SOC453 The system theory of society

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2002
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 12 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
prof. PhDr. Tomáš Katrňák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Petr Mareš, CSc.
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Veronika Šenkýřová, DiS.
Timetable
Wed 14:00–15:40 G23
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 12 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/12, only registered: 0/12, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/12
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course is a seminar. We will read and discuss Talcott Parsons's texts (analytical funkcionalism), Robert K. Merton's texts (empirical funkcionalism) and Niklas Luhmann's, Richard Münch's and Jeffrey Alexander's texts (neofunkcionalism). The aim of the seminar is the presentation of the whole system theory (historical dimension of course) as well as to show the specific versions of system theory of concrete authors (structural dimension of course). The individual reading of the texts as well as the potency of analytical discussion in seminars are necessary. Most of the texts are in English. The course is for 12 students maximally.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to system theory of society (lecture). 2. Theory of social action: Talcott Parsons I (seminar). 3. System of action and social system: Talcott Parsons II (seminar). 4. AGIL scheme a its explanatory potency: Talcott Parsons III (seminar). 5. Revision of Parsons theory: Robert K. Merton I (seminar). 6. Empiricism and functionalism: Robert K. Merton II (seminar). 7. System theory like the devise of structural functionalism I: Niklas Luhmann (seminar). 8. System theory like the devise of structural functionalism II: Niklas Luhmann (seminar). 9. Reinterpretation of Parsons system: Richard Münch I(seminar). 10. Reconstruction of AGIL scheme: Richard Münch II(seminar). 11. Action and social order as the key sociological concepts: Jeffrey Alexander I(seminar). 12. Neofunctionalism like the challenge for contemporary sociological theory: Jeffrey Alexander II(seminar). 13. Conclusions
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
Credit evaluation note: 3 původní kredity.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2002/SOC453