Course 2020-2021 a.y.

20726 - DYNAMICS OF GLOBAL CAPITALISM

Department of Social and Political Sciences

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 31
CLMG (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - M (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - IM (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - MM (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - AFC (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - CLELI (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - ACME (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - DES-ESS (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - EMIT (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - GIO (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - DSBA (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - PPA (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12) - FIN (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/12)
Course Director:
ANDREA COLLI

Classes: 31 (II sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: ANDREA COLLI


Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

Since the Fall of the berlin Wall, capitalism has become the dominant mode of production, with relevant impact over the life of individuals and societies. Capitalism has two relevant features which are worth of understanding better in order to understand the structure of the present. It has an history, i.e. an evolutionary process of development and maturation over time (the history of capitalism); and it is shaped by institutional and cultural circumstances, which originate different models of capitalism in different settings (varieties of capitalism). The mission of this course is to allow students to understand better the evolutionary dimension of capitalism and its different forms and structures. The ultimate goal is to improve the knowledge that students have of the present World.

CONTENT SUMMARY

This elective course provides an overview of the main stages in the history of Capitalism from the Middle Ages to the present. The focus will be chronological and will explore, in a first part, the interaction between capitalism, entrepreneurship and technological revolutions taking place in the last two hundred years. The second part of the course will explore the different typologies of capitalism, looking at liberal market economies, coordinated-market economies and capitalist economies in which the State still has a key role both as a coordinator and a driver of economic growth, together with private capitalist enterprises. The last part of the course will look at the present challenges of capitalism.


Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Identify the main stages in the history of Capitalism
  • Explain the role of cultural and institutional factors in shaping the different forms of capitalism
  • Understand the main challenges present capitalist societies have in an international context

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Identify the historical origins of the capitalistic mode of production
  • Think critically in an interdisciplinary context
  • Summarize and evaluate complex narratives

Teaching methods

  • Face-to-face lectures
  • Online lectures
  • Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
  • Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
  • Individual assignments
  • Group assignments

DETAILS

The lectures are designed to engage students on the course topics and to help them summarize and understand the content of the advanced course readings. Guest lectures serve the purpose of introducing students to aspects of the history of capitalism, which are not directly discussed in the course readings but that enrich the context in which we can understand the course material.


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
  x  
  • Individual assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
  x  

ATTENDING STUDENTS

In order to evaluate the acquisition of the aforementioned learning outcomes, the assessment of attending students comprises of an individual essay assignment worth 40% of the final grade and a final exam at the end of term worth 60% of the final grade. Students submit an essay of up to 2,000 words after the midterm break on a question chosen from 3 alternatives proposed by the course instructor, each focussing on topics discussed in the course. The essay evaluates the ability of students to synthetize different narratives and to construct an argument. The final examination is to assess the general knowledge of the course material and the ability of students to summarise the historical interpretations discussed in class.


NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

The assessment for non-attending students is a general exam at the end of term. The exam assesses the general knowledge of the course material and the ability of students to summarised the historical interpretations discussed in the course readings.

Last change 02/02/2021 12:34