Finance and the Future of Capitalism (906M7)
30 credits, Level 7 (Masters)
Spring teaching
The main aim of this module is to help you build a systematic understanding of the political and social foundations of global financial markets, their operations and impacts on the world economy. You focuse on the problem of speculation, examining the various ways in which it has evolved and contributed to the development of finance. The module addresses questions such as: why do financial bubbles emerge? What type of practices sustains them? What are the different forms of speculative finance? This focus on speculation will serve to highlight the specificity of American finance and its role in redefining the political economy of advanced capitalist countries. After a theoretical and historical review, the module discusses various aspects of the process of financialisation and its social consequences. This provides an opportunity for familiarising you with various financial markets such as stock markets, derivative markets, housing markets, consumer credit, etc.