2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

PIED5528M Capitalism in Practice

30 creditsClass Size: 100

Module manager: Dr Owain Williams
Email: O.D.Williams@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

Capitalism in Practice focuses on a number of essential transnational economic sectors and firms and their centrality to sustainable development, the environment and human security. This module looks at how transnational capitalism operates in the agriculture and food sectors; in pharmaceuticals and healthcare; in international finance; in energy; as well as the informal and gig economies. How do we approach firms and markets and with what theoretical, conceptual and empirical tools? Students will examine how firms and markets have interacted with states, regulation, law and governance, in determining social power relations and incomes and profits, and thus life chances and trajectories. Sectors and markets are important, and transnational firms are key agencies for understanding globalization and power in the international system. We bring the world of business, big and small, more squarely into the teaching of Global Political Economy, and illustrate how it produces and reproduces power asymmetries, economic and social inequalities, social harms, and global insecurities in different regions and social contexts.

Objectives

The module aims to understand globalisation and the integration of different regions into a global capitalist world system and economy. It does this by discussing GPE from the perspectives of the every-day capitalism, from boardroom and trade floors to oil fields, and in the factory, farm or hospital. In addition, the module aims to build critical knowledge of issues and sectors- based studies via analysis of contemporary capitalism and the firms, agents, professions, markets, value chains and investment strategies that characterise vital sectors which span the North and the South.
The module also aims to train students on how to analyse relevant data. The global sectors covered could include food and agriculture, energy, health and pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, energy banking and finance, water and sanitation, energy, and the digital sectors, and the informal economies. The module aims to enable students to learn to analyse key sectoral dynamics and the relationship between commerce and corporations and outcomes for countries, communities and regions. Students will develop an understanding of the key sectors via many of the negative impacts and ‘global challenges’ that global capitalism and markets generate, such as disease burdens, pollution, inequalities, issues of access, dispossession, biodiversity loss; as well examining more positive claims for growth, development, efficiencies and choice, including new agendas such as de-growth, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Green and Blue Economies.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Identify, explain and analyse major sources of secondary data from multilateral and business studies databases to provide evidence on firms, markets and sectors.
2. Discuss critical theories of firms, markets, market power, and dynamics and strategies of dominant transnational firms.
3. Apply theory and concepts to six key sectors of the global economy: food and agriculture; energy; finance; health and pharmaceuticals; the gig economy and informal sector; and a range of knowledge intensive sectors surrounding IT, media and services.
4. Understand multilateral institutions and governance arrangements that interact with these sectors and the theories of regulation and institutionalism that surround capitalism in practice.
5. Critically reflect on sites of resistance and alternatives to current ways of organising production and consumption, sites of resistance and corporate power, and alternatives as part of broader picture of emerging postcapitalist futures.

Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Gather and evaluate secondary data from multilateral and business studies databases.
2. Identify and analyse relevant information in order to develop and defend informed arguments.
3. Plan and develop independent written research, including data case studies and reports.

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	1.50	16.50
Seminar	11	1.00	11.00
Private study hours			272.50
Total Contact hours			27.50
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students are expected to prepare for seminars by reading the material listed in the module handbook. This requires students to read widely, carefully reflect on the relevant arguments and ideas, take notes and summarise texts in preparation for seminar discussions. Students are also expected to engage in independent research when preparing their essays. Students will have a list of required reading and supplementary reading for each week, as well as a list of key discussion questions for each seminar. We will organise dedicated sessions on these assessments that you will need to attend to clarify the task, get tips on good practice and resources. These sessions will provide formative feedback.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Coursework	30.00
Assignment	Coursework	70.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:19:21

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