Editor: Susan Strange

Globalisation and Capitalist Diversity: Experiences on the Asian Mainland

Strange, Susan, editor. Florence: European University Institute/Robert Schulman Centre, 1997.

This volume collects together papers presented at a conference organised by Strange at the EUI on 2-4th May 1996. Strange herself only contributed an introduction outlining the papers in the volume and discussing the organisational background to the conference. Strange argues that comparative politics scholars and international business academics need to 'build bridges' between the two disciplines to better understand the interaction between states and firms. Additionally Strange wanted the conference to bring together European and Japanese academics to discuss the relationship between firms and states in Asia's economic development. Unsurprisingly, this relationship between states and firms, most specifically in the case of Japan and China was the central subject of discussion. However Strange concludes that while the papers collected in the volume broadly agreed on the importance of Asian development for the global economy, the participants were unable to agree on the interaction of states and firms. Finally Strange suggested that mainstream realist and neo-realist approaches to international relations were of little help and what was required was an interdisciplinary comparative international political economy, which she had been advocating for the previous twenty years.

Keywords: Political Economy; Theory; Realism

Contributor(s): Editor: Susan Strange
Keywords: Political Economy, Theory, 1990's
Source and Medium: Edited Volume

Year of Publication: 1997

Conclusion

Strange, Susan. In Paths to International Political Economy, edited by Susan Strange. London: Allen and Unwin, 1984.

Strange then poses the question 'What about International Relations?' in her conclusion to Paths to International Political Economy (1984). After discussing the importance of the grounding in politics for economists and vice versa, Strange notes that radical theorists have concentrated too much on the production structure, and notes that the other three (finance, security and 'knowledge') are as important. However this is not developed further. She goes on to identify the state as still the central decision making body in the international political economy. She notes that even multinationals in the final analysis bow to the wishes of their home state. This view is in sharp contradiction to the transnational structural theory of power which would emerge over the next few years.

Keywords: Corporations; Structural Power, Power; Theory; International Relations; Transnational Corporations

Contributor(s): Susan Strange and Editor: Susan Strange
Keywords: Corporations, Structural Power, Power, Theory, 1980's
Source and Medium: Book Chapter

Year of Publication: 1984

On Money and World Politics

Strange, Susan, D.P. Calleo. In Paths to International Political Economy, edited by Susan Strange. London: Allen and Unwin, 1984.

Strange discusses 'Money and World Politics' criticising economists for supposing questions of values and power are questions of market 'imperfections' and not of central importance. The article then goes on to consider the balance of payments problem and how suggestions for addressing this 'problem' reveal theoretical standpoints. They also note the disruptive influence/effect of American policies on the financial structure. The article concludes with a plea for a return to more 'objective' analysis of global problems, not driven by government set academic objectives.

Keywords: Hegemony; Money and Finance; Theory

Contributor(s): Susan Strange, D.P. Calleo and Editor: Susan Strange
Keywords: Hegemony, Money and Finance, Theory, 1980's
Source and Medium: Book Chapter

Year of Publication: 1984

Paths to International Political Economy

Strange, Susan, editor. London: Allan and Unwin, 1984.

This is a collection of nine essays looking at various sectoral aspects to the study of IPE, together with a brief preface by Strange. In her preface Strange again singles out development economists, applied economists and economic historians and praises their openness to insights and evidence from other disciplines and sub-disciplines. Implicitly there is an epistemological argument here, against theoretical closure, though as in the majority of her writings this remains implicit.

Keywords: Theory

Contributor(s): Editor: Susan Strange
Keywords: Theory, 1980's
Source and Medium: Edited Volume

Year of Publication: 1984

The International Politics of Surplus Capacity: Competition for Market Shares in the World

Strange, Susan, Roger Tooze, editors. London: Allen and Unwin, 1981.

This is a collection of 17 essays resulting from a conference held by the International Political Economy Group of the BISA, together with an editorial overview of theoretical approaches to IPE and a conclusion concerning the agreements and differences among the contributors. Writing with Tooze, Strange notes that it is not intended to dispense with the ‘insights’ of the realists, but it is necessary to widen their approach considerably. Any analysis should start by recognising the key historical bargains that were made within the economic structure. But the editors are not sure of the present possibility of an all embracing theory of international political economy. They conclude: there is a lessening possibility of dividing off the national from the international; any study of international relations (political or economic) must take account of values to avoid sterility in the analysis of outcomes; a structural analysis is not necessarily incompatible with realism; and IPE can only be meaningful where it builds on international economic history. Strange here identifies the following structures in international society: security, finance, distribution of knowledge, provision of welfare, transport services and communications; exchange and employment structures, without extensive analysis.

Keywords: Political Economy; Structural Power, Power; Theory; Realism

Contributor(s): Editor: Susan Strange and Editor: Roger Tooze
Keywords: Political Economy, Structural Power, Power, Theory, 1980's
Source and Medium: Edited Volume

Year of Publication: 1981

International Trade

Strange, Susan. In Money and Trade (A Background Special), edited by Wilfrid Eady, Bertrand Jouvenel, Susan Strange, 53-77. London: Batchworth Press, 1955.

Foregrounding the role of technology in the development of international trade, Strange discusses the difference between the theory of free trade and the actual patterns (and barriers) to international trade in the 1950s. This leads her to emphasise balance of payments problems linked to international monetary flows and political barriers to freer trade. Firmly arguing that expanding international trade will aid the poorest, Strange stresses the need for the rich countries to exploit their knowledge resources and allow manufacturing to progressively move to the under-developed areas of the international system.

Keywords: Knowledge; Money and Finance; Trade; Knowledge Production; Technology

Contributor(s): Susan Strange, , Editor: Bertrand Jouvenel and Editor: Susan Strange
Keywords: Knowledge, Money and Finance, Trade, 1950's and earlier
Source and Medium: Book Chapter

Year of Publication: 1955