Economic Sociology

3.0 credits · Undergraduate

Economic sociology extends the sociological approach to the study of the economy. The course outlines a networks and economic action approach to examine the ongoing debate on core problems addressed by economic sociology. Why do individuals trust and cooperate with strangers? Why do institutions matter in economic life? Why do social norms and networks enable entrepreneurs to innovate and found new business ventures? hat is the knowledge economy and how has it evolved, e.g. through AI? At the macro-level, the course explores the social dynamics of institutional change: the role of norms and networks in the emergence of modern capitalism in China and the rise of the technology-enabled knowledge economy in the United States.