SOC403 Theoretical Sociology

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2013
Extent and Intensity
1/1. 12 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Ing. Radim Marada, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. František Černín (seminar tutor)
Mgr. et Mgr. Gábor Oláh, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Hana Syslová (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Ladislav Rabušic, CSc.
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Supplier department: Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Mon 16:00–17:40 P22, Fri 14:00–15:40 P22
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course’s goal is to cultivate the capacity of students for a thorough understanding of complex theoretical texts, the capacity to interpret and discuss these texts within broader contexts (theoretical and social/cultural), as well as the capacity to compare and asses the analytical value and limits of different theoretical approaches, concepts and ways of sociological explanation/interpretation. The relevance of application of various theoretical concepts and models of explanation to particular social and cultural issues is another skill that students acquire.
Syllabus
  • 1. What is theory? 2. Old and new rules of sociological method. 3. Analytical reification of the social world: is there a chance for a scientific sociology. 4. Cultural sociology as an analysis of meaning and performativity. 5. Objectification of collectivities. 6. Critical sociology of modernity. 7. Systemic differentiation and social inclusion. 8. Collectivisation of subjectivities and the objectivity of sociological inquiry.
Literature
    required literature
  • The new Blackwell companion to social theory. Edited by Bryan S. Turner. Malden, MA, USA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, xvii, 618. ISBN 9781405169004. info
  • BOLTANSKI, Luc and Ève CHIAPELLO. The new spirit of capitalism. New York, NY: Verso, 2005, xlvii, 601. ISBN 9781844671656. info
  • ALEXANDER, Jeffrey C. The meanings of social life : a cultural sociology. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003, 296 p. ISBN 9780195306408. info
  • BECK, Ulrich and Elisabeth BECK-GERNSHEIM. Individualization : institutionalized individualism and its social and political consequences. 1st pub. London: Sage Publications, 2002, xxv, 221. ISBN 0761961127. info
  • FOUCAULT, Michel. Dějiny sexuality. I, Vůle k vědění : La volonté de savoir : historie de la sexualité. I (Orig.) : Vůle k vědění : dějiny sexuality. I (Variant.). [v Praze]: Herrmann & synové, 1999, 189 s. info
  • WEBER, Max. Autorita, etika a společnost : pohled sociologa do dějin. Translated by Jan J. Škoda. 1. české vyd. Praha: Mladá fronta, 1997, 294 s. ISBN 8020406115. info
  • BOURDIEU, Pierre. Distinction : a social critique of the judgement of taste. 1st pub. London: Routledge, 1996, xiv, 613. ISBN 0415045460. info
  • WAGNER, Peter. A sociology of modernity : liberty and discipline. New York: Routledge, 1994, xv, 267. ISBN 0415081866. info
  • PARSONS, Talcott. The system of modern societies. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,Inc.,Englewood Cliffs, 1971, 152 s. ISBN 0-13-881540-1. info
Teaching methods
The course combines lectureship with a seminar type of work in class. For each topic/seminar, the students are assigned an extensive theoretical sociological literature, partly by original authors, and partly as a secondary source on a given author or paradigm. For each assigned text, students prepare a position paper, which then serve as reference points for seminar discussion.
Assessment methods
seminar; position papers for each class (text), individual task (homework), interim test, final test
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
Information on completion of the course: závěrečný esej
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/1423/jaro2012/SOC403/
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2000, Autumn 2000, Spring 2002, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Autumn 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Autumn 2015, Spring 2016, Autumn 2016, Spring 2017, Autumn 2017, Spring 2018, Autumn 2018, Spring 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2013, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2013/SOC403