Critical Internation Political Economy: Dialogue, Debate, and Dissensus
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 69, Heft 3, S. 539-543
ISSN: 0020-577X
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 69, Heft 3, S. 539-543
ISSN: 0020-577X
In: Statistisk sentralbyr°a. Artikler nr. 30
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 60, Heft 2, S. 139-162
ISSN: 0020-577X
Draws on the New Regionalism Approach (NRA) to analyze the political economy of the new regionalism in southern Africa in the post-Cold War & postapartheid era. The NRA challenges much of conventional wisdom in the field, which is seen as narrowly focused on intergovernmental regional organizations & intraregional trade. The analysis identifies four main types of regionalism in southern Africa, which to a large extent occur within the larger context of economic globalization, neoliberalism, & the retreat of the state: (1) open regionalism, (2) microregionalism, (3) private firms led regionalism, & (4) informal regionalism from below. Both open regionalism & microregionalism (as built around the concept of spatial development initiatives) seek to reinforce economic globalization & market integration, & attract foreign direct investment to bankable private investment projects. Together with the firms driven regionalism, which is constructed by & around large South African business enterprises, these three types of regionalism sustain a particular pattern of elite driven regionalism centered on economic growth, trade, & capital intensive projects in the formal economy, with little focus on development & poverty reduction. To a large extent, the myriad of activities included in informal regionalism from below emerges as a consequence of the negative & exclusionary effects of neoliberalism & the three types of elite driven regionalism. 47 References. Adapted from the source document.
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 67, Heft 2, S. 231-242
ISSN: 0020-577X
Discusses what problems were present in the world economy on a macro and a micro level, how it resulted in the financial crisis and how the authorities were trying to intervene in order to stabilize the situation. On the macroeconomic level Americans bought cheep Asian goods while printing a lot of money, but inflation was kept at bay since the money was sent to Asia. The circle was complete when Americans lent the money back from Asia and speculated with it. On the microeconomic level structured investment vehicles (SIVs) and asset backed commercial paper (ABCP) created problems especially when they were combined with collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and mortgage-backed securities (MBS). The boom turned into bust after 2006 when there were not enough house buyers left. L. Pitkaniemi
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 68, Heft 2, S. 295-303
ISSN: 0020-577X
A review essay on books by (1) Helge Ryggvik, Til siste drape. Om oljens politiske okonomi ([To the Last Drop. On the Political Economy of Oil] Oslo: Aschehoug, 2009) and (2) Gudmund Skjeldal and Unni Berge, Feber. Historia om norsk olje og gass ([Fever. The History of Norwegian Oil and Gas] Oslo: Cappelen Damm, 2009).
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 69, Heft 2, S. 303-303
ISSN: 0020-577X
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 69, Heft 2, S. 304-306
ISSN: 0020-577X
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 64, Heft 2, S. 245-256
ISSN: 0020-577X
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 65, Heft 3, S. 71-84
ISSN: 0020-577X
A national interest, as an expression, fits poorly in the Norwegian language and the country's political culture. Norwegian politicians rarely mention it and internationally the country is isolationist due to its small size, distant location and historical circumstances. However, in the northern European context, Norway has strong resource and environmental political interests, as well as keeping a stable and peaceful relationship with its neighbor Russia. L. Pitkaniemi
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 60, Heft 2, S. 131-138
ISSN: 0020-577X
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 67, Heft 2, S. 243-258
ISSN: 0020-577X
A theoretical discussion on the relationship between globalization and international norms and whether the economy could be reformed into a just and stable system. According to the neoliberal and structuralist rational choice theory, states try to maximize their own benefit, which in turn determines international norms. The constructivist model flags for a socially conditional rationality where these norms are based on ideas, values and cultures alone. A possible path to international institutional reform could be the United Nations whose economist and sociologists disused the market crisis as a system crisis. However, a real reform cannot take place before more powerful multinational institutions have been developed. L. Pitkaniemi
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 67, Heft 2, S. 259-271
ISSN: 0020-577X
Hedge strategies became famous after the strange year of 2008 when Lehman Brothers went bankrupt and the Norwegian stock market crashed by 55%. Countries could benefit from the hedging strategies known from the financial world during an era when the American hegemony is about to end. In a polar or bipolar world where stakes are well known hedging is unnecessary, but in a multipolar world dominated from two to ten states the importance of hedging increases. A successful foreign policy hedging strategy aims at finding a low delta by reducing and managing risk, pushing decision making into the future, keeping options open and developing insurance mechanisms. L. Pitkaniemi
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 67, Heft 2, S. 221-230
ISSN: 0020-577X
Explains that the late-2000 recession was mainly due to the fact that politicians, businessmen and economists had forgotten the lessons of the great depression resulting in a moral hazard of overleveraging as big corporations knew that the government would bail them out. The seeds for this economic crisis were already sawn by the stock market bubble in the 1990's that eventually spread into more important sectors due to bad government policies based on neoliberalism. It is important that policy makers see the economic crisis as a possibility and aim at full employment while redesigning the credit system in order to avoid future crises. L. Pitkaniemi
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 62, Heft 1, S. 85-106
ISSN: 0020-577X
Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, & Hungary have in little more than ten years established market-based economies. The countries chose, in spite of geographical proximity & historical links, different reform strategies, especially with respect to inflation stabilization & privatization. The different strategies can to a large extent be explained by different starting points. In preparation for EU membership, the economic policies in the four countries have gradually converged. The economic results have been mixed. Many have gained from greater choice & higher living standards. Still, economic growth is only slightly above the performance of the EU countries, unemployment is high, & government budgets exhibit large deficits. Membership of the EU could bring about more trade & investment & help narrow the income gap towards Western Europe. Adapted from the source document.
In: Internasjonal politikk, Band 60, Heft 2, S. 229-234
ISSN: 0020-577X