SOCIOL 218 : Critical Theories of Capitalism

Arts

2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Explains why crises are endemic to capitalism and have destructive effects on people, society and planetary life. Considers why capitalism emerged in Britain first and became a global system. Draws on a range of critical theory perspectives to explain the relationship of political economy to ideology, subjectivity and the intersections of class, race and gender.

Course Overview

Explains the capitalist laws of motion and its crises tendencies. Considers why capitalism emerged in Britain first and became a global system. Critical theory perspectives explain relationship of political economy to ideology, subjectivity and the intersections of class, race and gender.   

Provisional Schedule:
LECTURE ONE: ORIGINS OF CAPITALISM
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: Conditions necessary for capitalism

LECTURE TWO: HISTORICAL MATERIALISM
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: Internal contradictions of capitalism

LECTURE THREE: THE VALUE OF LABOUR
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: Capitalist exploitation of the working class

LECTURE FOUR: CAPITALISM IN THE ANTHROPOCENE
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: Capitalist circulation and expansion as explanation for catastrophic climate change

LECTURE FIVE: COLONIALISM AND IMPERIALISM
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: Capitalist conquest and domination and structural white supremacy

LECTURE SIX: IDEOLOGY AND OVERDETERMINATION
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: Ideological and repressive state apparatuses

LECTURE SEVEN: BOURGEOIS HETERONORMATIVITY AND REPRODUCTION
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: Materialist explanation for gender divisions

LECTURE EIGHT: CIVILISATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: How desire comes to desire oppression

LECTURE NINE: CULT OF ENJOYMENT
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: Consumerism, individualism and passive rebellion

LECTURE TEN: BIOPOLITICS AND NECROPOLITICS
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: How subjects docile to capital are produced

LECTURE ELEVEN: CAPITALISM AT THE INTERREGNUM
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: Inter-imperialist rivalries and the struggle for hegemony in crisis times

LECTURE TWELVE: END OF CAPITALISM AND THE PROSPECT OF UTOPIA
TUTORIAL DISCUSSION: Can capitalism be ended? Is a classless society possible / desirable?

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points passed at Stage I Restriction: SOCIOL 301

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand what capitalism is, how it came into being and became a global phenomenon. (Capability 1 and 3)
  2. Understand the relationships and processes that ensure capitalism’s motion and lead to its crises tendencies. (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 5)
  3. Understand the pivotal role of wage labour and mass consumption to the circulation and expansion of capital. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 4)
  4. Develop a critical perspective on the relationship of capitalism to class, race and gender. (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 8)
  5. Develop a critical perspective on colonisation and imperialism in relation to capitalism. (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 8)
  6. Understand key perspectives of ideology, subjectivity and desire. (Capability 1, 3 and 4)
  7. Develop a critical perspective on the totality of relations as explained and theorised in the course. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Coursework 50% Individual Coursework
Coursework 50% Individual Coursework

Exam Mode

There is no exam for this course

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 4 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 3 hours of work on assignment reparation per week.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at five lectures and tutorials over the space of the semester to qualify for a full grade on the assignments.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.
The course will not] include live online events.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2025.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Feedback will be solicited in class on a regular basis and at the end of the semester. The feedback will help make adjustments during the teaching of the course and the next time it runs.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 08/11/2024 10:43 a.m.