Course Catalogue

LJMU Partner Taught

1. To critically understand the workings of capitalism within the context of urban life and everyday living. 2. To critically understand the nature and effectiveness of protest and resistance against capitalism in the context of historical and contemporary struggles focused on urban life and everyday living. 3. To critically understand the philosophy and practice of radical alternatives to urban capitalist lifestyles in the UK and globally. 4. To critically appreciate the extent to which living alternatives to urban capitalism are limiting the hegemonic reach of capitalism in the UK and globally. 5. To critically appreciate the existing potential for achieving political and social change in the UK and globally.

Outline Syllabus:Part I: Capitalism and its Consequences in Everyday Urban Life • The Problem of the Market • The State versus the Market • The Problem of the State Part II: Beyond Capitalism in Politics and Everyday Urban Life • Politics and concepts of protest, resistance and radical change • Historical struggles against capitalism in the UK and globally • Contemporary struggles against capitalism and its consequences in the UK and globally • The philosophy and practices of radical alternatives to capitalism • Case Studies of alternatives to urban capitalism in the UK and globally

Additional Information:This module will enable students to develop a comprehensive understanding of urban capitalism and its alternatives from a critical sociological perspective. The module splits into two parts. Part I provides a critical understanding of how capitalism organises everyday urban life and everyday living. Part II examines the nature of the struggles that have taken place to find new ways of living more equitably and sustainability. Specifically, it looks closely at alternative modes of thought (such anarchism and environmentalism) about social and economic organisation, as well as examples of alternatives modes of living in the UK and globally The module consists of two inter-related assessments. The first consists of a workbook based on a series of readings about urban capitalism and its alternatives. Students will complete this each week in preparation for seminar discussions which can then be used as a feedback / feed forward opportunity that will assist them in finalising their workbook; students will receive summative feedback on the content of their workbooks based on their ability to verbally discuss its contents in seminars. The second assessment builds on the first assessment by asking the students to produce a group podcast discussion of alternatives to urban capitalism that they have learned about through their reading. Students are expected to undertake some additional research on the alternatives in question in completing this assessment task. Approximately 10-20% of the course will be delivered 'off-site' so that students can interact with, and learn from, radical activists.