What are the cutting edge debates in global political economy? This book presents an invaluable overview of all the major contemporary debates and approaches at the forefront of European and North American global political economy. The book covers the following topics: the six central concepts of global political economy: state, firm, capital, power, labour and globalisation; theories at the frorefront of GPE: rational choice, neo-institutionalism, neo-Marxism, constructivism and postmodernity; recent developments in theoretical approaches such as game theory, modern rational and public choice theory, development theory, historical sociology; how global political economy is best understood in terms of three traditions of political economy: Marxism, rationalism and hermeneutics/institutionalism. No other book provides such succinct summaries, by international experts in the field, of such topical and wide-ranging issues. This book represents an essential textbook, ideal for students and lecturers in International Political Economy and International Relations.