HGO4605 – Transformations in the global economy: value chains and production networks
Course description
Course content
The global balance of economic power is shifting towards the East and the South, and economic globalization is said to be entering a new phase. What does this mean? How do we, as human geographers, identify such processes, and how can we help to analyze and explain them? This course is based on the global chains and networks perspective, comprising of the global value chains (GVC) approach and the global production networks approach(GPN). We study how analytical frameworks constructed around chains and networks can be used to explain the changes. These approaches build on grand theories on the transformation of economic systems. They also require the development of middle-range theories in order to facilitate explanations in specific analyses. During the course, we will demonstrate and discuss how this can be achieved. The theoretical scope of the course is wide-ranging and forms a basis for human geography research in several different contexts.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
You will be able to:
- account for the underlying changes supporting the claim that the global balance of economic power is shifting towards the East and the South
- discuss what separates and unites the value-chains approach and the production-networks approach in analyses of global and regional changes
- identify strengths and weaknesses of such perspectives as analytical frameworks
Skills
You will have the ability to utilize value chains and production networks approaches in concrete analyses. This means that you will be able to:
- identify what approaches should be applied in the case of specific issues
- identify the need to make use of middle-range theory in the case of specific issues
- suggest what middle-range theories may be beneficial to draw on and illustrate how they can be used
General knowledge
You will acquire:
- practical experience in using and developing theory
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Admission to the course is dependent on admission to the master’s degree programme in human geography.
Students with admission to other relevant master’s degree programmes can apply for admission as guest students.
Master specialisation in didactics for social science in the Teacher Education Programme (Lektorprogrammet) – please see the link for information regarding admission.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with SGO4605 – Transformations in the global economy: value chains and production networks (continued).
Teaching
Teaching will be in the form of seminars and will consist of eight ordinary seminar meetings. Seminar meetings will take place once a week, last for three hours and consist of a combination of a lecture, group work, presentations and discussions. The final seminar will include a summing-up of the course and exam preparation based on students’ requests and questions.
Compulsory instruction and coursework
Active participation in the group work at six of the eight seminars is compulsory.
Students must be well prepared for every meeting. For each ordinary meeting a minimum of 50 pages of reading will be set, which students should read prior to the meetings.
Absence from compulsory tuition activities
If you are ill or have another valid reason for being absent from compulsory tuition activities, your absence may be approved or the compulsory activity may be postponed.
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
The exam is a one-week home exam. The examination text will be formulated by the teacher. The exam question will be available from 10.00 am on the day of the exam and must be submitted at 12.00 pm 7 days later.
The maximum length of the paper, excepting references, is 4000 words. In your analyses, you are encouraged to use empirical examples. The examples could be from the syllabus, other academic sources or cases that have attained media attention.
Previous exams and examiner guidelines
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English.You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
If you are sick or have another valid reason for not attending the regular exam, we offer a postponed exam later in the same semester.
See also our information about resitting an exam.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.