In this course, you'll explore the complex and evolving relationship between corporations and governments, spanning from Roman times to the present day. You’ll examine how corporations were originally established to collaborate with governments in various economic activities, while also often acting as both partners and adversaries. Key topics will include outsourcing and accountability, corporate "personhood," property rights, taxation, the challenges faced by national governments in regulating multinational corporations, and the significant influence corporations have on public policy and government legislation. Throughout the course, you’ll gain insight into the historical and ongoing tensions that shape the interaction between corporations and governments worldwide.

Holley Ulbrich has taught in many areas in her almost 20 years teaching for OLLI at Clemson, but political economy is her most favorite. As an economist specializing in public sector economics and focused on the legal and cultural context in which public policy is made and administered, Holley has studied extensively the history and changing role of corporations as a major player in both the private and public sectors.