actions on society and the natural environment, their social responsibility, and their contribution to long-term sustainable development. This includes the ability to consider the ethical, social, and environmental issues implied in their decisions. ZuWi II courses achieve this by encouraging students to practice self-reflection, openness and sensitivity to diversity, and understanding of complexity.  By the end of any ZuWi II course, students should be able to process new information, understand ideas and problems, develop solutions, and communicate them to both expert and non-expert audiences.

This course is classified as "Examination-immanent" (in German, "Prüfungsimmanent," often abbreviated as "PI"). As a general rule, PI courses have compulsory attendance. However, one class can be missed without negatively affecting the grade. If known in advance, absences must be announced by email to the lecturer ahead of time (e.g., in cases of conflicting class schedules). Missing class for medical reasons (e.g., accident or illness) will not count against the participation requirements as long as a doctor's note can be provided. No makeup assignments will be provided in case of missed assessments. More details on absenteeism rules will be explained in the first class.

The course language is English. Learning activities may include preparatory readings, readiness activities before class, teacher's input, discussions and other in-class activities, small individual assignments and quizzes, peer-review of assignments, and written group work or individual assignments.

• Reading assignments completed before class sessions (20%)
• Active participation during class (20%)
• Creative illustration of core concept (20%)
• Short writing assignments (40%)

Course enrollment is based on the "first-come, first-served” principle. If you have registered but cannot participate in the course, please de-register via LPIS during the registration period so that your place is available to students on the waiting list.

If there is a waiting list for enrollment in the course, students on the waiting list will be notified after the end of the enrollment period and will be allocated to available places. Students will be ranked by progress in their studies, not by their rank on the waiting list. This procedure, however, is not to be understood as a guarantee of class space.

Please log in with your WU account to use all functionalities of read!t. For off-campus access to our licensed electronic resources, remember to activate your VPN connection connection. In case you encounter any technical problems or have questions regarding read!t, please feel free to contact the library at readinglists@wu.ac.at.

• Email: Ashley.simpson@wu.ac.at
• Office hours: I will be available on Microsoft Teams on Wednesdays from 2-3 PM and by appointment. Please email me if you would like to set up an appointment.