The course provides an introduction to the social scientific study of capitalism as the social and economic system of our time. Capitalism transforms human life and is transformed by human life. For anyone who lives in the early twenty first century and hopes to make sense of the world we live in, a basic understanding of the foundations, rhythms, tendencies and pathologies of this system is indispensable. Besides providing this basic understanding, the course will also provide an opportunity to explore themes of contemporary relevance in greater depth. For example, among other themes, the course may explore cultural aspects of work and labor under capitalism, and contrasting views of the historical causes of the crisis of 2007-08. By the end of the course, students engaging actively with the course material should have the conceptual tools to more closely analyze and scrutinize their own experiences and observations.