Commerce and manufacturers gradually introduce order and good government, and with them the liberty and security of individuals. - Adam Smith International Political Economy (IPE) is the study of the interplay of economics and politics in the world arena. In the most general sense, the economy can be defined as the system of producing, distributing, and using wealth; politics is the set of institutions and rules by which social and economic interactions are governed. The contemporary international political economy is characterized by unprecedented levels of multinational production, cross-border financial flows, and international trade. Coverage of the North-South Gap, Globalization, and Interdependence will help students gain understanding of how economics and international relations intersect. The InfoTrac Reader, updated every semester, provides a useful reading list for further study, while the Online MicroCase exercises use current datasets to offer a statistical approach to IPE.