ASOK05245U Contemporary Economic Sociology

Volume 2014/2015
Education
MA: Theory Courses
Content

The course offers a general introduction to the theoretical foundations of economic sociology, providing an opportunity to understand how sociologists engage with the study of complex socioeconomic issues. The study of economic phenomena has long been somewhat abandoned in Sociology. In the last decades, however, a vibrant economic sociology has emerged and developed, which has analysed both capitalist and non-capitalist economies and a broad range of economy-related phenomena. In the 1970s capitalist economies began to experience important change process. These changes, together with the current crisis in North-Atlantic capitalisms and its world-wide implications, have advanced further the sociological analysis of contemporary economy.

The course is structured as follows:

1. Introduction. Why and what a contemporary economic sociology for?

Part I.Introduction to contemporary economic sociology

2. Old/new and broad/narrow economic sociology

3. Globalization and capitalism

Part II. Main perspectives and analytical concepts

4. Macro perspectives. Social structure, culture, institutions, embeddedness, social system, state.

5. Micro perspectives. Networks, social capital, trust, identities, conventions, field, sector, social interaction.

Part III. Main topics or issues

6. Markets, economics and performativity

7. Business, production and innovation

8. Inequality, consumption, finance and money

9. Value/valuation, calculation and rationality

Part IV. Current issues in contemporary capitalism: crisis and globalization

10. Globalizing Production: global value chains/networks; Multi-National Corporations and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

11. Economy’s financialization (global stock-markets) and culturalization (signs, symbols, information, knowledge)

12. Comparative capitalisms and crisis: national systems of capitalist economy; competing models of capitalism; alternatives to capitalism.

13. The challenge of the European and Nordic model of welfare capitalism.

14. Conclusions and summing-up

Learning Outcome

After completion of the course students are expected to be able to:

 

-know the difference between classical and new economic sociology, and identify historical developments within the discipline.

-understand the central concepts and principles of economic sociology, its basic approaches, and recent developments.

-apply the analytical concepts to analyze and understand different phenomena related to contemporary economies.

-analyze contemporary economic phenomena within the debate and process of globalization. 

General and reference books and sources:

-Beckert, Jens and Zafirovski, Milan (eds.) (2006) International Encyclopedia of Economic Sociology. London: Routledge.

-Swedberg, Richard (2003) Principles of economic sociology. Princeton University Press.

-“Economic Sociology. The European Electronic Newsletter” at http:/​/​econsoc.mpifg.de/​archive

A basic knowledge on general, macro and micro sociology at BA level is required.
The classes will consist of a combination of short lecturing, discussion and debates, student presentations, group-work, some media/visual documents, and if possible talks by guest lecturers.
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MA Theory course

Kurset fungerer også som liniefag for specialiseringsretningen: Organisation, ledelse og arbejdsmarked
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 28
  • Exam
  • 123,5
  • Preparation
  • 123,5
  • Total
  • 275,0
Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
individual/group
Assesment: 7-point grading scale

see details concerning form of examination exam in the curriculum
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Exam period
Submission dates and time will be available on the homepage of Sociology / education Site / Exam.
Criteria for exam assesment

See course aims