3155+Trade+and+the+WTO+Seminar

This is a research seminar. Students must plan and carefully conduct research to answer specific questions. Findings are to be presented in a 5-6 page report and summarized in class presentation. The objective of the seminar is to help students understand what the WTO does, how decisions are made, and their relevance to American business (exporters and importers). Help students understand the role the US government plays as an international advocate for business, both in shaping global institutions and in pursuing a pro-business agenda.
 * Seminar on Trade and WTO, 10/3**
 * Readings for whole class**
 * Economics Focus: Trade’s Bounty, __The Economist__, 4 Dec 2004
 * World Trade: 50 Years On, __The Economist__, 16 May, 1998
 * Seminar participants are to select ONE of the following, and be sure to clear their choice with me:**
 * 1) What does the WTO do? Why is this important? What are the main arguments for, and arguments against, the WTO as currently constituted?
 * 2) How does US business benefit from the WTO’s existence, both as an advocate of free trade and as a site of dispute arbitration?  What were the main pro-business arguments for the WTO when it was created?
 * 3) (2 students) How are cases brought before the WTO, and how are they decided? Illustrate your answer by using examples you think the class might find interesting or are relevant to Philadelphia area businesses or consumers.
 * 4) What explains the failure of the most recent ‘round’ of global free trade negotiations (the Doha round)? What were the major issues at stake, and which countries argued for what changes? Give an overview of American corporate positions on the round.
 * Readings for participants:**
 * Background briefings and case information at the WTO website: http://www.wto.org/
 * Background briefings at US Embassy in Belgium: http://www.uspolicy.be/issues/wto/wto.asp
 * CRS Report on US Trade Policy, July 2008 http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RS22914_20080714.pdf
 * CRS Report: WTO: Issues in the Debate on US participation http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/assets/crs/RL32918.pdf
 * EPI Issue Brief No. 233: Marketing the Gains from Trade

Other sources

 * Financial Times—longer articles on trade, Doha, WTO
 * Economist—articles on trade, Doha, WTO
 * Advocacy groups’ websites