Sociology 216EC - Special Topics in Sociology: 'Sociology of Economic Life'

"Money makes the world go round." "Money talks." "Time is money." Money permeates our lives. We engage in economic transactions, relations, and markets on a daily basis; yet, we rarely think about the social bases of economic life. What is money? Are we driven by rationality or morality? How are different markets structured? What explains growing inequality and indebtedness? This course applies the theoretical and empirical tools of sociology to study economic behavior. Using case studies from around the world, we analyze how economic life is shaped by social institutions, networks, culture, and relations of power. Students critically study several topics, ranging from inequality, financial crises, and debt, to finding a job.

Prereq: SOCI-123.