History of Capitalism
Associate Professor Margherita Zanasi Department of History
Since the beginning of the global economic crisis in 2007-2008, there has been much debate on the nature of capitalism, its benefits and pitfalls, and its sustainability. This course is designed to address these and other questions, including what exactly is capitalism? What are its intellectual and historical origins? What are its relationships with modernity? Is capitalism inexorably linked to consumerism and what is its role in the globalization process that seems to characterize the modern world? This course also explores the relationship between capitalism and issues of race, gender, standards of living, society, and culture.