ASOK22212U Capitalism: Critiques and Alternative Visions

Volume 2026/2027
Content

The present moment is characterized by intense debates within academia and in the wider public sphere about the foundations, implications, and possible futures of capitalism. Fueled by today’s polycrisis, these debates include renewed critical examinations of capitalism across mainstream and heterodox traditions, alongside the articulation of alternative economic visions. Concepts such as degrowth, care economy, eco-feminism, decolonial economics, circular economy, and real utopias bear witness to the range and depth of contemporary transformative agendas. In parallel, scholars have expanded existing conceptual frameworks with notions such as platform capitalism, AI capitalism, surveillance capitalism, anthropocentric capitalism, toxic capitalism, and patriarchal and racialized capitalism.

The aim of the course is to equip students to navigate the diverse and complex contemporary landscape of critiques and alternative visions and, on this basis, to analyze their sociological implications. By treating the controversies surrounding capitalism as objects of sociological inquiry, the course introduces students to:

•    the conceptual and historical foundations of mainstream (orthodox) economics and critical (heterodox) traditions

•    contemporary critiques of capitalism articulated within mainstream and heterodox traditions

•    alternative economic visions, as articulated by various actors (activists, artists, local communities, organizations, politicians, entrepreneurs, theorists, and others), and how these reinterpret and extend earlier alternative projects

•    economic sociological perspectives on the economy–society nexus, combining theoretical and case-based approaches

The course is theory-intensive and cross-disciplinary in scope, spanning sociology, political theory, political economy, philosophy, anthropology. In parallel, the theoretical discussions are continuously concretized through empirical case examples, with students encouraged to bring forward cases of particular interest to them.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

•        Develop an understanding of the historically diverse manifestations of capitalism, its theories, critiques, and alternative visions

•        Understand classical and contemporary critiques of capitalism, including internal critiques articulated within mainstream economics

•        Identify key theories and concepts and use them to distinguish analytically between different contemporary critiques and alternative economic visions

 

Skills:

•            Compare major theoretical approaches to capitalism and identify their central thematic and conceptual similarities and differences

•            Analyze empirical phenomena in the light of theories and concepts presented in the course, specifically with a view to sociological aspects

•            Develop an awareness of the economy–society nexus and of how it constitutes a terrain of theoretical and political contestation.

 

Competences:

•            Navigate the diverse and complex contemporary landscape of critiques of capitalism and alternative visions with conceptual, historical, and empirical awareness

•            Critically discuss and assess contemporary forms of capitalism, their critiques, and alternative visions, with attention to their sociological implications

Teaching will be organised as lectures combined with studentpresentations. A high level of studentinvolvement is expected.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 28
  • Preparation
  • 112
  • Exam Preparation
  • 66
  • Total
  • 206
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Home assignment
Type of assessment details
The students are required to formulate their own exam questions based on pre-defined guidelines provided by the teacher. Students will receive the exam guidelines for formulating exam questions during the ongoing semester. The teacher is required to provide at least two exemplary exam questions that adhere to the guidelines.

The exam can be written individually or in groups of max. 4 students.
Length of the exam is 10 pages + 5 pages pr. extra group member.
Aid
All aids allowed

The Department of Sociology prohibits the use of generative AI software and large language models (AI/LLMs), such as ChatGPT, for generating novel and creative content in written exams. However, students may use AI/LLMs to enhance the presentation of their own original work, such as text editing, argument validation, or improving statistical programming code. Students must disclose in an appendix if and how AI/LLMs were used; this appendix will not count toward the page limit of the exam. This policy is in place to ensure that students’ written exams accurately reflect their own knowledge and understanding of the material. All students are required to include an AI declaration in their exam submissions regardless of whether they have used generative AI software or not. This declaration should be placed as the last page of the exam submission. Please note that the AI statement is not included in the calculation of the overall length of your assignment. The template for the AI statement can be found in the Digital Exam system and on the Study Pages on KUnet under “Written exam”. Exams that do not declare if and how AI/LLMs were used will be administratively rejected and counted as one exam attempt.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Exam period

Exam information:

The examination date can be found in the exam schedule    here

The exact time and place will be available in Digital Exam from the middle of the semester. 

Re-exam

Reexam info:

The reexamination date/period can be found in the reexam schedule    here

 

Same as the ordinary exam.

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning outcome.