General information
Instructor
Here is more information about Prof. Lotz
Class Meetings
Days: Tu/Th
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:50 PM
Place: 117b Wells Hall
Office
Hours: Tu/Th, 5-5:30pm, and by appointment
Phone: 517.355.4490 [dept.])
Place: 518 S. Kedzie Hall
Other Contact
E-mail: lotz@msu.edu
Home Phone: please ask
Webpage: https://christianlotz.wordpress.com
Box
You will find my box in the front office of the philosophy department
Schedule
Introduction
Aug 28, Introduction
Sep 2, Introduction
Globalization and the Culture of Capitalism
Sep 4, Money and Consumption
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 1
Sep 9, Labor
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 2 + a primer on money, pp 1-12
Sep 11, Labor
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 2
Documentary
Sep 16, State
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 4
Sep 18, State
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 4
Documentary
Sep 23, Population Growth
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 5
Sep 25, Poverty
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 6
Sep 30, Poverty
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 6
Documentary
Oct. 2, Environment
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 7
Oct. 7, Environment
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 7
Documentary
The Poverty of Capitalism
Oct 9, Corporate Power and Inequality
Robbins, Culture of Capitalism, chapter 7
Hilary, Poverty of Capitalism, chapter 2+3
Oct 14, Corporate Power and Inequality
Hilary, Poverty of Capitalism, chapter 2+3
in connection with chapter 3 check https://wikileaks.org/tpp/ and https://wikileaks.org/tisa-financial/ and TAFTA and this
perhaps documentary, depends upon progress in class
Oct 16, Dispossession
Hilary, Poverty of Capitalism, chapter 5
Oct 21, Dispossession
Hilary, Poverty of Capitalism, chapter 5
Documentary
Oct 23, Garments and Food
Hilary, Poverty of Capitalism, chapter 6+7
The Enigma of Capital
Oct. 28, Capital
Harvey, The Enigma of Capital, chapter 2
Oct. 30, Work
Harvey, The Enigma of Capital, chapter 3
Nov 4, Market
Harvey, The Enigma of Capital, chapter 4
Nov 6, TBA
Documentary
Nov 11, Geography
Harvey, The Enigma of Capital, chapter 6
True Wealth
Nov 13, Ecological Bust
Schor, True Wealth, chapter 2
Nov 18, Economics and Ecology
Schor, True Wealth, chapter 3
Nov 20, Living Rich
Schor, True Wealth, chapter 4
Nov 25
no class
Nov 27,
Thanksgiving
Wrap Up
Dec 2, Plenitude
Schor, True Wealth, chapter 5
Dec. 4, Wrap up
Documentary
Dec 11
Take-home exam due by 3pm (day of final exam)
Course Description
“Capitalism does not need future, except as burning fuel”
(Heiner Müller)
In this class, we will critically explore our social environment by critically investigating the nature of capitalism, capitalistic culture, and its global consequences. We will first discuss general problems and issues of a process of globalization driven by capitalism; we will then deal with a fundamental reconstruction of what globalization is from a Marxist point of view. Finally, we will discuss alternatives to globalization. The challenging texts selected for this class will be accompanied by several high quality documentary films that are counted in this class as an art form. Be aware that this class will be challenging, especially if you tend to hold unreflected opinions and beliefs.
IAH Course Goals
Integrative Studies at MSU seeks to assist students to become more familiar with ways of knowing in the arts and humanities and to be more knowledgeable and capable in a range of intellectual and expressive abilities. IAH courses encourage students to engage critically with their own society, history, and culture(s); they also encourage students to learn more about the history and culture of other societies. They focus on key ideas and issues in human experience; encourage appreciation of the roles of knowledge and values in shaping and understanding human behavior; emphasize the responsibilities and opportunities of democratic citizenship; highlight the value of the creative arts of literature, theater, music, and arts; and alert us to important issues that occur among peoples in an increasingly interconnected, interdependent world.
Note
Real learning is not properly measured by multiple-choice tests; especially since in the humanities there is no specific content of a sort that may be covered well in standardized examinations, which every student in the humanities should be expected to master. Instead, you will – hopefully – come to recognize that this class is about a general intellectual reflection on what we are and why we are here. The class deals with your dignity as human beings and with your intellect and reason, which is best expressed in a form of learning that is based on understanding and insight, and not mere learning by heart. It is hoped that the class will stimulate the view that intellectual activity (and therefore human reality) has to do with the passion of thinking, and the passion of understanding of our world. Intense confrontation with texts is the center of this class.
Specific Course Goals
This lecture class should students introduce to
- critical analysis of society and our social environment
- globalization as a process of capitalism
- problems that this process produces (poverty, environment, gender, military)
- a theoretical outlook on capitalism and globalization, especially the fundamental role of money
- the failures of capitalist society
- the concept of true wealth
Required Texts (Bookstore)
Please buy the following titles.
- Robbins, Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism, if possible latest edition
- Schorr, True Wealth: How and Why Millions of Americans Are Creating a Time-Rich,Ecologically Light,Small-Scale, High-Satisfaction Economy, paperback, Penguin Books
- Hilary, The Poverty of Capitalism, paperback, Pluto Press
- Harvey, The Enigma of Capital, latest paperback edition, Oxford University Press
Texts per email (pdf)
- tbd
Course Organization
The course will be organized such that, ideally, each class period will include [i] “interactive” lecture, [ii] discussion time or [iii] response time. Students will be asked to intensively prepare a certain text or part of a text for the next class period.
Note
Be prepared that this class will be tough but rewarding.
Course Requirements
- Daily reading and studying (around 70 pages per week)
- 5 response sheets
- final take-home exam
- short film reaction papers
- unannounced assignments
- reading quizzes
Note
The class and my lectures are solely based on the texts selected for class and require a thorough study and preparation of the material. I will primarily lecture on the readings, which will help you to more fully understand the texts. Therefore it is not sufficient for students to come to class without having prepared the texts. And indeed, in the exams you have to demonstrate whether you have appropriately prepared the readings selected for each lecture.
Note
Every academic misconduct, such as plagiarism, will – without exception – lead to a failing grade in class. Check the Ombudsman’s page (see also note below on plagiarism): https://www.msu.edu/~ombud/
Make-Up Assignments
Students who need to miss the exam or the movie for excusable reasons (medical+MSU related business) must inform me ahead of time, and will be permitted to make up the exam and movie assignment. I will only accept written documentation.
Class Attendance
I hope and strongly encourage that students attend all lectures. However, I will not require attendance, as I think that college students should manage their own class attendance decisions. Nevertheless, please be aware that you should not make me responsible for a failure that results out of your decision. You should be aware that chances to master this class are minimal, if you do not show up for class or if you do not prepare the readings (=studying).
Unannounced Assignments
There will be announced and unannounced reading quizzes, homework-assignments, and group assignments. Students who do not attend class (and have no written documentation) will lose all points. Reading quizzes, homework assignments, and group assignments cannot be made up.
Class Response Sheets
Every student is asked to submit up to 5 class response sheets during the semester. Please download the form here (plus: print it out five times and add it to your class folder). Response sheets must be submitted at the end of a class session. I do not accept late turn ins or turn ins by email.
Download response sheet (I will only accept answers that are given on this form)
Note
Students are not allowed to turn in response sheets during the last week of class!
Response Time
Selected response sheets will be addressed at the beginning of each class. This procedure will help you and me to clarify problems, reflect on topics, and to find answers to questions that came up during the lecture.
Film Response Papers
Up to five selected documentary films shown in class will be accompanied by short writing assignments (550-650 words). I will let you know at the end of a “film day” whether it will indeed be accompanied by an assignment. The documentary film selected for this class are all high quality films that will demand your attention and challenge your critical judgment. The assignment will be passed out in class. These assignments cannot be made up, unless you show medical documentation. Accordingly, if you do not come to class on “film days,” then you might lose the points for the assignment. I will not accept submissions by email. If you do not come to class, then you need to bring your assignment to the front office of the philosophy department (503 South Kedzie) and put it into my box. Please use an envelope.
Final Assignment
There will be one text related final take-home essay assignment passed out on the last day of class. It is due on the day of the final exam.
Unannounced and Announced Assignments
There will be – from time to time – unannounced and announced reading quizzes. Students who do not attend class (and have no medical documentation) lose all points. Quizzes cannot be made up.
General Note
I expect that you come to class having prepared the texts carefully and thoroughly. I will take the liberty to call on students randomly. The reading for the next session, if not clear from the course schedule (below), will be announced at the end of the previous class. “Preparing for class” implies underlining and making excerpts from the text assigned; looking up unfamiliar vocabulary and writing them into a note book (I encourage you to keep a vocabulary booklet for all of your classes). Just reading the text won’t be sufficient. You have to study the material. Some vocabulary might not be sufficiently explained in a regular dictionary (this goes especially for philosophical terms), so it is necessary to consult additional sources, and the MSU Library Website is a great resource for nearly all questions in this regard).
Attendance
To get a good grade in this class, regular attendance is required. I will not call roll. Hence, it is up to you to come to class or not. However, if you do not come to class on a regular basis and participate in class, it is impossible for you to achieve a good grade in this class, especially since you won’t be able to make up assignments in class. If you choose to attend class, please come on time, turn off cell phones and other electronic devices that interfere with your (and others’) concentration, have the reading prepared and be ready to participate. If you are not prepared, do not bother showing up. It is a sign of disrespect to your peers and the instructor to attend class unprepared. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to obtain class notes from a fellow student and to catch up on reading.
Course Evaluation
Assignments
| 1 final take-home exam | 20 points |
| 5 film reaction papers (up to 600 words) | 30 points |
| unannounced reading quizzes, homework assignments, and group assignments | 25 points |
| 5 response sheets (use form) | 25 points |
| ——– | |
| 100 points | |
Grading
| 4.0 (=A) | 100 – 93 |
| 3.5 | 92 – 87 |
| 3 (=B) | 86 – 82 |
| 2.5 | 81 – 77 |
| 2 (=C) | 76 – 72 |
| 1.5 | 71 – 65 |
| 1.0 (=D) | 64 – 60 |
| 0.0 | < 60 |
GENERIC SYLLABUS (might not be applicable to each class)
Laptop/Cell Phone Policy
You are not permitted to use laptops and cell phones in class. Please do not text under the table. Cell phones should be removed from tables. Failure to follow this policy will lead to unannounced assignments in class or loss of points (at the digression of the instructor).
Class Attendance
As mentioned above, I do not employ in my classes a class attendance policy. Having said this, you should be aware that class attendance is very important. When engaging in a philosophical and humanistic dialogue it is necessary to be an active and present participant in the ongoing discussion. If you miss class please do not email me asking if you missed anything important. Every class is important. You should get a study buddy for the class; a student in class who will inform you of what you missed. If you miss a class you can come to my office hours or make an appointment to discuss the material, providing you have read the material and you simply want to see if your understanding of the material is on target. Time in office hours will not be used to repeat the class lectures.
Grading Criteria + Paper Writing Tips
Check out this page for grading criteria, example of assignments, etc.
Online Research Sources
Unfortunately, some people think that the internet as such is a reliable source of information. If you decide to use online sources for additional information or your paper then do not just use one of the common internet search engines, such as Google; rather, use reliable academic sources, such as Britannica Online, or the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. The Internet Ecyclopedia of Philosophy isn’t very good, but still acceptable. Check out MSU’s library resources! And, as with other sources, you must cite any online sources to which you refer in your essay.
Writing Center Information
MSU’s writing center offers excellent help on all matters regarding writing and learning. Check the website at http://writing.msu.edu for an overview and hours. For more information, please call 517.432.3610 or send an e-mail to writing@msu.edu.
Integrity of Scholarship and Grades (Plagiarism)
The following statement of University policy addresses principles and procedures to be used in instances of academic dishonesty, violations of professional standards, and falsification of academic or admission records, herein after referred to as academic misconduct. [See General Student Regulation 1.00, Protection of Scholarship and Grades.]
Academic Honesty
Article 2.3.3 of the Academic Freedom Report states that “The student shares with the faculty the responsibility for maintaining the integrity of scholarship, grades, and professional standards.” In addition, the (insert name of unit offering course) adheres to the policies on academic honesty as specified in General Student Regulations 1.0, Protection of Scholarship and Grades; the all-University Policy on Integrity of Scholarship and Grades; and Ordinance 17.00, Examinations. (See Spartan Life: Student Handbook and Resource Guide and/or the MSU Web site: www.msu.edu) Therefore, unless authorized by your instructor, you are expected to complete all course assignments, including homework, lab work, quizzes, tests and exams, without assistance from any source. You are expected to develop original work for this course; therefore, you may not submit course work completed for another course to satisfy the requirements for this course. Students who violate MSU rules may receive a penalty grade, including but not limited to a failing grade on the assignment or in the course. Contact your instructor if you are unsure about the appropriateness of your course work. (See also https://www.msu.edu/~ombud/)
Plagiarism, from the Ombudsman’s page
Plagiarism (from the Latin plagiarius, an abductor, and plagiare, to steal) is defined by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on Misconduct in Research (take that!) as “ . . . the appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results or words without giving appropriate credit.”
Accidental or Unintentional
One may not even know that they are plagiarizing. It is the student’s responsibility to make certain that they understand the difference between quoting and paraphrasing, as well as the proper way to cite material.
Blatant
Here, students are well aware that they are plagiarizing. Purposefully using someone else’s ideas or work without proper acknowledgment is plagiarism. This includes turning in borrowed or bought research papers as one’s own.
Self
Turning in the same term paper (or substantially the same paper) for two courses without getting permission from one’s instructor is plagiarism.
Social Media and Sharing of Course Materials
As members of a learning community, students are expected to respect the intellectual property of course instructors. All course materials presented to students are the copyrighted property of the course instructor and are subject to the following conditions of use:
- Students may (may not) record lectures or any other classroom activities and use the recordings only for their own course-related purposes.
- Students may (may not) share the recordings with other students enrolled in the class. Sharing is limited to using the recordings only for their own course-related purposes.
- Students may (may not) not post the recordings or other course materials online or distribute them to anyone not enrolled in the class without the advance written permission of the course instructor and, if applicable, any students whose voice or image is included in the recordings.
- Any student violating the conditions described above may face academic disciplinary sanctions.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities should contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities to establish reasonable accommodations. For an appointment with a counselor, call 353-9642 (voice) or 355-1293 (TTY)
Drops and Adds
The last day to add this course is the end of the first week of classes. The last day to drop this course with a 100 percent refund and no grade reported is (see Academic Calendar). The last day to drop this course with no refund and no grade reported is (see Academic Calendar). You should immediately make a copy of your amended schedule to verify you have added or dropped this course.
Note on Attendance
Students who fail to attend the first four class sessions or class by the fifth day of the semester, whichever occurs first, may be dropped from the course.
Christian Lotz 