Bishop's University
Williams School of Business and Economics
Eco 115
The Making of Economic Society
Professor: Keith Baxter
Office: N206
Tel: 2699
E-mail: kbaxter@ubishops.ca
Office Hours:
MWF 10:30 – 11:15
or by appointment
Texts: Heilbroner, Robert L. and William Milberg, The Making of Economic Society,
11th edition, Toronto, Prentice Hall, 2002
Jacobs, Jane, The Nature of Economies, Toronto, Random House, 2000
Prerequisites: none
Course description: This course explores the characteristics of modern Western economic society,
and how they came to be. Human society was not always and is not everywhere so
dominated by economic concerns and economic exchange, by industrial, commercial and
financial enterprise, especially corporate capitalist enterprise, and by materialist ambition.
This course explores the history of capitalism and the many factors involved in the
transition to affluence and to modern society’s subservience to economics. These include
changes in philosophy, technology, natural resources, scientific revolutions and human
institutions.
In addition to professor-led lecture/discussions there will be student-led seminars on
topics in the course on a regular basis.
Expectations:
1. Regular reading of assigned portions of the texts, and other readings.
2. One term paper and one book review essay. A suggested reading list will be supplied
from which topics will be chosen; topic must be approved by the professor. A
preliminary abstract and bibliography will be submitted two weeks before the paper itself
is due.
3. A final examination.
4. Attendance and participation in seminar discussions based on topics in the course.
5. Each student will present at least one seminar, and be principal discussant for at least one
other.
A schedule of seminar responsibilities and dates, and deadlines for written work will be
distributed in class. Students absent from class when specific work is assigned are nonetheless
responsible for completing the assignments according to the guidelines given. Written work is
expected to conform to the guidelines given on the ‘r’ drive of the BU computer network under
‘Eco 115’.
Evaluation scheme: Specific weighting of student performance will be decided in the first two
weeks of class. It will be based on student performance on the required elements of the course
listed in the expectations above. All requirements must be satisfactorily completed to pass the
course. Superior grades will require a substantial amount of effort and depend also on the clarity
and quality of written work submitted. Written work submitted late is subject to a late penalty of
5% per day.