SO470 Half Unit
The Sociology of Markets
This information is for the 2019/20 session.
Teacher responsible
Dr David Pinzur STC.S217a
Availability
This course is available on the MRes/PhD in Management (Organisational Behaviour), MSc in Economy, Risk and Society , MSc in Political Sociology and MSc in Sociology. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.
Course content
This course offers an introduction to the sociology of markets. We will look at this topic from two different sides: On the one hand, we will explore different theoretical issues in economic sociology, such as market structure, valuation, and the role of the state. Here, the underlying question is what sociology can contribute to a theoretical understanding of markets. On the other hand, we will explore particular case studies, such as illegal markets or markets for fine art; students will get the chance to study one of these cases in-depth. By the end of the course, students will be versed in the sociological and larger debates about markets, and they will be equipped to contribute to these debate with small, innovative case studies.
Teaching
10 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the LT.
Reading Weeks: Students on this course will have a reading week in LT Week 6, in line with departmental policy.
Formative coursework
A 1500 word essay is required.
Indicative reading
Recommended texts: Callon, Michel. 1998. The laws of the markets. Blackwell Publishers: Oxford; Fligstein, Neil. 2001. The Architecture of Markets. An Economic Sociology of Twenty-First-Century Capitalist Societies. Princeton, NJ a.o.: Princeton University Press; Granovetter, Mark. 1995[1974]. Getting a Job: a Study of Contacts and Careers. Chicago; London: Chicago University Press; Krippner, Greta R. 2002. "The elusive market: Embeddedness and the paradigm of economic sociology." Theory and Society 30:775-810; Swedberg, Richard. 2003. Principles of Economic Sociology. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press.
Assessment
Essay (100%, 5000 words) in the ST.
Assessment will consist of a report on ONE case study (100%).
An electronic copy of the assessed essay, to be uploaded to Moodle, no later than 4.00pm on the second Wednesday of Summer Term.
Attendance at all workshop sessions and submission of all set coursework is required.
Student performance results
(2015/16 - 2017/18 combined)
| Classification | % of students |
|---|---|
| Distinction | 23.8 |
| Merit | 52.4 |
| Pass | 20.6 |
| Fail | 3.2 |
Key facts
Department: Sociology
Total students 2018/19: Unavailable
Average class size 2018/19: Unavailable
Controlled access 2018/19: No
Value: Half Unit
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Communication
- Application of numeracy skills
- Specialist skills
