POL 396 - Neoliberalism and its Critics

We live in neoliberal times. But what does this mean? We survey scholarly answers and hone our focus on neoliberalism as the social formation and political rationality that shape the world we inhabit. Using the large toolkit of political theory, we investigate the intellectual, economic, ideological, social, and political forces that forge this historical phenomenon. We ask how neoliberalism’s dominance has affected our political institutions, values, imagination, and solidarity. What is said in favor of neoliberal values and ways of living together? What, opposed? We examine broad theoretical answers. We also consider concrete issue-areas-climate change, race politics, the care crisis, and higher education-to deepen our understanding of the world we inhabit and to tease out visions of possible futures.

Unit(s): 1
Group Distribution Requirement(s): Distribution Group II
Prerequisite(s): One Political Science course.
Instructional Method: Conference
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

Evaluate data and/or sources.
Analyze institutions, formations, languages, structures, or processes, whether social, political, religious, economic, cultural, intellectual or other.
Think in sophisticated ways about causation, social and/or historical change, human cognition, or the relationship between individuals and society, or engage with social, political, religious or economic theory in other areas.