This edition is a sophisticated and authoritative introduction to the field of global political economy that combines history and theoretical approaches with contemporary issues and debates. International experts have updated the new edition to include material on the on-going financial crisis, evaluating the prospects for larger developing economies, with a particular focus on the BRICs, and exploring the crises in global governance. Students are supported in their studies by features including boxes with additional information on key topics and end of chapter questions, and are encouraged to take their interest in the subject beyond the textbook through further reading sections and web links