Finance and Neoliberalism

Whether portrayed in heroic or catastrophic terms, one of the key aspects of neoliberal society is the shifting of risk from corporate actors to individuals. While at first risk can seem to be just one component of a larger socio-economic picture, it takes on monumental proportions when examining events like financial crises and even global climate change. But what is risk and how does finance and financialization affect it?

In this course we explore the concepts of risk and uncertainty from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Reading from Pascal, Keynes, Knight, Beck, Giddens, Hacking, Gigerenzer and others, we will begin with the philosophical and mathematical foundations of the concept of probability. We will then turn to some modern applications in the field of economics and finance and explore the extent to which we should we rely on the past to forecast the future, exploring the limits of probability theory, and the issue of decision-making in situations where risks cannot be accurately estimated. Finally, we will conclude with some perspectives on inequality in a society where global risk is produced for private or political gain and its realization can lead to catastrophes.

Course Schedule

Monday, 6:30-9:30pm
June 06 — June 27, 2016
4 weeks

$315.00

Registration Closed

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