The fourth lecture in the series for Queens' first-years will be held on Friday 6 February, 4.30-6pm in the Bowett Room. Dr Chris Bickerton will speak on the subject of 'Capitalism, past and present: how a social and economic system shapes our experience of our world'.
Ever since Margaret Thatcher declared that there was no alternative to the market, and since Francis Fukuyama gave intellectual support to this idea by formulating his “end of history thesis”, our interest in capitalism has waned. Rather than something to defend or attack, it has become the backdrop to our social life and taken very much for granted. Why bother thinking about something that can’t be changed? This neglect of capitalism as an object of inquiry and as point of political conflict contrasts with the way in which it was treated in the past. It was central to the thinking of philosophers, sociologists and historians and was at the heart of the class struggles between the Left and the Right. This talk will ask what capitalism is, look at how it emerged and changed over time, and will consider the ways in which capitalism as a social system shapes our outlooks in multiple fields: from art through to culture, politics and sport. It will also ask whether the economic and financial crisis of recent years has reawakened our interest in the rhythms and dynamics of capitalism.
If you are a first-year undergrad reading any of the following, please come and join us: Architecture; Asian and Middle Eastern Studies; Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic; Classics; English; Geography; History; History of Art; Human, Social and Political Sciences; Linguistics; Modern and Medieval Languages; Music; Theology and Religious Studies.
This series provides approachable introductions to important ideas in intellectual history from a range of disciplinary perspectives. We combine expert contributions by Queens’ Fellows with a friendly and relaxed atmosphere – and an opportunity to meet other first-years studying a range of related subjects.