Chiara Cordelli
Research Project
Democracy and Capitalism: An Interdisciplinary Project in History, Law, and Politics
Project Team:
2022 – 2023
Key Question
In what ways are democratic governments and capitalist economies interdependent?
Project Summary
By foregrounding the interdependence of capitalism and democracy since the eighteenth century, this project will identify alternatives to the political economies that have fueled so many contemporary crises.
This interdisciplinary (as well as national and transnational) project seeks to recover a new understanding of the relationship between democracy and capitalism in history from the late 18th century age of revolution to the culmination of late 20th century neoliberalism. The research team asserts that existing accounts of capitalism and democracy feature a problematic over-reliance on liberalism and economism in the literatures on economic history, the history of capitalism, law and economics, law and society, democratic theory, and democratic studies more generally. By foregrounding the priority of democracy and the interdependence and intersectionality of histories of capitalism and democracy, the project aims to construct an alternative to reigning political-economic orthodoxies that have fueled so many contemporary crises. The research team will engage diverse scholars across a range of disciplines for a multi-year collaboration and conversations re-assessing the fundamental relationship of modern democracy and capitalist development and its future possibilities.
Topics
Research Team
Jonathan Levy
Jonathan Levy
James Westfall Thompson Professor of US History, Fundamentals, Social Thought, and the College; Associate Faculty Member, Law School; Faculty Affiliate, Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture
University of Chicago
James Sparrow
James Sparrow
Associate Professor of History, the Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science, and the College
University of Chicago
Project Narrative
Carousel with 3 slides shown at a time. Use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate, or the slide dot buttons at the end to jump to slides.
Faculty Examine the "Delicate Dance" between Democracy and Capitalism
Faculty Examine the "Delicate Dance" between Democracy and Capitalism
The University of Chicago Magazine featured two Neubauer Collegium research projects in the Fall 2024 issue.
Transformative Entrepreneur to Celebrity CEO: Henry Ford, Elon Musk and the Journey from Genius to Infamy
Lecture
Transformative Entrepreneur to Celebrity CEO: Henry Ford, Elon Musk and the Journey from Genius to Infamy
At this lecture, David Kirsch (University of Maryland) considered how capitalism produces celebrity.
Philanthropy and the Democratic State
Discussion
Philanthropy and the Democratic State
Panelists at this event explored the relationship between philanthropy and the democratic state from socio-historical and ethical perspectives.
Crypto Beyond the Hype
Lecture
Crypto Beyond the Hype
After a series of downturns, including the collapse of the FTX exchange, this lecture asked: What remains of crypto after all the hype?
Democracy and Capitalism: An (Ant)agonistic History
Conference
Democracy and Capitalism: An (Ant)agonistic History
Participants at this conference considered the interdependence and antagonisms of democratic governments and capitalist economies.
Carousel with 3 slides shown at a time. Use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate, or the slide dot buttons at the end to jump to slides.
Faculty Examine the "Delicate Dance" between Democracy and Capitalism
Faculty Examine the "Delicate Dance" between Democracy and Capitalism
The University of Chicago Magazine featured two Neubauer Collegium research projects in the Fall 2024 issue.
Carousel with 3 slides shown at a time. Use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate, or the slide dot buttons at the end to jump to slides.
Transformative Entrepreneur to Celebrity CEO: Henry Ford, Elon Musk and the Journey from Genius to Infamy
Lecture
Transformative Entrepreneur to Celebrity CEO: Henry Ford, Elon Musk and the Journey from Genius to Infamy
At this lecture, David Kirsch (University of Maryland) considered how capitalism produces celebrity.
Crypto Beyond the Hype
Lecture
Crypto Beyond the Hype
After a series of downturns, including the collapse of the FTX exchange, this lecture asked: What remains of crypto after all the hype?
Carousel with 3 slides shown at a time. Use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate, or the slide dot buttons at the end to jump to slides.
Philanthropy and the Democratic State
Discussion
Philanthropy and the Democratic State
Panelists at this event explored the relationship between philanthropy and the democratic state from socio-historical and ethical perspectives.
Carousel with 3 slides shown at a time. Use the Previous and Next buttons to navigate, or the slide dot buttons at the end to jump to slides.
Democracy and Capitalism: An (Ant)agonistic History
Conference
Democracy and Capitalism: An (Ant)agonistic History
Participants at this conference considered the interdependence and antagonisms of democratic governments and capitalist economies.
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