International Monetary Economics

by Bennett T. McCallum

Book Overview

International Monetary Economics presents a brief introduction to the major topics of the subject area together with an analytical framework that is designed to facilitate a better understanding of international monetary economics. The text concentrates on concepts and relationships involving exchange rates and balance-of-payments magnitudes; the construction and manipulation of a small but versatile model of exchange rate and balance-of-payments behavior; and the description of current and prospective arrangements for multicountry cooperation in Europe and elsewhere. These broad topics are arranged in three main parts. In Part I the author presents basic concepts and a historical perspective on the US and global economy, with emphasis on the evolution of international monetary institutions since 1800. Part II introduces the basic analytical model -- usable with fixed and floating exchange rates, in which capital mobility is complete, real exchange rates are variable, and investment spending is endogenous. In addition, there is a relatively long chapter devoted to dynamic analysis with rational expectations. And finally, Part III contains three chapters on policy, including a full chapter on the European Monetary System, making this text ideal for both economic and finance courses that specifically focus on international economics.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195094948
• ISBN13: 9780195094947
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Very useful book

This book is a very useful text for an introductory international monetary economics class (first year graduates). It covers a good range of topics and while being good on intuition it conveys almost all basic messages with one work horse model. It is easy for students to see how a change in assumptions, expressed by little modifications of the basic model, leads to very different results. Maybe the sticky price model (Dornbusch overshooting) could be explained a little more clearly. As it is introductory, it does not cover later or latest developments (sunspots, portfolio asset model, bubbles etc.). Moreover, being an American text it does not cover interesting developments and policy issues such as European Monetary Union or international currency crises. But you can't cover everything! I use the book for my introductory class together with Gaertner, Macroeconomics under flexible exchange rates,2000, and other material. Students like it.