Princeton Encyclopedia of the World Economy

These are two heavy volumes (1328 pp.) and if you read them you will have a very good background understanding of the institutions behind the global economy.

Here is the book's home page with some sample free material.  Here is a list of contents.  Here is one summary of the book's contents.  The editors, Kenneth A. Reinert and Ramkishen S. Rahan,are from GMU School of Public Policy although note that is not the same as the economics department.  You can buy it here.