International Trade: Theory and Policy

Reviewed by Scott Ratner, Adjunct Professor, City University of New York on 6/19/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The book is very well structured and comprehensive, with succinct definitions of key terms and poignant examples of the text substance. Examples of trade come primarily from the developed world, and comparatively little from the developing world is referenced. Well-rounded exercises and explanations are provided, and the sections on mathematical models and quantitative analysis are presented in a clear and concise manner.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I did not come across any factual errors or biased representation of the material.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

That the majority of examples of free trade agreements across the globe that the book references are well-established rather than recent, it is unlikely that the text will be obsolete in coming years. Changes, such as the enactment of new major trade deals or international trade guidelines and agreements, will be easy to insert into copies of the text in coming years.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is written in a very clear and lucid manner, and the jargon and technical terminology is presented in a reader friendly manner that is accessible to students new and unfamiliar with the topic.

Consistency rating: 5

There is no problem with the internal consistency of any sections of the book.

Modularity rating: 4

The text is very easy and readily divisible into smaller sections that can be assigned at different points within the course. Moreover, it can be easily reorganized and realigned with various sub units of a course without presenting the reader with too much disruption,

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics of the text are presented thematically with little overlap. More over, the topics are organized in a coherent and logic manner.

Interface rating: 4

The charts and graphs of the book sometime cover more than one page, which at times distorts them and renders it difficult to follow them. It is also somewhat distracting. However, this issue does not detract from the overall quality of the text or present too much confusion to the reader.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not come across any grammatical errors in the book.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Although the book is somewhat western centric in the examples it gives, it does not do so in a way that a multicultural audience would find either offensive or exclusionary. That being said, more examples relevant to the developing, non-western world would enhance the analytical depth and relevance of the book to a non-western readership.

Reviewed by Elizabeth Perry-Sizemore, Professor of Economics, Randolph College on 8/15/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

I reviewed Version 1.0 of this text in online format in 2017.

The content coverage is appropriate for a one semester international trade course. There is no index or glossary, but the reader can hover the cursor over key terms that appear in bold for definitions. The text also has links to related sources and further reading. Chapters 5 and 7 are among the strongest in terms of both clarity and depth. The section-end problems more often assess a student's ability to recall information than apply or critically evaluate it. One way to improve the text is to develop more problems relating to higher level learning outcomes.

Content Accuracy rating: 2

The author thoughtfully acknowledges different perspectives on the debates surrounding free trade and protectionism, and does so across chapters rather than relegating the discussion to a single chapter. The author is also careful and consistent throughout the text in identifying both the strengths and limitations of the models presented.

Equations-within text and tables- need thorough editing. The use of subscripts is inconsistent and therefore confusing, and in a small number of places there are errors in equations. My sense is that most or all of this a formatting issue. (I can readily discern what the author intends and it is correct.) In the preface, the author expresses interest in alienating neither PhD-bound economics students nor non-economists for whom the course is required or of interest. I do not believe this goal can be fully realized without tending to the problems in the equations.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

The book's general content is of lasting relevance. Earlier chapters rely on data from 2009 and should be updated with more recent data. Most links to other sources are still functioning and accurate.

Clarity rating: 4

Other than my aforementioned concern about the equations, the text is well-ordered and clear. Each chapter sub-section has clearly identified learning objectives to which the end-of-section "Key Takeaways" specifically relate.

Consistency rating: 4

On the whole, the text is consistent. At times, some topics (for instance, H-O) are referred to before they are fully explained, but most of the time links to the sections addressing them are provided. Occasionally discussion of building-block components of models seems unbalanced. For instance, the notion of a PPF is introduced from the bottom-up while student understanding of indifference curves seems to be assumed. The latter is less likely to be covered in a prerequisite course than the former.

Modularity rating: 5

This text seems relatively easy to break into discrete sections. When it is self-referential, it seems to be with good reason.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The content is presented in a logical fashion both within and across chapters.

Interface rating: 3

It is easy to navigate this text. Source links, key terms, and table links are helpful and for the most part well-functioning and free from error. Tables and figures were undistorted, although as previously mentioned errors in equations complicate the reader's ability to understand certain material.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text is grammatically correct.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

A frequent criticism I have of economics textbooks is the tendency to overuse the US as an example country, whether in a 1-country or 2-country example. Another common criticism I have is the tendency to overuse he/him/his pronouns. A third is associating men with certain occupations and women with others. I am hopeful that future versions of this text might differentiate it from other texts in regard to this concern.

Reviewed by Tom Head, Professor of Economics, George Fox University on 2/15/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book provides an exhaustive review of key ideas in the economics of international trade. It does not offer an index or glossary, and both would be useful. Reading the book as a pdf I was able to use the search function as a substitute for an index; for example, I wanted to review the author's discussion of Paul Krugman's contributions to contemporary trade theory and found all references to Krugman's work by searching for his name.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is a basic and standard presentation of key elements in the theory of economic trade, and as such, it offers an accurate survey of this thought.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

With respect to trade theory itself, the book is sufficiently up-to-date. However, with respect to the few chapters, largely at the beginning and end of the book, that deal with the political economy of international trade and with trade negotiations, it would be desirable to provide a fuller, more updated discussion. For example, there is only one brief mention of TPP. Discussing the TPP, the ASEAN countries, trade debates within the US, EU, etc. would be a key contribution of a new, updated edition.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is clearly written with a large array of graphs and numerical examples. While quantitative, it is not excessively so, and the reader does not have to use calculus to comprehend the book's presentations.

Consistency rating: 5

The book is consistent throughout, both in form and content.

Modularity rating: 5

The book's chapters provide a logical structure, and within each chapter the subsections are well organized.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Yes, the structure and flow are logical and clear.

Interface rating: 4

Generally good. In some chapters there are a number of hot links to sources. Most of these are still working, but a few did not and need updating. Also, such reference links could be used more extensively and consistently throughout the book, and this would be an enhancement.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No issues.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

This is largely a book of economic theory and its application to trade topics. As such, it is largely acultural, not being especially sensitive or unsensitive to cultural matters. There are many cultural issues that one could delve into with respect to topics in international economics and globalization; however, those are the topics of this book.

Comments

An instructor's manual would be helpful, as would a second edition in the not too distant future.