Political Economy & Social Movements

What do we need to know in order to understand the fundamental political, economic, and social forces shaping our world, and how can we participate effectively in shaping those forces? This program introduces students to the fundamental building blocks of political-economic analysis: the history and institutions of capitalism, theories of social change and political orders such as liberal democracy, social democracy, authoritarianism, (neo)fascism and participatory socialism.

Our studies will draw on analytical frameworks such as Marxian, Keynesian, Feminist and Neoclassical theory to explore the way contemporary developments in the economy have transformed our lives in the U.S. and globally. We will study the structure and failure of markets; work and wages; poverty and economic inequality; the gender and racial division of labor as well as the political economy of the climate crisis.

In tandem with our exploration of theoretical frameworks, we will learn about the ways in which communities collectively contest structures of oppression through our study of social movements, past and present, in their efforts to bring about a more just and equitable society. We will examine political economy at all scales, from the very local to the international, and we’ll analyze oppression, exploitation, and inequality in its different forms—race, class, gender, nationality, and other identities - and learn about the ways in which social movements have influenced public attitudes and institutional policies.

Students will expand their capacity to engage in public debate and social justice organizing by building skills in democratic decision-making, critical thinking, economic analysis, writing, researching, public speaking, media production, and quantitative methods.

Students are expected to attend live, interactive sessions with program faculty and peers 13 hours per week. Program activities will include seminars, lectures, workshops, guest speakers, films, reading and writing assignments, and presentations. While most program activities will be in-person, occasional class sessions, such as asynchronous films and online discussions may be held remotely. To successfully participate in this program, students will need a quiet place to read and write, as well as access to a computer with reliable internet connection and word processing software. Interested students are encouraged to reach out to program faculty: Savvina Chowdhury at chowdhus@evergreen.edu.

This program has 12 credits of classwork and 4 credits of research project or community work. Students can choose to register for 12 credits only. 

Anticipated Credit Equivalencies 

4- Political Economy

4- Microeconomics

4- Social Movement History

4- Independent Research Project (for 16-credit students only)