ESOn4004 Contemporary Sociological Theory

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/2/0. 12 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Ing. Radim Marada, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Csaba Szaló, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Csaba Szaló, Ph.D.
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Supplier department: Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! SOC757 Contemp. Sociological Theory
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 10 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/10, only registered: 0/10
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
At the end of the course students should be able to:
understand major paradigmatic areas of contemporary social theory and sociological research,
discussing texts by sociological classics of the second half of the 20th century and by authorities in social theory who draw on, develop, and modify the classical traditions today,
understanding continuities and discontinuities in contemporary social thought,
comprehend links between the micro and macro levels of social research and analysis,
demonstrate the empirical relevance of abstract sociological concepts.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge of the basic analytical apparatus of contemporary theoretical sociology. Ability to critically interpret and apply articles published in academic journals for own research. Ability to employ relevant analytical apparatus for explaining various social phenomena.
Syllabus
  • Topics and readings
  • 20.02. Knowledge (CSZ) Reed, Isaac. 2011. Interpretation and Social Knowledge: On the Use of Theory in the Human Sciences. Chicago: Chicago University Press. s. 1-38.
  • 27.02. Reality, utopia and meaning (CSZ) Reed, Isaac. 2011. Interpretation and Social Knowledge: On the Use of Theory in the Human Sciences. Chicago: Chicago University Press. s. 39-121.
  • 05.03. Interpretive explanation (CSZ) Reed, Isaac. 2011. Interpretation and Social Knowledge: On the Use of Theory in the Human Sciences. Chicago: Chicago University Press. s.123-171.
  • 12.03. Guest lecture Reading TBA
  • 19.03. Culturally sensitive sociology (RM) Geertz, Clifford: “Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture”. In: Geertz, Clifford. 1973. Interpretation of cultures. New York: Basic Books, Inc., Publishers. (pp. 3-30)
  • 26.03. Politics of explanation and the network metaphor (RM) Latour, Bruno. 1988. “The Politics of Explanation: An Alternative.” In: S. Woolgar, Steve (Ed.). 1988. Knowledge and Reflexivity: New Frontiers in the Sociology of Knowledge. London: Sage.
  • 02.04. Reading week, no class – students are required to study the lengthier text by Peter Wagner on modernity
  • 09.04. Mid-term paper (in-class) The origins of modernization (RM) Wagner, Peter. 1994. A Sociology of Modernity: Liberty and Discipline. London: Routledge. s. 3-69.
  • 16.04. Crises and modes of modernity (RM) Wagner, Peter. 1994. A Sociology of Modernity: Liberty and Discipline. London: Routledge. s. 73-193.
  • 23.04. Algorithmic formatting of the world (RM) Burrell, Jenna & Fourcade, Marion. 2021. “The Society of Algorithms”. In: Annual Review of Sociology, 2021, 47, 213-237.
  • 30.04. Social sciences in biological age (RM) Rose, Nikolas & Abi-Rached, Joelle. 2014. "Governing through the Brain. Neuropolitics, Neuroscience and Subjectivity". In: Cambridge Anthropology, 32(1), Spring 2014: 3-23.
  • 07.05. New sociology of affect and emotions (RM) Slaby, Jan & Mühlhoff, Rainer & Wüschner, Philipp. 2017. “Affective Arrangements”. In: Emotion Review, 1 –10. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073917722214
  • 14.05. The nature of objectivity in social sciences (RM) Weber, Max: “Objectivity of Social Science and Social Policy”. In: Weber, Max. 1949. On the Methodology of the Social Sciences. Glencoe, Il: The Free Press. (pp. 50-112)
Literature
    required literature
  • Weber, Max: “Objectivity of Social Science and Social Policy” . In: Weber, Max. 1949. On the Methodology of the Social Sciences. Glencoe, Il: The Free Press. (pp. 50-112)
  • Geertz, Clifford: “Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture” . In: Geertz, Clifford. 1973. Interpretation of cultures. New York: Basic Books, Inc., Publishers. (pp. 3-30)
  • Burrell, Jenna & Fourcade, Marion. 2021. “The Society of Algorithms” . In: Annual Review of Sociology, 2021, 47, 213-237.
  • Slaby, Jan & Mühlhoff, Rainer & Wüschner, Philipp. 2017. “Affective Arrangements” . In: Emotion Review, 1 –10. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073917722214
  • Rose, Nikolas & Abi-Rached, Joelle. 2014. "Governing through the Brain. Neuropolitics, Neuroscience and Subjectivity". In: Cambridge Anthropology, 32(1), Spring 2014: 3-23.
  • Latour, Bruno. 1988. “The Politics of Explanation: An Alternative.” In: S. Woolgar, Steve (Ed.). 1988. Knowledge and Reflexivity: New Frontiers in the Sociology of Knowledge. London: Sage.
  • REED, Isaac. Interpretation and social knowledge : on the use of theory in the human sciences. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2011, 194 s. ISBN 9780226706740. info
  • WAGNER, Peter. A sociology of modernity : liberty and discipline. New York: Routledge, 1994, xv, 267. ISBN 0415081866. info
Teaching methods
lectures, class discussions, presentations.
Assessment methods
position papers, midterm paper, final paper, written exam, activity in the class discussions.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Only for "Sociology and Cultural Sociology and Sociology exchange students
Teacher's information
Requirements

× Regular attendance and active participation in classes Students can miss 2 sessions maximum. There will be additional tasks assigned for every class missed above the maximal number (2 sessions).

× For each class, students prepare position papers, in which they summarize major arguments of each of the assigned texts, identify possible contradictions or confusions, and formulate their questions. The position paper is at least 250 words long, and for each class it is uploaded in the respective folder in the Information System. It serves the students as support in class discussions as well as a basic source of information in preparing for the final test. In case of a missed class (each missed class!), students prepare an extended and detailed position paper (minimum 500 words) on the assigned text.

× Mid-term test based on the assigned readings.

× Final essay (1500-2000 words). Students write their final seminar papers in interaction with ChatGPT. They write on a subject of their own choice, yet the topic (idea) and sources (literature) must be consulted with and okayed by one of the teachers. The paper has to be grounded in five thematically relevant academic articles or book chapters (two selected by the respective teacher, three by the student). 300 words will be generated by GPT, the rest will be written by the student via expanding each of the artificially generated paragraphs. The part elaborated by the student must contain direct quotations from each of the selected academic texts. The paper is written in English, and it is submitted to the respective folder in the Information System. Further instructions will be provided in separate documents and during sessions. Deadlines for submitting the essay: First version: May 31, 2024 (evaluated on or before June 9, 2024) Revised version (if necessary): June 23, 2024 (evaluated on or before June 30, 2024) Revised essay may require an oral defense. Students will have to prove in front of a committee that their essay does not contain parts which can be classified as plagiarized or containing academic fraudulence, demonstrate that they used all the references enlisted in the paper and show beyond doubt that they wrote the essay by being able to defend the essay in a discussion.

× Final exam, based on the assigned readings.

The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/ESOn4004