Business and Economics in Literature

Course Director: Fredrik Tydal

In this course, you will read and study a series of literary texts from the English-speaking world dealing with themes that are of interest to business and economics students. For example, you will learn about the economic boom of the 1920s from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, consider the critique of mass production found in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, experience the mechanisms of greed through John Steinbeck's The Pearl, and familiarize yourself with feminist economics through Agnes Smedley’s long-neglected classic Daughter of Earth. In this way, the course offers a different kind of insight into economic concepts and ideas than what textbooks can provide, while on another level also exploring the timeless and universal questions prompted by their dramatization in literature.

The selection of texts spans a variety of genres: while the majority are novels, there are also short stories, drama, poetry, and literary non-fiction. In addition, a film will be screened. As a complement, you will also read relevant contextual material, in the form of essays.

Course structure
The course is made up of 15 seminars, spanning the whole semester but with a break between the periods.

Assessment
Students are assessed on three course deliverables: an essay, a group presentation, and a take-home exam. In addition, class participation is also part of the grading criteria.

Attendance
The attendance requirement is 75%.

Evaluation
This course will be evaluated in class at the last session. On the last day of the course you will receive a survey link sent to your SSE email and will spend a portion of class time to evaluate the course. Please make sure you have a device with access to the Internet when you attend the last class. In addition, there will be a mid-term evaluation.

Course Administrator: Anna.Meijerberg@hhs.se

• Reading comprehension: Reading fiction is one of the best ways to improve language proficiency. As a result, the course will help you expand your English vocabulary as well as increase your familiarity with idiomatic expressions and figurative language. In addition, you will train your analytical and interpretative skills by engaging the material not only thematically and contextually, but also holistically as literary works.
• Written production and proficiency: During the course, you will complete two written assignments, including a take-home exam. These provide opportunities to practice your writing skills in English, both linguistically and rhetorically.
• Spoken proficiency: In-class discussion is central to the course, and given that active participation is expected, you will have ample opportunities to train and improve your spoken proficiency in English, by offering your views and interpretations of the course material.
• Contextual understanding: Since literary texts emerge from a specific time and place, the course also considers the social, cultural, economic, and historical contexts of each work. As a result, you will train your contextual thinking, while simultaneously learning about different temporal and geographical settings.
• Cultural capital: Given that much of the course material falls into the category of classics, and considering that you will acquaint yourself with a number of well-known authors, the course also helps to develop your cultural capital, which can be valuable in informal professional settings – especially outside of Sweden.

General entry requirements

• Beukes, Lauren. Moxyland
• Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby
• Hamid, Mohsin. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
• Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World
• Lewis, Michael. The Big Short
• Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman
• Smedley, Agnes. Daughter of Earth
• Steinbeck, John. The Pearl

Note: For most of the books, you can get any edition - as long as it's the complete work in the original English. Be aware, though, that The Great Gatsby and Brave New World may be available in poor editions from disreputable publishers, since the copyright for both novels have expired. Thus, try to get a copy from a major publisher: Penguin, Vintage, Bloomsbury, Wordsworth, Scribner, Dover.

In addition, a selection of short stories and essays will be provided in the form of handouts.

• an essay (20%)
• a group presentation (15%)
• a take-home exam (40%)
• classroom participation (25%)

Find the course schedule in TimeEdit

Have you been granted educational support because of a documented disability? If so, please contact the course director as soon as possible so that adequate accommodations can be made.

Contact specialneeds@hhs.se if you have questions about being granted educational support or need a copy of your educational support certificate.

For more information, visit the Specific Educational Needs page on the Student Hub (login required).