SOSANT1300 – Economic Anthropology
Course description
Course content
This course is an introduction to economic anthropology. Taking the recent global financial crisis as a starting point, we explore how anthropological explanations of why and how people engage in different kinds of economic activities might offer alternative perspectives and explanations to those of mainstream political or economic analysis.
The course explores these themes through an investigation of classical economic anthropological issues, such as the distinction between gifts and commodities, the relationship between people and objects of exchange, such as money, and most crucially the issue of the moral basis of markets and other forms of economic activity.
Students are made aware of ethnographic variety, with emphasis on the interaction between production, trade, marketing and consumption in different regions. Emphasis is also placed on identifying links between local economic practices and understanding on the one hand, and global economic interconnections associated with for example.
Specific topics studied in this regard include:
- Markets and social inequality
- State management and creation of market economies
- The morality of financial markets
- Understanding the extent and limits of terms such as ‘capitalism’ or ‘neoliberalism’ in understanding contemporary variations in economic life through the use of diverse ethnographic examples
Learning outcome
Knowledge
- A broad understanding of key anthropological approaches to the study of economics and material life
- An introduction to economic anthropological theory and methodology
- Knowledge of historical disciplinary approaches to the economy and material culture with a central focus on the application of these approaches to the problems of contemporary economic life
- Knowledge of regional variation in economic practice
Skills
- An ability to understand and explain how economic life is constituted through social, cultural and material practices
- An ability to identify and explain cultural variation in terms of the approach to the economy, and key concepts (e.g., person, thing, money, market, gift and care)
- An ability to formulate relevant approaches to economic life in different societies and locate relevant literature
General competence
- An understanding of and respect for scientific values ??such as openness, rationality, precision, accountability and the importance of distinguishing between facts and opinions
- To understand the development of relevant theoretical issues, and to locate and orient these in relevant literature, as well as the ability to convey anthropological insights in a professional manner in oral and written form
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Recommended previous knowledge
It is recommended that all students have completed the following courses:
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with SOSANG95.
- 10 credits overlap with SOSANG95.
- 10 credits overlap with SOSANTG.
- 10 credits overlap with SOSANTG.
- 10 credits overlap with SOSANT1300P.
- 10 credits overlap with SOSANT1300P.
- 10 credits overlap with SOSANG95.
- 10 credits overlap with SOSANG95.
Teaching
The course is given through a combination of lectures and seminars throughout the semester. Participation in the seminar group is highly recommended.
Examination
Take home exam. The exam paper must be minimum 2500 words and maximum 3500 words including cover page and foot- or endnotes.
Examination support material
All exam support materials are allowed during this exam. Generating all or parts of the exam answer using AI tools such as Chat GPT or similar is not allowed.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English and Norwegian. You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.
Also see?Grading guidelines in social anthropology.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.