EGMT 1540: The Anatomy of a Con

Why is a con artist called an “artist”? Why do we use the expression “confidence trick” to describe a scam? What is implied when we label the victim of fraud as a mark, target, stooge, sucker, or chump? How do these connotations inform and reflect how we view exploitation? In this class, we will delve into the theme of deception to discover what scams and cons reveal about our ethical structures and how we relate to one another. We will take an interdisciplinary approach to the subject, examining a range of notorious scandals, from George C. Parker’s ruse to sell the Brooklyn Bridge to the rise and fall of the biomedical sham company Theranos. As we trace the history of cons and their representation in art, film, and literature, we will grapple with the problem of greed and ask what it means to be an ethical agent in a capitalist culture.