This module examines how humans across the world use their environments to make a living. Our focus here will be on comparing how different cultures produce, distribute, consume, withhold and give 'value' to objects, skills and other forms of knowledge, and time. In doing so, we will get a better understanding of how economic practices are linked to other aspects of society (e.g. religion, politics, kinship, etc). Anthropological comparison will also help us address really big topics – how do economies work when there are no markets? Are humans always interested in profit and maximisation? How do we make sense of contemporary phenomena like money, capitalism, global finance? And how do societies respond to economic crashes and crises?
Featured module: Anthropology of Business
Examine how humans across the world use their environments to make a living
