ASOK15429U Å - CANCELLED - Contemporary Economic Sociology

Volume 2018/2019
Education

MA Theory and Themes course (MSc Curriculum 2015)

Course package (MSc 2015):

- Welfare, inequality and mobility
- Knowledge, organisation and politics

BA-Undergraduates from foreign countries (exchange students) can sign up for this course

Creditstudents must be at master level

 

Content

In the last decades a vibrant economic sociology has emerged and developed, which has critically analysed both latest capitalist developments and a broad range of economy-related phenomena. The course introduces the theoretical and analytical foundations of contemporary economic sociology, as a way to understand how sociologists engage with the study of complex socioeconomic issues, with focus on the dynamics of current capitalism. The course is divided in two parts:

 

1. Introduction to contemporary economic sociology

 

Part I: Contemporary Economic Sociology: theories and topics

 

2. Micro perspectives

3. Macro perspectives

4. Performativity and “economization” perspectives

5. Markets

6. Finance

7. Value & Valuation

 

Part II. A Sociology of Current Capitalism

 

8. Capitalism and globalization

9. Culturalization and technologization

10. Local and global inequality

11. Comparing capitalisms: European and Nordic capitalisms.

12. Critique of capitalism and alternatives.

 

13. Summing-up seminar

14. Final summing-up seminar

Learning Outcome

After completion students are expected to be able to:

 

Knowledge:

 

-master the central concepts and principles of economic sociology.

 

-understand the main differencees, strenghts and weaknesses of the main approaches of contemporary economic sociology.

 

-reflect on how economic sociology can be applied to critically analyse current capitalism.

 

Skills:

 

- formulate relevant themes and questions, and identify adequate theories to analyse them.

 

-relate theories and existing scientific knowledge to new and emerging phenomena.

 

-design strategies to analyse phenomena related to contemporary economies.

 

Competences:

 

-review and discuss different theories.

 

-analyse issues and problems related to current capitalism and economic globalization.  

 

-structure and write an academic essays

  

 

Literature

7.5 ECTS: about 600 pages


Course readings are journal articles and selected book-chapters. All texts possible in electronic format will be available in Absalon, and the others in a book-compendium.

 

General reference sources (not obligatory):

 

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

 

-“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 of texts, debates, short group-work, working out of examples and data, and if possible, student presentations and talks by guest lecturers.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Course Preparation
  • 68
  • Exercises
  • 105
  • Lectures
  • 28
  • Preparation
  • 5
  • Total
  • 206
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester

Besides ongoing feedback in the debates and discussion, a more formalized feedback will take place in the two final seminars students; in these seminars students will present their prospects for their theoretical and the analytical essays, and will receive direct feedback.

Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Individual or group.
A portfolio assignment is defined as a series of short assignments during the course that address one or more set questions and feedback is offered during the course. All of the assignments are submitted together for assessment at the end of the course.
The portfolio assignments must be no longer than 10 pages. For group assignments, an extra 5 pages is added per additional student. Further details for this exam form can be found in the Curriculum and in the General Guide to Examinations at KUnet.
Exam registration requirements

Sociology students must be enrolled under MSc Curriculum 2015 to take this exam.

Creditstudents must be at master level to take this exam.

BA-Undergraduates from foreign countries (exchange students) can sign up for this exam

 

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

Find more information on your study page at KUnet.

Exchange students and Danish full degree guest students please see the homepage of Sociology; http://www.soc.ku.dk/english/education/exams/ and http://www.soc.ku.dk/uddannelser/meritstuderende/eksamen/

Re-exam

At re-exam, the form of examination is the same as ordinary exam.
If the form of examination is ”active participation” the re-examination form is always “free written take-home essay”.

Criteria for exam assesment

Please see the learning outcome.