The relationship(s) between comparative and international political economy

Mark Blyth

Chapter 24 in Handbook of Comparative Political Economy, 2025, pp 434-450 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter examines the relationships that exist between Comparative Political Economy (CPE) and International Political Economy (IPE). The chapter begins by noting the very different origins and purposes of each field and how they have evolved over time. It then discusses points of contact and difference between these fields in terms of how they conceptualize growth, power, and the role of institutions. The chapter then deploys an analytic device called a Galton Hierarchy to assess the level of analysis at which theories in IPE and CPE operate. A comparison of how each field conceptualizes the level of analysis at which causation operates reveals a split between CPE theories, which operate largely at levels 1 and 2, and IPE theories, which operate largely at levels 3 and 4. The chapter concludes that over time there has been a rapprochement between these fields as each seeks to embed the insights of the other in their respective frameworks. New work in both fields seeks to transcend this historic divide and is doing so with success. Whether this leads eventually to the de facto emergence of a more unified general political economy remains to be seen.

Keywords: International political economy; Comparative political economy; Power; Hierarchy; Growth; Institutions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035327775
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