SOC264 - The Sociology of the Capitalist World-System

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Academic Year 2001/2002

The Sociology of the Capitalist World-System
SOC 264 FA

This course is an introduction to competing theories of the capitalist world-system. Its basic premise is that the world we live in today is a capitalist world-system and that it originated in western Europe circa 1600. The course will focus on theories of the causes of its emergence in western Europe, the characteristics of the global division of labor between core, semi-peripheral, and peripheral nation-states, the role of the state, nationalism, and racism in the global division of labor, the contradictory tendencies of this world-system, and its possible future demise.

MAJOR READINGS

Karl Marx, "Manifesto of the Communist Party"
Max Weber, THE PROTESTANT ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM
Janet Abu-Lughod, BEFORE EUROPEAN HEGEMONY
Eric Wolf, EUROPE AND THE PEOPLE WITHOUT HISTORY
J.M. Blaut, THE COLONIZER'S MODEL OF THE WORLD
Kenan Malik, THE MEANING OF RACE: RACE, HISTORY AND CULTURE IN WESTERN SOCIETY
David Landes, THE WEALTH AND POVERTY OF NATIONS: WHY SOME ARE SO RICH AND SOME SO POOR.
Immanuel Wallerstein, HISTORICAL CAPITALISM and other selected essays
Samir Amin, CAPITALISM IN THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION
Edward W. Said, CULTURE AND IMPERIALISM

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Three take-home essays (6-8 pages each).

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Permission of Instructor required. Students who have not taken SOC151 may contact the instructor for an override.

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS SOC Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: SOC151

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Dupuy,Alex

Times: .M.W... 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: BTFDA413

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 30)

SR. major: Jr. major:

SR. non-major: Jr. non-major: SO: FR:

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Writing, Focused Inquiry Course

Permission: Permission of Instructor Required

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2002