Economic Anthropology

Course content

Economic anthropology is one of the classic fields of anthropology, and yet it is also a field that has experienced something of a revival recently and seems more relevant than ever, as global economic crisis, growth imaginaries and financial matters have become part of many ordinary people’s lives. This course provides an opportunity to rediscover classics, to explore contemporary economic culture, and to consider and discuss different approaches.

The aim of the course is to expand the students’ knowledge of classic and new economic anthropology, to develop their overview and understanding of the field, and to allow for experimental use of economic anthropology in  analysis of own empirical data, planned fieldwork, or theoretical discussions.

During the course we will explore issues like forms of value, work, consumption, distribution and welfare society, spheres of exchange, spirits of capitalism, financialization, precarization, market fantasies and economic cosmologies.

Education

 

 

Learning outcome

The course aims at giving the students the following competences, knowledge and skills:

Knowledge

  • to describe and discuss various theories and theoretical concepts.

 

Skills

  • formulate an analysis in a coherent and convincing text.

 

Competences

  • to analyse different economic systems or imaginaries by the help of theory.

The course will consist of 14 three-hour weekly seminars, involving lectures, group discussions, presentations, etc, as well as ongoing feedback sessions, where the students read and comment on each others writings.

BSc students and MSc students: 500 pages obligatory literature.

The teacher will publish 200-300 pages of supplementary literature.

Course literature will be available through Absalon.

 

The course is accepted as part of the BOA specialisation

Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)

During the course, feedback will primarily take the form of students giving each other feedback on the emerging texts. Students will also receive written feedback on their essays along with their grades.

ECTS
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Essay length: 21,600–26,400 keystrokes for an individual submission. 6,750–8,250 keystrokes per extra member for group submissions. The maximum number of students who can write an essay in a group is four.
For groups writing together it must be clearly indicated which parts of the assignment each of the students has written.
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal co-assessor.
Criteria for exam assessment

See description of learning outcome. Formalities for Written Works must be fulfilled, read more: MSc Students/ BA students (in Danish)/ exchange and credit students 

  • Category
  • Hours
  • Preparation
  • 133
  • Seminar
  • 42
  • Exam
  • 35
  • English
  • 210