PECO 285 Capitalism II: Capital in the Digital Age
Over the past 40 years, the rapid advancement of information technology has dramatically changed the ways in which human beings engage in fundamental actives - from our everyday communications to the production and consumption of basic commodities. This course examines the capitalism in the Digital Age. We will begin by analyzing the dominant capitalist economic formations of the 20th century (Fordism and Post-Fordism). Turning to the 21st century, we will examine the politics, technologies, and ideologies that animate digital capitalism. Possible topics include, but are not limited to: the rise of tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Facebook; digital labor and the gig economy; controversies surrounding social media and elections; the Internet of Things, online privacy, and surveillance; Netflix and the digital media and entertainment sector; the politics of digital currencies like bitcoin; the open access movement and digital piracy; emerging technologies like advanced artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing; and the global impact of Chinese digital powerhouses like Huawei and Alibaba. Final projects may incorporate the use of digital media platforms and technologies to analyze capitalism in the Digital Age.