Religion and Capitalism

Capitalism organizes economies and also shapes values, social relationships, and ideas about what makes life meaningful. In this course we will explore how religion helps us understand those broader dimensions of capitalism, and how religious traditions have adapted to, resisted, and been transformed by life within it. We will deepen our understanding of how capitalism and neoliberalism reorganize ideas about authenticity, labor, selfhood, and human flourishing by considering debates within religious communities, corporate culture, and popular media. Finally we will consider critiques of capitalism, efforts to justify or promote it, and narratives that present it as unavoidable, drawing on religious texts, critical theory, and popular culture. 3 hours lect./disc.