Neoliberalism, Self and Society

Undergraduate / Graduate

Drawing on ethnography and cultural theory, this course examines the profound impact of neoliberal ideology on the everyday lives of individuals and communities across the globe. We will explore the ways neoliberalism, the idea that the mechanisms of free markets naturally precipitate economic growth and thus societal progress, shapes institutions, social norms, and, most importantly, individuals' understandings of themselves and others. Students will analyze the penetration of market logics into spheres of social life far beyond what used to be understood as "the marketplace," such as education, politics and governance, healthcare, and the family. They will reflect on the effects of market logics on lived realities, both in material and ideological terms. As unfettered global markets produce growing inequality and insecurity, neoliberal tenets valorizing competition and productivity tell those who suffer from and witness such negative effects that they are unavoidable; the result of some people working harder and being better than others. This course will question neoliberalism's normative assumptions, drawing on ethnographic accounts of contemporary life in various regions and contexts across the globe. Students will end the course with an understanding of neoliberalism as an ideology and the ability to engage in discussions on neoliberalism that have emerged recently in the qualitative social sciences.