Capitalism and Other Beasts - JSM180
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Last update: doc. Mgr. Jakub Grygar, Ph.D. (14.03.2023)
The course is lectured by dr. Kamil Wielecki (University of Warsaw) The course is intended to work out a short history of Western-based capitalism and its main characteristics. It will focus on both an eagle-eye view on European history and a grassroots perspective of looking at social change from below by studying particular case studies. Particular emphasis will be placed on the formation of modern and late-modern European civilization – its foundations, expansions, and crises. On the one hand, the course will take a Braudelian approach on social and economic history, viewing it in terms of processes of longue durée. Thus, starting with 13th century, i.e. the world-system before the European hegemony, we will proceed to the European expansion and colonialism and track down the developments of capitalist rationality, relationships of power, and divisions of labor. On the other hand, in turn, it will take an anthropological approach by focusing on manifold cultures of capitalism in their local dimensions. The course will take a seminar character: the evolution of capitalism will be analyzed through discussions and close engagement with readings and other sources. It will carry an interdisciplinary character and encompass social anthropology, history, economics, and philosophy. It is designed for students interesting in developing a critical understanding of the reality we live in and willing to know whether there are any alternatives to it. The scope of topics is as follows: - History, long duration, development and progress. - The issue of East and West. - Theory of world-systems. - The emergence of one, interconnected world-system in the thirteenth century and the of pre-European expansions. - The origins of European civilization. Expansion phase. - A new form of European civilization (15th-16th c.), The emergence of capitalism. - The success and failure of European civilization. Enlightenment and science. - The nineteenth century. Revolutions as a process of civilizational change. - Colonialism. The new form of interpersonal relations in the conditions of domination. Colonial heritage. - Late-modernity capitalism. - Cultures of capitalism. Case studies. - Alternatives to capitalism. Expected learning outcomes a. Knowledge: An alumni: - knows how to use terms used in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, - knows how to use methods of analysis and interpretation of scholarly texts, - understands the dynamic relation between cultural processes and social transformations. b. Skills: An alumni: - can select and critically assess information adopted from various academic publications, popular science, and popular press, - knows how to formulate a research problem within humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, - knows how to use interdisciplinary research methods to analyse various cultural phenomena. c. Social competences: An alumni: - is willing to further develop their academic skills in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and is up to date with the latest research methods and paradigms - is empathetic and respects the cultural diversity of a community - respects the cultural and natural heritage of a community - respects the cultural and natural diversity of a community Assessment - 10 in-class quizzes (80%) - Class participation (20%) |