Welcome! Here is our online course schedule.

Note: The readings for Monday and sometimes Friday are generally set, while the readings for Wednesday are “to be determined” after the first few weeks. The lead blogger for a week will choose a topic, post at least one substantive outside reading on the subject, and create an in-depth blog post by the previous Friday. From time to time I may move readings around or replace them to more closely coincide with the class’s current interests. Watch the blog for these updates.

Smith = The Essential Adam Smith

Marx = The Marx-Engels Reader

Week 1: Intro – What is “The Market” anyway?

M Jan 12: Introduction

W 14: Read Dean Baker, The End of Loser Liberalism (Chapter 1) and Matt Yglesias. Create a blog and send me the link by the end of the week.

F 16:  Read Hobbes (chapters XIII-XV – skim other chapters if you have time) and Mandeville ("An Enquiry Into the Origin of Moral Virtue"--for some helpful background, read the entry on Mandeville in the Dictionary of National Biography).

Week 2 – Precursors

M 19: MLK day. No class.

W 21: Read Hutcheson and Smith, 1-13, 22-38.  

F 23: Read this and Nancy Sommers. Read Smith, 118-123, 321-325. Make sure you are following class blog.

Week 3 – Feelings and value

M 26:  Read Hutcheson (section 5) and Smith, 65-78, 217-219.

W 28: Reading TBA. Post first response to lead blogger’s post and readings by Wednesday’s class.

F 30: Bring in rough draft of paper 1.

Week 4 – Mercantilism, morality, regulation

M Feb 2: Read Smith, 258-269, Hume and Swift.

W 4: Reading TBA.

F 6:  Bring in rough draft.  Read Ackerman, Beggs and this.

Week 5 – Marx as a reader of Smith

M 9: Read Marx, 236-250.

W 11: Reading TBA.

F 13:  Possible library day or writing workshop. Paper 1 due by class time.  

Week 6 – The Problem of Capital

M 16: Read Marx, 351-367.  

W 18: Reading TBA.

F 20:  Read Krugman, and Marx, 443-465. Bring rough draft for peer editing. 

Week 7 – Smith as Early Critic of Capital 

M 23: Read Smith, 227-248.

W 25: Reading TBA. 

F 27: Read Keynes (primarily section VI). Bring rough draft for peer editing.

Week 8: Topics fair

M March 2: Paper 2 due by class time. Short presentations.

W 4: Reading TBA. Short presentations.

F 6: Read Sumner and Hume, Short presentations.

Week 9 – Spring break

M 9: No class. Spring break. 

W 11: No class.

F 13: No class. 

Week 10 – Wealth and Poverty

M 16: Read Marx, 473-491, and Conley

W 18: Reading TBA.

F 20: No class. Instructor away at conference. Writing workshop or possible library day. 

Week 11 – Utopian and practical thinking. 

M 23:  Read Marx (piece actually by Engels), 683-694.

W 25: Reading TBA.

F 27: Frank and Salam. Bring in rough draft for peer editing. 

Week 12 – Other matters

M 30: Read Smith, 248-258.

W April 1: Reading TBA. Paper 3 due by class time.  

F 3: Easter break. No class.

Week 13 – Taking stock

M 6: Easter break.

W 8: Reading TBA.

F 10: Read Marx, 193-200, 291-293.

Week 14 – Finishing touches

M 13: Read Smith, 269-284.

W 15: Reading TBA. 

F 17: Read Marx, Burke (2.1.313 to 2.1.327) and Mailer interview. Writing workshop. 

Week 15 – Almost there

M 20: Read Smith, 290-310. Bring in rough draft. 

W 22: Reading TBA. Peer editing/workshopping.

F 24: Read Marx, 522-534. Peer editing/workshopping.

Week 16

M 27: Last day of class. No final exam.

W 29: Study day. Final paper due Thursday, April 30^th at 12pm.  

F May 1: Exams.