| Learning objectives |
The course is aligned with and responds to CBS
strategy around the "Nordic Nine", to build capabilities
for a positive and sustainable future. In this sense, the course
"Reimagining Capitalism" aims at analysing today's
societal challenges and helping the students to build a set of
analytical and critical tools to solve them. Moreover, the course
focuses on the ethical dilemmas that the students will most likely
encounter in their professional life and aims at helping them to
identify sustainable and responsible ways to overcome them.
Furthermore, the way the course is designed – with some key texts
and ideas presented and discussed in class and the final exam being
a critical essay on a topic of the student choosing – is in line
with the idea that students must be critical when thinking and
constructive when collaborating. Finally, the central idea of the
course – that we must reimagine the ways in which our societies and
economies work, if we are to tackle today's challenges –
implies a sense of responsibility for the future generations and
the idea that local communities, when interconnected in global
networks, can become catalysers of positive change
- Define capitalism and learn about its evolution over the course
of modern history;
- Describe different critiques posed to capitalism and relate
them to pressing contemporary societal issues (e.g., ecological
crisis, rising inequalities, gender rights);
- Explore various strategies for reimagining capitalism;
- Evaluate the potentials and shortcomings of various efforts to
reimagine capitalism
|
| Examination |
|
Re-Imagining
Capitalism. Towards Just and Sustainable
Futures:
|
| Exam
ECTS |
7,5 |
| Examination form |
Home assignment - written product |
| Individual or group exam |
Individual exam |
| Size of written product |
Max. 10 pages |
| Assignment type |
Essay |
| Release of assignment |
Subject chosen by students themselves, see
guidelines if any |
| Duration |
Written product to be submitted on specified date
and time. |
| Grading scale |
7-point grading scale |
| Examiner(s) |
One internal examiner |
| Exam period |
Winter |
| Make-up exam/re-exam |
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
See regulations for exam
1
|
Description of the exam
procedure
In the written individual essay-exam (10-pages long),
students will be asked to discuss a case or a theoretical
debate of their choosing that contributes to explore how we
can re-imagine contemporary capitalism to make it a more
just and sustainable system that can sustain the flourishing of
human and non-human life throughout the 21st century. The
essay needs to critically engage with the theoretical concepts and
literature discussed in class. Students must combine insights
from several of the course sessions and explicitly refer to
the readings from the essential reading
list. Students are welcome to refer to texts from the
optional readings as well or, where applicable and to a limited
extent, other relevant literature.
Students are expected to formulate a clear research question and
engage criticially with the course readings. Students are
expected to apply concepts to an empirical case study and/or engage
in a theoretical discussion by bringing together concepts (and
potentially empirical material) in their own original way. It
is important that students do justice to the readings, i.e.,
that they clearly put forward what the original idea by the
author is before applying it or combining it with other
theories.
More details regarding the exam content, layout
and format will be provided through Canvas during
the course.
|
|
| Course content, structure and pedagogical
approach |
|
This course explores the question as to how, if at
all, we canre-imagine contemporary
capitalism to make it a more just and sustainable system that can
sustain the flourishing of human and non-human life throughout the
21st century. To answer this question, the course
first turns to critical social theory to define capitalism and
understand its relation to ongoing economic, social and
environmental crises. We read and discuss fundamental critical
texts to define capitalism theoretically and look at its historical
evolution. We will look at capitalism’s relation with growth,
ecology, gender and racism and discuss contemporary cases to
understand the systemic mechanisms in practice.
In the second part, we explore how, if at all, the system can be
reimagined. After looking at different strategies for reimagining
capitalism, we explore different avenues for reimagining
capitalism. With the help of academic texts, guest lectures and
cases, we explore the role of consumers, business, urban
communities and politics in reimagining and transforming the
current system.
|
|
| Research-based teaching |
|
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following
types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are
included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
- Classic and basic theory
- New theory
- Teacher’s own research
Research-like activities
- Development of research questions
- Analysis
- Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
|
| Description of the teaching methods |
The course will combine a variety of methods,
ranging from traditional lectures, online collaborative tools,
discussions, in-class exercises, student presentations, case
studies and reading groups.
Students must read the essential reading material (listed in the
course syllabus) before every class and are expected to actively
participate during each session. |
| Feedback during the teaching period |
| In each class session, students will be engaged
in active group exercises and discussions. There will also be time
for plenary feedback whenever needed as well as personalised
feedback during the breaks. Office hours that students can attend
individually or in a group will provide an opportunity for further
personalised feedback. |
| Student workload |
| Course activities (including preparation) |
156 hours |
| Exam (including exam preparation) |
50 hours |
|
| Further Information |
|
Course Faculty: Liv Egholm (course coordinator
The course is part of the minor 'Building Organizations for
Sustainable Futures: Business and Economics in
Transformation', but can also be selected
individually.
|
| Expected literature |
|
Expected literature:
- Boehnnert, Johanna (2018). “Anthropocene Economics and Design:
Heterodox Economics for Design Transitions”, She Ji: The
Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation 4(4):
355-374.
- Fraser, Nancy (2022). Excerpts from Cannibal
Capitalism.
- Purcell, Mark (2014). “Possible Worlds: Henri Lefebvre and the
Right to the City”, Journal of Urban Affairs 36(1),
141–154.
- Marx (1867/2013). Excerpts from Capital Volume I.
- Polanyi, Karl (1957/2001). Excerpts from The Great
Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our
Time.
- Robinson, Cedric (1983). Excerpts from Black Marxism: The
Making of the Black Radical Tradition.
- Seyfang, Gill. (2007). “Growing sustainable consumption
communities: the case of local organic food networks”,
International Journal of Sociology and social policy
27(3/4): 120-134.
Solnit, Rebecca (2016). Excerpts from Hope in the
dark.
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