The History of Capitalism

Our theoretical readings are themselves interdisciplinary signposts, referenced across economics, history, sociology, and other disciplines and yet less often read and discussed in tandem. They will provide us with an essential foundation of terminologies and a sense of the evolving fault-lines within capitalism’s intellectual history. Our historiographical readings will then provide us with a sense of how historians have applied these theories to our messy pasts. These readings will represent a substantial geographic and chronological range and will push us to think expansively while drawing on both our theoretical readings and students’ previous historical studies. As such, this module will benefit greatly from a diverse cohort and will encourage students to research and write on a wide range of topics.