MO4951 Food for Midas: The Global History of Money

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Full Year

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

60

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Available only to History, Modern History or Middle Eastern Studies students (single or joint honours) in their second year of the honours programme.

Planned timetable

Wed 10-1

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr A D Edwards

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Andrew Edwards

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

Money is arguably the master institution of modernity. The money trade - ships carrying, silver, cowries, and gold - was the first truly global trade. Money dominates in every aspect of contemporary life. It pervades our understanding of central social categories like race, class, and gender. Ideas about money history, where it came from, how it changed, and how it spread, both inform and reflect our ideas about contemporary society, with all its limitations and possibilities, because, implicitly, they are ideas about what money is and what societies that use it can accomplish. The history of money sits at the intersection of economics, history, and philosophy. We will explore all three, and work out how a history of money can be written for the twenty-first century.

Assessment pattern

Coursework - 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework - 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 three-hour seminar (x21 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours

66

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

534

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Understand the history of money from the deep human past until the present.
  • Explain the controversies over the history of money and their relation to other historiographies.
  • Write stronger essays incorporating methodologies from history, anthropology, philosophy, and economics in a sophisticated, interdisciplinary way.
  • More deeply understand the relationship between money, politics, and economic practice in contemporary and historical settings.