Abstract: This book offers an analytical perspective on the policy debate on the design and reform of the international financial architecture. It stresses the role played by coordination problems in the origin and management of crises by relating the insights of the new literature on global games to earlier work on currency crises, bank runs, and sovereign debt default. It draws on recent research and policy work to examine the debate on the design of sovereign bankruptcy procedures, the role of the IMF in influencing the actions of creditors and debtors, and the role of private sector involvement in the management of financial crises.

Keywords: coordination problems, currency crises, financial crises, global games, IMF, international financial architecture, private sector involvement, sovereign bankruptcy procedures, sovereign debt