FRS 001U - Sec. 001 - (2 units) - CRN 83066 - R 6:10-8:00 pm - 129 Wellman
The Moral Universe of Capitalism

Instructor: Stephanie Dyer, Department of History, College of Letters and Science

Description: The Enron bankruptcy scandal, accusations of CEO malfeasance, Martha Stewart's insider trading: in the past year, corruption in corporate America has made headlines; but many of the issues it raises are as old as capitalism itself. This course will introduce students to important issues in the social and ethical dimensions of capitalism. We will read what major thinkers of the past have said about the morality of economic systems, consider the history of speculative investment practices, and discuss possible paths toward economic reform.

Format: The course will consist of 2 hours of readings and discussion a week for 8 weeks. Students are required to read three core texts: Robert Heilbroner, The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times, and Ideas of the Great Economic Thinkers; Edward Chancellor, Devil Take the Hindmost: A History of Financial Speculation; and Marjorie Kelly, The Divine Right of Capital: Dethroning the Corporate Aristocracy. Each student will present and lead discussion on a week's reading of their choice, and they will write two short papers (2-3 pages each) on topics relating to contemporary or historical corporate scandals and on the ethics of capitalism. Grading: Grades will be based on weekly attendance and participation in class discussions (30%), the presentation and leading of a discussion (30%) and the two short papers (20 % each).

About the Instructor: Stephanie Dyer is a Lecturer in the Department of History. Her research interests are in the history of business, consumer culture, and urban development in the 20th century United States. She is currently writing a social and business history of department stores and shopping center development since 1920.