Sociology 281: Political Economy and Global Social Change

Fall 2005 Wednesday 4-7

College Building South- Map Room C. Chase-Dunn

v. 8-22-05

This graduate seminar focuses on classical and contemporary political economy, social movements, and the historical evolution of social systems. Political economy includes the works of Marx, Weber and Polanyi as well as contemporary research and theorizing in economic and political sociology and studies of transformations of modes of accumulation. The focus on social movements includes research on organizational instruments and strategies as well as the institutional contexts of mobilizations for social change. Of special interest is the emerging field of transnational social movements in the world polity. The historical evolution of social systems includes comparative and historical sociology, and studies of global social change in historical perspective. This is the core seminar for the Sociology Department’s graduate specialization in the Political Economy and Global Social Change.

Requirements: Grades will be based on attendance, participation in discussion, a take-home midterm exam, and a five-page essay on a topic germane to the course. A one-paragraph description of the essay topic is due on November 2.The midterm will be handed out on November 2 and the answers are due in class on November 9. The five-page essay is due on December 7.

Books available in the Campus Book Store and on reserve in the Rivera Library:

Terry Boswell and C. Chase-Dunn, The Spiral of Capitalism and Socialism (Boulder: Lynne Rienner 2000)

William G. Martin (ed.) The Black World and the World-System (Review Vol 28,1 (2005)

Michael Mann, Incoherent Empire (London:Verso 2003)

We will also read a work in progress: Edna Bonacich and Jake Wilson, Labor and the Logistics Revolution: a view from Southern California

Reading Schedule:

Asterisked (*) readings are required. Others are recommended. Required readings should be read prior to the class meeting under which they are listed.

Univ holidays Nov. 11, 2005; Nov. 24–25, 2005

October 5 Overview of the course. Hand out syllabus.

October 12: Political Economy and Economic Sociology

Karl Marx: *Capital, Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 1, Section 4, “The fetishism of commodities and the secret thereof”; Chapter 26 “The secret of primitive accumulation; and Chapter 31, “Genesis of the industrial capitalist.”

Karl Marx *Grundrisse, Introduction“The method of political economy.”

Max Weber: *Economy and Society, (UC Press edition) Volume 1, Part 1,Chapter 1, Section 6, Pp. 33-36 “Types of legitimate order: convention and law;” Part 17, Pp. 54-56 “Political and hierocratic organizations;” Chapter 2, Section 11, Pp. 90-100 “The concept and types of profit-making: the role of capital;” Part 2: Chapter 4, Section 2, Pp. 375-381 “The disintegration of the household: the rise of the calculative spirit and of the modern capitalist enterprise.”

Max Weber General Economic History

*Karl Polanyi, “The economy as instituted process” Pp. 239-270 in K. Polanyi, Conrad M. Arensberg and Harry W. Pearson (eds.) Trade and Market in the Early Empires: Economies in History and Theory.

*Frederic Lane, “The economic meaning of war and protection,” Chapter 2 in Profits from Power: Readings in Protection Rent and Violence-Controlling Enterprises. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1979.

Karl Polanyi, The Great Transformation

Immanuel Wallerstein, The Essential Wallerstein.

October 19: World Historical Social Change

*Boswell and Chase-Dunn, The Spiral of Capitalism and Socialism, Chapters 1-3

Giovanni Arrighi, The Long Twentieth Century

C. Chase-Dunn, Global Formation

October 26:

*Boswell and Chase-Dunn, The Spiral of Capitalism and Socialism, Chapter 4-6.

Immanuel Wallerstein, World-Systems Analysis

November 2: Racism and Global Inequalities

*William G. Martin (ed.) The Black World and the World-System (whole issue of Review, Volume 28 #1 ((2005)

Cedric Robinson, Black Marxism

One-paragraph description of Five-page Essay topic is due. Questions for Take-home Midterm will be handed out in class.

November 9: Late Hegemony. Take-home Midterm is Due in Class

*Michael Mann, Incoherent Empire, Chapters 1-4

David Harvey, The New Imperialism

November 16

*Michael Mann, Incoherent Empire, Chapters 5-9

November 23: Global Capitalism

* Edna Bonacich and Jake Wilson, Labor and the Logistics Revolution. Draft manuscript

William I. Robinson, A Theory of Global Capitalism

November 30

* Edna Bonacich and Jake Wilson, Labor and the Logistics Revolution. Draft manuscript

December 7

* Edna Bonacich and Jake Wilson, Labor and the Logistics Revolution. Draft manuscript

Five-page Essay is Due.