Histories of Capitalism

Catalog description

What is capitalism? Where did it originate and how has it developed across time and space? How is it connected to other systems of social organization, and how does it affect those who live, have lived, and will live under it? In a running debate nearly as old as capitalism itself, scholars from a variety of disciplines have offered sophisticated answers to these questions. Yet the debate over the nature, history, and future of capitalism only continues to intensify as we enter a new age of global social, economic, and political uncertainty. Facing capitalism's possible futures requires understanding its multiple pasts. This readings survey will introduce students to varied theoretical interventions in the study of capitalism, examine the dynamics and development of capitalist social organization in specific historical contexts, and prepare them to critically assess current academic and political debates. Chronological and geographic focus varies by term and instructor.