Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An introduction to the political economy and culture of capitalism in relation to global problems. Case studies may focus on issues of population, famine, disease, poverty, environmental destruction, social inequality, and nation-state violence. Resistance, rebellion and social movements in response to these problems also will be addressed. Students who took SA 294 in 03-1, 04-1 and 04-2 may not take SA 302 for further credit. Writing/Breadth-Social Sci.

COURSE DETAILS:

While capitalism is generally attributed to global problems such as world hunger, poverty, environmental degradation, disease, social inequality and oppression, little is understood of how capitalist culture critically contributes to these, or the interplay between local and global problems. Globalizing capitalism has led to what some call a ‘global intercultural interplay’ indicating connections between local and global problems, many of which are considered to be intensifying particularly in the wake of the recent capitalist crisis of the global financial meltdown. Using critical readings of course material, media pieces, documentary films, guest lectures and critically engaged reflections, this course encourages students to explore the emergence and expansion of capitalist culture and interrogate the role of capitalism in contributing to and perpetuating local and global problems. We will ask the following questions: What is capitalism and in what ways does capitalist culture contribute to local and global problems such as poverty, hunger, disease, climate change, social inequality and oppression? What is the relationship between capitalism and globalization? What are the characteristics of a globalized capitalist culture? In what ways do societies perceive and respond to such problems? Are there alternatives to the capitalist global economic paradigm and what (and how) are the viable solutions envisioned?

First, we will begin by developing foundational theoretical and conceptual basis with which we will explore and problematize global capitalist culture in the latter parts of the course. We will answer the following questions: What is the culture of capitalism and its supporting ideology? How and why did capitalism develop and what sustains the durability of this economic system? What is globalization and what are the characteristics of a globalized capitalist culture? What maintains this phenomenon despite resistance movements against imperialism? Second, we will explore the impacts of globalizing capitalism and consider how capitalist culture contributes and perpetuates to the intensification of global problems. Although the course will focus on global problems, attention will also be paid to the impacts of capitalism at local and regional levels. Here, we will reflect on the following: in what ways are global problems experienced locally? We will ask, what is the transformative power of capitalism on poverty, the environment, Indigenous people and marginalized communities? Last but not least, this course propels us to consider the emergence and potential of local and global resistance movements, as trigger responses to addressing capitalist transformations and in so doing, will ponder the question: what is the best means of coping with global capitalism? This course has a lecture/seminar format.

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING: