Global History of Capitalism and Commodities

Catalog description

This course introduces students to a major theme in history and the social sciences: the global history of capitalism, from the perspective of the production, politics, and meaning of commodities. Students will engage with key historiography and some philosophical texts three key concepts informing the discipline of history: global history, at once a major sub-field and a perspective applied to all areas of the world; the history of capitalism, which has enjoyed in the past 15 years a renaissance; and the history of commodities, crucial to understanding global trade, global (dis)order, supply chains, and their impact on politics and society.