PSCI 146
The world of wealth and work: An introduction to the politics of capitalism Fall 2025
Division II D Difference, Power, and Equity

From the Googleplex to derelict factories in Ohio, from our personal lives to the halls of high politics, from the sugar fields of Brazil to the corner offices of Wall Street, we are all navigating the same system: capitalism. This course will give students a map. Drawing on political science and political economy, we will ask fundamental questions about capitalism: Why are some parts of the world so much richer than others? Is sustainable economic growth possible? Why do some jobs pay more than others? Why do some things cost money but other things are free? What is the relationship between economic exploitation and race, gender, and other identities? Why are we working all the time? Can a democratic society have a capitalist economy? Students will explore these questions and engage themes central to the study of capitalism, including financialization, intersectionality, racial order, neoliberalism, class, contradiction, and accumulation. The course is designed for first-year students, especially those who have taken one or fewer political science courses.