Course Information
Instructor: Dr. Timur Ergen (iawlehre@uni-bremen.de)
Institution: University of Bremen, Institute Labor and Economy (iaw)
Semester: Spring 2026
Schedule: Fridays 12:00 - 14:00, weekly (from 10/04/26)
Location: UNICOM 3.0210 Seminarraum 2
The class examines institutional change as a key theoretical problem across the social sciences. A first part of the seminar introduces core recent accounts of institutional change from a variety of social scientific fields. A second part discusses recent developments in theories of institutional change based on an exemplary empirical problem - the rise of Neoliberalism in advanced capitalism.
Course Materials
- Complete Syllabus — Full course syllabus with detailed information and requirements
Assessment
Discussion of the readings will make up the core of the seminar sessions. Students are expected to read all assigned texts and to participate regularly and actively. To get credit (6 CP), students must (1) do all assigned readings; (2) prepare three reading reports (4,000 characters each); (3) and submit final papers (12,000 characters).
The reading reports are intended to prepare the ground for discussions by asking participants to set out their responses to the readings in written form. Memos should not just summarize the readings, but rather take up specific arguments, compare the positions of different authors, raise questions of evidence, usefulness, or plausibility or draw attention to particular strengths and weaknesses in the arguments and descriptions. We will share these memos through email. In order for everyone to have time to read over the comments of others, these will be due by 4 pm on the day before the class meets. For the final paper, original research on literature, data, or archival material is required. Term papers have to be written in English. All texts are made available on the Stud.IP website of the course.
Session Overview
- Introduction
- Institutionalization, Taken-for-Grantedness, and Agency
- Path Dependence
- Critical Junctures & Contingency
- Incremental change I
- Incremental change II
- Neoliberalism 1: What is Neoliberalism?
- Neoliberalism 2: Breaking a path
- Neoliberalism 3 & 4: Social power structures & Clandestine change
- Neoliberalism 5: After neoliberalism?