Sociology 316FN - Special Topics in Sociology: 'Finance, Globalization, and Inequality'

We live in a financialized world dominated by financial actors, markets and institutions. From the Occupy Wall Street movement to ongoing debates about the power of big banks, finance has been seen as the culprit for the 2008 financial crisis, U.S. income and wealth inequality, and global instability. But what explains the rise of finance and how has finance gone global? How does global finance contribute to inequality within and across nations? We will tackle these questions by covering some of the recent sociological research on finance and financial globalization. Students will examine the political and institutional roots of financialization and its consequences in advanced and developing economies.

Prereq: 8 credits in Sociology.