本书在理性选择制度主义的路径下集中关注国际制度与国家自主性之间的因果关系。基于理性选择的路径，该书把国家看作是理性的行为体。也就是说，国家行为体会在不同的约束条件下进行制度选择以使其目标实现的可能性最大化。全书分为八章。第一到四章为理论部分；第五到八章为经验研究部分，包括四个案例研究。其中，第五章结合国际法律化的文献分析WTO与美国贸易政治的转型。

With 70 percent new readings, the Sixth Edition of International Political Economy has been extensively updated to reflect changes in the scholarship and the global economy. This compact book brings together a flexible and provocative set of articles and excerpts on a broad range of topics, including the global economic crisis, international migration, and the ongoing challenges in the Eurozone. The text also provides clear introductions and headnotes to help students get the most out of each reading.