Teaching Workshop
A.Y. 2021/2022
Learning objectives
With the advent of digital money, money takes the abstract form of information, of a pure number. The workshop explores the relationship between money and information, tracing the main stages through which payment and exchange systems have evolved in recent decades, from electronic money to cryptocurrencies, up to the most recent innovations of stablecoins and central bank digital currencies. The purpose of the workshop is to gain an understanding of the role that new technologies such as blockchain can play, not only in the processing of new goods and services but also in the management and sharing of information, helping to configure new modes of economic and social interaction.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the workshop, students will have acquired knowledge about the origin, functions and evolution of money, up to the current, intangible and abstract forms. They will have become familiar with the innovation brought by blockchain in the monetary field and with the possible applications also in wider spheres of economic and social life. They will have acquired a basic knowledge of blockchain-based tools such as smart contracts, DAOs, Dapps and NFTs. They will have developed the ability to critically question the innovative scope of these tools and the opportunities and risks involved. Having to carry out individual work, through activities assigned by the teacher and then discussed collectively, students will finally be able to use the linguistic tools (language, correct specific vocabulary) adequate to express themselves on the subject in written and oral form, and in a clear and effective way. These skills will be acquired through a direct and continuous comparison with the teacher and with fellow students in the classroom, in which the discussion around the students' work will be a moment of critical reflection and methodological learning. Students unable to attend will be able to take advantage of the teaching tools made available by the teacher on Ariel, to deepen the main topics through appropriate readings agreed with the teacher, and of course to deal with the teacher himself via email and during the office hours.
Lesson period: Second semester
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Syllabus:
1. The digital origin of money, as a pure unit of account
2. Coined money and the misunderstanding of commodity-money
3. Fiduciary money and dematerialization of money: ICT revolution and financial liberalization
4. The global financial crisis and the challenge of Satoshi Nakamoto: bitcoin as an appropriable digital object
5. Second generation cryptocurrencies: stablecoins and CBDC
6. Other applications of blockchain: notarization, smart contracts, DAPP, DAO, NFT
7. Information as a means of payment and payment systems as a source of information: from likes to social credit systems
8. General discussion
9. Discussion of the in-depth studies presented by the students
10. Discussion of the cases presented by the students
Starting from an introduction on the nature and history of money, between sign and pledge, the Workshop will discuss the conditions that led to the emergence of electronic money and cryptocurrencies, as new forms of articulation between money and information. Bitcoin will be analyzed, in its ambitions, limitations and potential. The underlying technology, the blockchain, will be considered not only for its monetary and financial applications, but more generally as a tool for sharing and managing information. In light of the most recent evolutions, from DAO (distributed autonomous organizations) to NFT (non-fungible tokens), we will reflect on the emergence of new forms of sociality, from the metaverse to the social credit system. Students will be encouraged from the very first lessons to participate in the discussion and to identify a theme or a case study, starting from personal interests and from the topics presented in class.
The research question will be defined together with the teacher in the workshop and will be developed by the student in an essay that will be presented and discussed in one of the final lessons.
1. The digital origin of money, as a pure unit of account
2. Coined money and the misunderstanding of commodity-money
3. Fiduciary money and dematerialization of money: ICT revolution and financial liberalization
4. The global financial crisis and the challenge of Satoshi Nakamoto: bitcoin as an appropriable digital object
5. Second generation cryptocurrencies: stablecoins and CBDC
6. Other applications of blockchain: notarization, smart contracts, DAPP, DAO, NFT
7. Information as a means of payment and payment systems as a source of information: from likes to social credit systems
8. General discussion
9. Discussion of the in-depth studies presented by the students
10. Discussion of the cases presented by the students
Starting from an introduction on the nature and history of money, between sign and pledge, the Workshop will discuss the conditions that led to the emergence of electronic money and cryptocurrencies, as new forms of articulation between money and information. Bitcoin will be analyzed, in its ambitions, limitations and potential. The underlying technology, the blockchain, will be considered not only for its monetary and financial applications, but more generally as a tool for sharing and managing information. In light of the most recent evolutions, from DAO (distributed autonomous organizations) to NFT (non-fungible tokens), we will reflect on the emergence of new forms of sociality, from the metaverse to the social credit system. Students will be encouraged from the very first lessons to participate in the discussion and to identify a theme or a case study, starting from personal interests and from the topics presented in class.
The research question will be defined together with the teacher in the workshop and will be developed by the student in an essay that will be presented and discussed in one of the final lessons.
Prerequisites for admission
The Workshop is addressed to students of all the courses of the Master's Degree in Publishing, Communication Cultures and Fashion, up to a maximum of 35 students, and is open to attending students (up to a limit of 25) and non-attending students (up to a limit of 10).
Interested students can register through the Didactic Secretariat by sending an email to [email protected]. Registration will open in February 2022.
In case the number of students enrolled in the course exceeds the established limits, the selection criterion will be the chronological order of enrollment.
Interested students can register through the Didactic Secretariat by sending an email to [email protected]. Registration will open in February 2022.
In case the number of students enrolled in the course exceeds the established limits, the selection criterion will be the chronological order of enrollment.
Teaching methods
The course consists of two parts. The first part consists of a series of 7 lectures, in which, starting from an initial reading, the teacher will be in charge of presenting the topic and submitting it to the students' discussion. The second part includes the 3 final lessons, in which students will be asked in turn to present and discuss with the teacher and their peers the themes or cases they have explored in a written essay. Having a highly interactive nature, all lectures will be held in presence in classrooms indicated in time on the Ariel page of the course, provided that conditions and sanitary arrangements allow it.
Teaching Resources
Reference Text:
M. Amato and L. Fantacci, A Fistful of Bitcoin. The Risks and Opportunities of Virtual Currencies, Bocconi University Press, Milan, 2020.
Additional material may be provided during the course.
M. Amato and L. Fantacci, A Fistful of Bitcoin. The Risks and Opportunities of Virtual Currencies, Bocconi University Press, Milan, 2020.
Additional material may be provided during the course.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The passing of the course for attending students is subject to:
- the attendance of 80% of the lessons
- the presentation of a final essay, of about 2000 words, that the student will have to discuss in class during the last lesson.
Both the attendance of the lessons and the active and collaborative participation in them, as well as the writing of a good quality essay are essential requirements in order to obtain the 3 CFU.
Non-attending students will have to write an essay, of about 2500 words, to be agreed upon directly with the teacher by March 15, and handed in by May 10.
- the attendance of 80% of the lessons
- the presentation of a final essay, of about 2000 words, that the student will have to discuss in class during the last lesson.
Both the attendance of the lessons and the active and collaborative participation in them, as well as the writing of a good quality essay are essential requirements in order to obtain the 3 CFU.
Non-attending students will have to write an essay, of about 2500 words, to be agreed upon directly with the teacher by March 15, and handed in by May 10.
Professor(s)
Reception:
Tuesday 11.30-13.00
By appointment, in presence in my office or online on Teams