The course serves as an introduction into economic sociology, which forms part of the interdisciplinary field of socioeconomics and constitutes a subdiscipline of sociology. More specifically, the course focuses on the question of how economic action can be conceived and interpreted from different theoretical perspectives, economic as well as sociological ones.

Participants will develop a basic understanding of sociological approaches to the economy, which help to put the prevailing economic approaches into perspective and can be applied to multiple problems. They will be able to assess recent theoretical developments within the economic discipline, such as the proliferation of institutional and behavioural economics, from a critical sociological point of view and to take a stance in the continued debate between mainstream economics and its critics, be they from sociology, socioeconomics or heterodox economics. With an emphasis of this course being on individual written work, they will develop and improve their academic writing skills.

Since there are only six sessions, there is in principle an attendance requirement for all sessions, with partial absences being possible (no more than 20% of total course time). Missing full sessions will not directly lead to failure of the course but affect the grade, which can be prevented by doing compensatory assignments. This is possible for a maximum of two sessions and may be of interest to exchange students who want to finish the winter term early.

The course consists of introductory lectures, individual and group work, preparatory readings, written assignments, oral presentations, and seminar discussions.

The following aspects and activities will be assessed: written individual work in the form of several essays to be prepared at home (4x20%=80%), active participation in ongoing seminar work and discussions (20%).