VALUES AT WORK: THE CULTS AND CULTURES OF ENTERPRISE

Credit Hours: 3 · Undergraduate Upper-Level

What do Oprah, Silicon Valley, and Walmart have in common? They don’t just sell products, they sell purpose. In this interdisciplinary course, we explore how religion and business shape the cultures we live and work in. From Andrew Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth” to the rituals of tech startups, we investigate how enterprises function as modern meaning-making institutions. The success or failure of any enterprise can often be measured by the clarity and strength of its purpose or mission. These formal statements or general assumptions often govern both the tasks that make up the labor of the initiative and determine the culture of the workplace. More and more these work cultures bleed into the lives of workers themselves and into our broader culture. This class offers the opportunity to study these cultures, both as inevitable parts of any enterprise and as cultural powers that shape the meaning in our society for individuals and groups. Students will engage both as cultural critics and creators, analyzing case studies and crafting their own purpose-driven projects. Weekly sessions include a seminar on the cultural and historical intersections of religion and enterprise, followed by a hands-on workshop focused on developing each student’s own mission-aligned vision. This course is designed for students interested in ethical innovation, values-based leadership, and meaningful work. This course leverages the case method, seminar-style discussions, and experiential learning, providing students with a truly immersive experience.