About the lecture

In this module, we discuss our current trading system and how it came about. In particular, we will focus on: (i) globalisation in the second half of the 20th century and why this occurred, including a discussion of containerised shipping; (ii) how has the composition of trade changed over time; (iii) what kinds of products do nations trade now; (iv) how does this compare to trade in the past, including a discussion of service outsourcing; and (v) how trade varies across countries.

About the lecturer

Dr Paul Segal is a Reader in Economics of Development at King's College London. He specialises in researching global poverty and inequality, the economics of natural resources, and economic history. He has published widely within these areas, including Who Are the Global Top 1%? and The Economy: Economics for a Changing World. He has also written policy articles for FT.com and has collaborated with Oxfam Mexico to undertake empirical fieldwork in Mexico City, analysing multidimensional inequalities.