INTR 4030: Political Economy of the World Trade Organisation (Lecturer: to be advised)

With over half the South African economy being trade dependent and the country taking a leading role in WTO negotiations, this elective unit offers vital insights into the related processes and institutions. It provides an overview of the history of international trade negotiations, concentrating on the working of the GATT/WTO, its current effectiveness and the prospects for a further round of negotiations. Further, its relationship with international financial institutions, the debate surrounding the inclusion of new issues' like labour, the environment, investments, services, etc and the stance of the developing countries affecting the functioning of the multilateral trade regime are also explored.