The study of International Political Economy (IPE) or of its lesser known but comprehensive twin Global Political Economy (GPE) is a relatively new discipline within the more recognised study of International Relations. The application of critical theory towards GPE itself is an even more recent phenomenon, with its epistemological foundation still in its infancy — its aim to date focusing upon providing an alternative stance to those more conventional positivist readings within IPE. In general it aims to demonstrate that the norms and practices, inherent within the global political economy are not pre-determined by ‘natural’ or ‘inevitable’ procedures, but are created by ongoing processes, that have been historically formed by human intervention. In this sense critical theory has claimed to be able to ‘stand back’ from the debates of political scientists, economists and policy-makers alike, who base their assumptions from within the boundaries of current traits of the global political economy, and assess activities from a theoretical point outside of these parameters.