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Unit outline_

ECOP2012: Social Foundations of Capitalism

Semester 2, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit examines the ways in which the economic activities of capitalism are 'embedded' within a much broader social structure. To do this, you will study the nature, structure, and relations of capitalism’s core institutions such as capital, labour, households, and the state. You will consider the conflict, contradiction, and cohesion inherent in the relationships between these institutions with respect to the racialised, classed, gendered and environmental processes of capital accumulation.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Political Economy
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
12 credit points at 1000 level in Political Economy
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
ECOP2002
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Lynne Chester, lynne.chester@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 2 September 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Presentation Tutorial Presentation
Presentation is equivalent to 1000 words of written material.
20% Ongoing 10 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Participation Tutorial Participation
Preparation for, and participation in, tutorial discussions.
10% Ongoing Throughout the semester
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO4
Assignment Essay 1
Written work
30% Week 07
Due date: 13 Sep 2024 at 23:59
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6
Assignment Essay 2
Written work
40% Week 13
Due date: 01 Nov 2024 at 23:59
3000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6

Assessment summary

6000 words of assessment through 1 x tutorial presentation and 2 x essays.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

 

85 - 100

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

As per Faculty policy, late penalties apply for written assessment tasks submitted after the due date. A written assessment task not submitted on or before the due date is subject to a late penalty of 5% per calendar day. If an essay is submitted more than 10 days after the due date, the mark will be 0 (ZERO).

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction: the socially embedded economy Lecture (1 hr)  
Week 02 Market dependence and social property relations Lecture (1 hr)  
Are markets socially embedded? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 03 What are the social property relations of capitalism? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 04 The mode of régulation Lecture (1 hr)  
How does the mode support an accumulation regime? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 05 Fictitious Commodities Lecture (1 hr)  
What social processes does commodification require? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 06 Commodity fetishism Lecture (1 hr)  
How does commodity fetishism mask the key features of capitalism? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 07 The social embeddedness of the state Lecture (1 hr)  
Why, and how, is the state critical for capitalism? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 08 The social embeddedness of race Lecture (1 hr)  
Racial capitalism vs raced markets: What do you think? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 09 The social embeddedness of gender Lecture (1 hr)  
What are the core contentions of Social Reproduction Theory? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 10 The social embeddedness of ecology Lecture (1 hr)  
How is nature conceived as a condition of production? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 11 The social embeddedness of capital Lecture (1 hr)  
How does capital 'revolutionise' the geographical landscape for the process of accumulation? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 12 The social embeddedness of space Lecture (1 hr)  
How, and why, does the capitalist state organise space? Tutorial (1 hr)  
Week 13 Conclusion: Studying the social foundations of capitalism Lecture (1 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
  • Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All required readings are available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. demonstrate analytical skills in appraising the role of social forces and institutions in the dynamics of capital accumulation
  • LO2. apply broad conceptual structures to contemporary social and political issues
  • LO3. critically evaluate underlying theories, concepts, assumptions, limitations and arguments in disciplinary and cross disciplinary fields of study
  • LO4. appreciate new ways of thinking and the importance of intellectual curiosity and reflection as the foundation for continuous learning
  • LO5. demonstrate research skills in the retrieval of relevant information
  • LO6. demonstrate skills in written and oral communication
  • LO7. negotiate and create shared understandings by respectfully interacting with people from diverse backgrounds

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The number of assessment tasks has been reduced.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

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