Book Theme: Networks of Capital

In The German Ideology, Marx and Engels outline their theory of historical materialism, or the idea that social change happens through disruptions in the mode of production. In of their most eloquent passages, Marx and Engels argue that the ruling ideas of any period have always been the ideas of the ruling class. Keep this passage in mind as you answer the following questions about the reading.

Perhaps no piece of social theory is as well known (and, in some circles, notorious) as Marx’s and Engels’s Manifesto of the Communist Party. As you read the excerpt, think about what it would have been like to live in cities like London or Paris when Marx and Engels wrote their call to action, and then respond to the following questions.

Capital is Marx’s three-volume tour de force in which he critiques capitalism and its dependence on the exploitation of labor.  Although many have debunked Marx’s labor theory of value, his thoughts on commodities and exploitation continue to inspire many others. Answer the following questions after completing the reading.

Marx writes about human nature in his Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts. Like Durkheim, Marx was interested in the effects of the economy on the human condition, although his take was a bit different. Answer the following questions after completing the reading.

In “The Rise and Future Demise of the World Capitalist System,” Immanuel Wallerstein echoes Marx’s ideas on capital to explain world history and, in particular, its economic dimensions. For Wallerstein, world history is comprised of unequal economic exchanges between core countries and peripheral ones, which together comprise a capitalist “world system.” Answer the following questions as you complete the reading.

Much ink has been spilled over the effects of digital information and communication technologies on social life. Some of the most sophisticated work comes from Manuel Castells, who introduces us to the “network society.” As you read, pay close attention to how Castells takes the concept of networks and moves it beyond technology. Then answer the following questions.

Bourdieu is perhaps best known for his concept of cultural capital. He first used it to explain children’s educational outcomes in 1960s France, arguing that class’s culture--its attitudes, values, and norms--confers to its members advantages in the education system. In “The Forms of Capital,” Bourdieu defines cultural capital and its relationship to economic and social capital. Answer the following questions after completing the reading.

In Distinction, Bourdieu reveals how social class determines individual tastes in things like art, food, and music. As he notes in the introduction to the book, taste is more than an outcome of class – it also does its own sort of classifying. Although the prose is dense in spots, many of Bourdieu’s observations of French culture in the 1960s can be applied to our own. Answer the following questions after completing the reading.

Weber’s most famous work remains one of sociology’s most beautifully written and influential works. In The Protestant Ethic and the Sprit of Capitalism, Weber asks: Why is the most advanced form of capitalism found in areas saturated with Protestants? After carefully reading the excerpt, answer the following questions.

In “Basic Sociological Terms,” Weber gives us a definition of sociology and, more importantly, social action. Please answer the following questions after completing the reading.

Weber is well-known for his work on power and legitimacy. In “Types of Legitimate Domination,” Weber gives us three types of legitimate domination. Answer the following questions after completing the reading.

Robinson is making the case that racial differentiation is fundamental to capitalism because it justifies treating classes of people as less-than-human in facilitating productivity. Keep this central point in mind as you respond to the following:

The 21st century has seen the rise of a new form of capitalism rooted in the collection of big data that allows companies like Google and Facebook to predict our behavior and sell those predictions to advertisers. As you read Zuboff’s analysis of this system, please consider the following:

In this reading, Ray and Qayum examine how employers and domestic workers in India experience their relationship today and how they remember it from the past. After completing the reading, please respond to the following questions.