Cultures and Politics of Financial Markets (SY0117)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : SPS-3-SYCPFM

This course aims to examine the development of the modern financial markets and some of the issues they raise for social and political theory: the validity of rational-choice individualism, the embedding of economic action, globalisation etc. These issues will be explored via case studies, some student led, of particular markets and market episodes.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Sociology, (School of Social and Political Studies, Schedule J)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
08/01/2008	16:10	18:00	Room G19, Adam Ferguson Building	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Tuesday	16:10	18:00	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

1. An understanding of the major phases of change in the global financial markets, especially of the causes of changes since 1945 and their consequences for states' freedom of action.

2. An understanding of the 'efficient market hypothesis' and of the evidence for and against it.

3.An understanding of Marxist and Weberian perspectives on financial markets.

4.An understanding of the notions of 'embedding' and 'networks', and how these might apply to financial markets.

5.An understanding of the problem of collective action and how the notion of 'mutual susceptibility' may solve it, together with an appreciation of how these ideas might apply to financial markets.

6.An understanding of how it might be possible to develop a gender analysis of economic behaviour, especially with reference to the financial markets.

7.An understanding of Callon's analysis of economics and of markets, the criticisms of it, and its potential applicability to financial markets.

8.A capacity to take theoretical ideas such as the above and apply them in student-led explorations, especially empirical explorations of financial markets.