Undergraduate Course: Economic Sociology: Theories and Enquiries (SCIL10077)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course provides an introduction to the field of Economic Sociology, which applies the theoretical and empirical tools of sociology to the economy. After providing an overview of the field¿s major theoretical perspectives the course applies them in a series of inquiries. These include case studies of events like financial crises and the close examination of a variety of markets, including those for labour, financial instruments and environmental goods. |
| Course description |
Did financial models cause the 2008 financial crisis? Can carbon markets help tackle climate change? How does culture shape capitalism? What¿s the best way to find a job? These are just some of the questions that Economic Sociology addresses. An alternative to the rationalist approach of mainstream Economics, Economic Sociology applies the theoretical and empirical tools of sociology to the economy.
The first half of the course provides an overview of the theories of classical economic sociologists. We begin with Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Karl Polanyi and how they conceptualised the emergence of capitalism and the spread of market-based social relations. These thinkers lay the groundwork for an examination of Economic Sociology since the 1980s. From this time the central focus of the field has been oriented around understanding the embeddedness of economic institutions within social structures, and how social structure affects economic outcomes. In keeping with these concerns, we examine different ways of understanding embeddedness: through social networks, institutions, cultures, and technical infrastructures.
In the second half of the course, these theoretical insights inform a series of case studies on money, carbon markets, sub-prime lending, financial models, and regulation. For example, we address why some economic sociologists have stressed money¿s qualitative nature and the significance of this insight. We also look at the sociological mechanisms involved in the uptake of particular financial models and their possible role in triggering financial crises. The aim of the second half of the course is to give students a taste of some of the most important work being undertaken by economic sociologists today. It should also allow students to start thinking about how they might apply their sociological training to economic matters in their own research.
Indicative Readings:
Granovetter, Mark. 1985. ¿Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness.¿ American Journal of Sociology 91 (3) (November): 481. doi:10.1086/228311.
MacKenzie, Donald, and Yuval Millo. 2003. ¿Constructing a Market, Performing Theory: The Historical Sociology of a Financial Derivatives Exchange.¿ American Journal of Sociology 109 (1) (July): 107¿145. doi:10.1086/374404. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/374404.
Zelizer, Viviana A. 2011. Economic Lives: How Culture Shapes the Economy. Princeton University Press.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least 2 social science courses (such as Sociology, Politics, Social Policy, Social Anthropology, etc) at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Short Essay (20%); Long Essay (70%) Tutorial Participation (10%) |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Appreciate the relationship between Economic Sociology, Economics and Political Economy. Understand the specific methodological contribution of Economic Sociology.
- Have a grounding in the broad Economic Sociology literature as well as the methodologies employed by economic sociologists to study economic phenomena
- Be acquainted with the ideas of major figures in the field including: Marx, Weber, Zelizer, Granovetter, Carruthers, Callon, and MacKenzie.
- Be familiar with and able to apply the concepts of embeddedness, culture, market devices and performativity to sociological economic analyses
- Understand major contemporary debates concerning the nature of money, financialization, the recent financial crisis, carbon markets and failures of regulation.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Nathan Coombs
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Mr Ewen Miller
Tel: (0131 6)50 3925
Email: |
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