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Economic Sociology

By Dr. Manjula V   |   University of Mysore
Learners enrolled: 240
Have you ever wondered why people shop, spend, save, invest, or hustle the way they do? Why some brands become trends, why money holds power, or why economic inequality keeps growing? The answer isn’t just economics — it’s sociology.

Economic Sociology helps you understand the human side of economic life — how culture, identity, family, media, tradition, technology, and social networks influence the way the economy works.

In this course, we explore questions like:
  • Why do we value some things more than others?
  • How do relationships shape markets?
  • Why do societies choose capitalism, socialism, or something in between?
  • How does globalization impact what we buy, who we work for, and how we live?
We move from classical thinkers like Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, to modern scholars like Karl Polanyi, Mark Granovetter, and Richard Swedberg, who show us that economic decisions are never “just rational” — they’re deeply emotional, cultural, and social.

This course will help you:
  • Think critically about money, markets, and daily life
  • Analyze how society shapes economic behavior
  • Understand development, inequality, culture, and global change
  • Connect theory to real-world issues in India and beyond
Whether you are planning to enter academics, civil services, social sector, policy-making, business, entrepreneurship, or media, this course will help you see the world differently — with clarity, context, and curiosity.
The economy is not separate from society — it is society. Come explore how it all connects.

Summary
Course Status : Upcoming
Course Type : Core
Language for course content : English
Duration : 15 weeks
Category :
  • Computer Science and Engineering
Credit Points : 5
Level : Undergraduate
Start Date : 05 Jan 2026
End Date : 30 Apr 2026
Enrollment Ends : 28 Feb 2026
Exam Date :
Translation Languages : English
NCrF Level   : 4.5

Page Visits



Course layout

Session No

Module

Video/ Lesson

1.                       

1

Economics and Sociology

2.                       

Understanding

3.                       

The classical writings

4.                       

Economic Development

5.                       

Formalism

6.                       

Substantivism

7.                       

New Economic Sociology

8.                       

Contributions of Karl Polanyi and Mark Granovetter

9.                       

Contributions of Di Maggio, Fligstein, and Swedberg

10.                   

Social and cultural embeddedness

11.                   

2

Reciprocity

12.                   

Nature & forms of reciprocity

13.                   

Gift

14.                   

Approaches to gift

15.                   

Money and Exchange

16.                   

Changing dimensions of exchange

17.                   

Functions of Money + Money and Legitimation

18.                   

 

 

3

Systems of Production

19.                   

Economic aspects

20.                   

Social organization

21.                   

Pastoralism

22.                   

Horticulturalist

23.                   

Modes of production

24.                   

Domestic mode of production

25.                   

Forces of production

26.                   

Critique to domestic mode of production and the responses.

27.                   

Peasants and peasant economy

28.                   

Indian peasants and peasant structure

29.                   

Peasantry as economy and culture

30.                   

Political economy of peasants

31.                   

Peasant Movements

32.                   

Basic notions of capitalism

33.                   

Dimensions of Capitalism

34.                   

Division of labour and the labour production

35.                   

Economic inequality under capitalism

36.                   

Various forms of capitalism

37.                   

Basic Notions of Socialism

38.                   

The Growth of India’s Socialism

39.                   

Prerequisites of Socialism

40.                   

Varieties of Socialism

41.                   

The Scientific analysis of Socialism

42.                   

4

Introduction - The Nature and Meaning of Social Development

43.                   

The Prevailing Notions of Social Development

44.                   

Socio – cultural dimensions

45.                   

Indian Experience of Development after Independence

46.                   

Community Development and Cooperative Movement

47.                   

Introduction & Meaning of Globalization

48.                   

The Background & Impact of Globalization

49.                   

Globalization: Indian Scenario

50.                   

Merits and Demerits of Globalization


Books and references

Beckert, J. (2009). The social order of markets. Theory and Society, 38(3), 245–269.

Bourdieu, P. (2005). The social structures of the economy. Polity Press.

DiMaggio, P., & Powell, W. (1991). The new institutionalism in organizational analysis. University of Chicago Press.

Durkheim, É. (1997). The division of labor in society (W. D. Halls, Trans.). Free Press. (Original work published 1893)

Fligstein, N. (2001). The architecture of markets: An economic sociology of capitalist societies. Princeton University Press.

Granovetter, M. (1985). Economic action and social structure: The problem of embeddedness. American Journal of Sociology, 91(3), 481–510.

Granovetter, M., & Swedberg, R. (Eds.). (2011). The sociology of economic life (3rd ed.). Westview Press.

Marx, K. (1976). Capital: A critique of political economy (Vol. 1). Penguin Classics. (Original work published 1867)

Marx, K., & Engels, F. (2004). The manifesto of the communist party. Penguin Books. (Original work published 1848)

Mauss, M. (1990). The gift: The form and reason for exchange in archaic societies (W. D. Halls, Trans.). Routledge. (Original work published 1925)

Polanyi, K. (2001). The great transformation: The political and economic origins of our time. Beacon Press. (Original work published 1944)

Sahlins, M. (1974). Stone age economics. Aldine Publishing.

Swedberg, R. (2003). Principles of economic sociology. Princeton University Press.

Weber, M. (1978). Economy and society (G. Roth & C. Wittich, Eds., Vols. 1–2). University of California Press.

Weber, M. (2001). The protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism (T. Parsons, Trans.). Routledge. (Original work published 1905)

Instructor bio

Dr. Manjula V

University of Mysore
Dr. Manjula V is the Principal and Professor of Sociology at Government First Grade College, Bangaru Thirupathi, Kolar District, Karnataka, with over 18 years of teaching and research experience under the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education, Government of Karnataka. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Bangalore University and is UGC-NET and KSET qualified. Her areas of specialization include Rural Sociology, Economic Sociology, Gender Studies, Globalization, Health and Society, and Development Studies.

Dr. Manjula has authored three books and published thirty-eight research papers in reputed peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. She currently serves as Chairperson of the Board of Examiners (BoE), Bengaluru North University, and as Joint Secretary of the Karnataka Sociology Association. Actively engaged in academic governance and digital learning initiatives, she has also contributed to the development of e-content for Sociology courses under the Karnataka Learning Management System (LMS).

Course certificate

End-Term Examination:
o    Weightage: 70% of the final result
o    Minimum Passing Criteria: 40%

Internal Assessment:
o    Weightage: 30% of the final result
o    Minimum Passing Criteria: 40%

Calculation of IA Marks:
o    Out of all graded weekly assessments/assignments, the top 50% of assignments shall be considered for the calculation of the final Internal Assessment marks.
All students who obtain 40% marks in the internal assessment and 40% marks in the end-term proctored exam separately will be eligible for the SWAYAM Credit Certificate.
 

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