https://at-ceu.studyguide.timeedit.net/modules/POLS5183?type=COREThis course provides a graduate-level introduction to the field of political economy. Political economy can be defined as the study of the interaction between the political and economic sphere, or the tension between the state and the market. The course focuses on comparative approaches to political economy, which seek to explain how political and economic factors interact to shape policy choices, economic performance, and societal outcomes in different countries. Throughout the course, students will engage with the major theoretical traditions in political economy, including rational choice approaches, historical analyses, institutionalist perspectives, and constructivist frameworks. The course critically evaluates the strengths and limitations of these paradigms, equipping students with the analytical tools necessary to interpret and explain the complex interplay of politics and economics. In doing so, it provides a foundation for understanding how political and economic institutions influence outcomes such as growth, inequality, redistribution, and regime performance. While the course does not require prior training, a basic familiarity with statistical reasoning may prove useful for engaging with selected empirical research.