Global Trade Governance

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Program Description​

Disputes over the governance of global trade are a core element of international politics. Tariffs and supply chains and cross-border data flows routinely feature in media coverage and animate geopolitical competition. How do historical ideas about trade, such as those of Adam Smith, shape contemporary debates over global trade governance? This one-week intensive course during Spring Break (March 2026) to Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland, provided a unique opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the evolution of global trade governance and different perspectives on how to manage both the benefits and challenges of trade. From a trade negotiation simulation with students at the University of Glasgow to a tour of Adam Smith's house and original works in Edinburgh, this course combined active, hands-on learning with immersive, on-the-ground experiences.

 

Key learning activities:

• Represent the United States in a US-UK trade negotiation simulation with a partner class at the University of Glasgow

• Participate in a research symposium on trade politics featuring cutting edge research from faculty at both Purdue University and the University of Glasgow

• Tour an award-winning chocolate factory and a whisky distillery to learn how how businesses engage in fair trade and manage their global supply chains

• Learn more about classical political economy, Adam Smith, and the connections between historical and contemporary trade politics​​​​