ANTH4610 ¨C Work, Capital, and Business

Course content

This course explores ethnographic insights into the nature of work and organisational relations with particular emphasis on developments in this field in the current century. You are introduced to a variety of theoretical approaches that examine the meaning and the social effects of conceptual separations between spheres of activity such as ¡®capital¡¯ and ¡®labour¡¯ on the one hand and ¡®kinship¡¯ or ¡®society¡¯ on the other. Through key readings, you are led to reflect upon the methodological and ethical challenges of conducting ethnographic fieldwork on these topics as part of the final preparation for your own fieldwork.

The course covers a number of key concepts and debates in contemporary anthropological analyses of work, capital and business. It encourages you to develop an understanding of the value of anthropological theory and method which will help you prepare for your own research contribution to this field. The topics covered include

• Ethnographic approaches to Capital and Business

• Wage-labour and work in the 21st century

• Class, kinship and gender relations

• Reciprocity and moral obligation in business and work

• The role of culture in business

Learning outcome

Knowledge

• Overview of anthropological perspectives on key concepts and debates on capital, business and labour
• Understanding of their relevance for contemporary academic and public policy debates
• Appreciation for ongoing theoretical debates and the ability to relate your own original research to the development of these debates

Skills

• Ability to synthesise and critique a variety of theoretical positions and to use this understanding to contribute to the construction of a unique research agenda
• Increased ability to reflect critically in writing and in oral presentation on the themes of work, capital, and labour
• Essay writing/argument construction skills

General competence

• Enhanced skills for independent academic thought
• Improved team work capability and group-presentations
• The ability to express arguments in solid academic written English (via essay writing and shorter reflection papers) as well as oral presentation

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

This course is not available for single course students.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

Students must be enrolled in the master¡¯s programme in Social Anthropology, and must have completed ANTH4010 ¨C Advanced Anthropological Theory, ANTH4020 ¨C Academic Writing and Project Development??, and ANTH4030 ¨C Advanced Anthropological Methods?

Teaching

3-hour teaching blocks with a combination of lectures and in-class group discussions moderated by the lecturer.

Compulsory activities:

One mandatory oral presentation and seven short reflection papers on individual lecture content?(minimum 200 and maximum 500 words) will be submitted throughout the semester.

You must have the compulsory activities approved in order to take the exam.

In the event of illness or other valid reasons, you can apply for a valid absence or postponement of compulsory activity.?Apply for valid absence from or need for postponement of compulsory activity

Access to teaching:

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

Examination

Three revised versions of the above-mentioned reflection papers (the selection of which will be announced during the last lecture).

All compulsory activities must be approved and the exam passed in the same semester.

Previous exams and assessment guidelines.

Language of examination

You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• How to use AI as a student
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.