Free trade in a protectionist world: The post Trump Era of Trade

Real threats to the international economic and political order are on the horizon. An ongoing trade war that cuts across borders; a withdrawal from international economic and political institutions; and a move toward protectionism in countries that once promoted free trade, combine to create the perfect storm of threats to the global system. This short seminar will unpack the fundamental concepts that underlie the international economic system, from the Bretton Woods Institutions to the World Trade Organization to the hodgepodge of free trade agreements in place today. We will discuss the legal regime within which we trade and enforce trade rules and policies. And we will unpack key cases and treaties that inform our understanding of the purpose for an international economic regime. The goal of the seminar is to place current economic and political events around trade in legal context and to deepen our awareness of the role of trade institutions in maintaining the liberal democratic order we enjoy today.