180137 SE Money as Medium and Technology (2016S)

Financial media and technologies receive little attention in philosophy of technology and media; yet they play a significant role in society and in people’s lives. Using Simmel but also work in media theory and philosophy of technology, this course will discuss the ethical and social aspects of money and other financial media and technologies, with a specific focus on electronic forms of money and automation in trade in the context of global finance. We will also explore how contemporary techno-financial developments might be resisted or re-oriented in a more ethical and responsible direction.
Students will learn how to read, interpret, and critically discuss recent literature on the topic and will be invited to engage with new technological and financial developments.

NOTE ABOUT MY TEACHING POLICY

Teaching is not only about content but also about process and environment, about how we learn together in a course. It is part of my teaching policy to try to make educational processes and environments as participatory and inclusive as possible. I aim at reducing discrimination against people who are less likely to be heard in discussions and, more generally, within the academic context. I explicitly aim to create an educational environment that is supportive of equal treatment of people of all genders, all language levels, all ethnicities, all social backgrounds, introverts, extroverts and others. Everyone should feel welcome in my courses, and everyone is encouraged to participate. I also welcome feedback on my teaching and aim at creating a friendly, interactive, and professional academic learning environment.