Corporate Power examines the historical forces, social and economic contexts, public policies and private interventions that have given rise to the corporate dominance, social inequality, political disenfranchisement, and grassroots resistance we see today. Our readings drawfrom the social sciences, business literature, and activist research. Topics we cover include corporate lobbying for social and environmental deregulation; the ascent of global finance; neoliberalism in global policy, ruling-class activism, and everyday life; corporate social responsibility; new technologies of corporate monopoly and consumer control; and the historical distinction of the Trump administration in the current era. Through student presentations and a term paper, this seminar cultivates critical analysis and research skill while taking seriously the counter proposition that corporate power may ultimately be legitimate.

Learning objectives

1. To grasp the historical and on-going evolution of the corporation in the context of global capitalism and its class relations.
2. To evaluate and debate theories of corporate power, specifically against the counter-hypothesis that corporate influence is a legitimate development in our society.
3. To develop proficiency in research and communication of corporate power via in-class presentations and a term paper.