The seminar pursues the goal of giving an introduction to theories in the social sciences with a focus on the interpretation of capitalism. The discussion of core texts by leading European thinkers will be complemented by an attempt to understand their specifically European bias and view of the social world. The course will deal with some of the most influential theories from Smith and Marx to Bourdieu and Foucault.
1.) Introduction
2.) Smith: Wealth of Nations
3.) Durkheim: Social Division of Labour
4.) Friedman: Capitalism and Freedom
5.) Weber: Introduction to the Protestant Ethic
6.) Polanyi: The Great Transformation
7.) Ritzer: McDonaldization
8.) Giddens: Reflexive Globalization
9.) Marx: Introduction to Political Economy
10.) Horkheimer/ Adorno: Dialectic of Enlightenment
11.) Foucault: Knowledge/Power
12.) Bourdieu: Social Space and Symbolic Space
13.) Harvey: A Brief History of Neoliberalism |
