SOC789: Post-Post-Modernity: 21st
Century Social Issues in Debate
Mgr. Benjamin Vail, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Spring 2013
Credits: 10
Classroom: M117
Seminar time: Mondays 14.00-15.40
Office hours: Mondays 13.00-14.00 in room 359
E-mail: vail@fss.muni.cz
Course Description and Requirements
This course is intended for students to read and discuss cutting-edge literature they probably
won’t encounter in other courses about current events and predictions about near- and longterm
social development in a sociological context. We will read five or six recently published
books and related literature offering different analyses and theories about the meaning and
direction of today’s social developments and how society is moving, or has already moved,
toward a historical era that might be called “post-post-modern.” These alternative visions of
the present and future challenge our sociological thinking about the forces that are shaping
our world and our lives, and suggest new topics of social research. The topics covered in this
course will vary from semester to semester depending on the selected literature and may
include: Economy; Globalization; Family and Community; Environment and Society;
Politics; Security and Peace; Culture and Philosophy; Technology; and Social Movements.
The aim of the course is to gain knowledge about forces that are transforming our world and
increase students’ familiarity with theories and analysis that make sense of these changes. By
the end of this course, students will be informed about a number of controversial
contemporary social issues, aware of alternative theories explaining and predicting the
direction of post-post-modern society, and able to critically analyze the meaning of these
issues and theories for their academic studies and in their own lives.
Textbooks
The books that serve as the core literature this semester are:
• Bakan, Joel. 2005. The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power
• Gairdner, William. 2008. The Book of Absolutes: A Critique of Relativism and a
Defence of Universals
• Glenny, Misha. 2009. McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld
• Heinberg, Richard. 2011. The End of Growth: Adapting to Our New Economic Reality
• Wolin, Sheldon S. 2010. Democracy Incorporated: Managed Democracy and the
Specter of Inverted Totalitarianism
These texts may be supplemented with other required resources, such as articles and videos.
See the online Interactive Syllabus for specific reading assignments.
Evaluation
Success in this course depends on participating in the seminar meetings and careful reading of
the assigned literature. Students should attend every seminar meeting. For each book, a small
team of 3-5 students should prepare materials to start the in-class discussion of the book. For
each book, you should write a 1500 word reaction paper in which you critically engage with
the contents of the book, demonstrating you have read the book, expressing your opinion and
evaluation of the book, and explaining how you interpret the sociological significance of the
book. The final exam will consist of short essays to be written at home and along with a 3000-
5000 word research paper. Students earn a grade of A-F based on the following components:
Final grade components
Final grade
scale
FSS grade
meanings
15% – Attendance, discussion, and inclass
presentation
25% – Take-home final exam
60% – Book reaction papers
A = 90 – 100%
B = 80 – 90%
C = 70 – 80%
D = 60 – 70%
E = 50 – 60%
F = <50%
A = Excellent
B = Outstanding
C = Good
D = Satisfactory
E = Acceptable
E-mail Policy
Students may contact the instructor at any time by e-mail with questions about the course. I
will strive to reply to your questions within 48 hours of receipt of your e-mail. I usually do
not read or respond to e-mail on weekends or holidays.
Academic Honesty
The Faculty of Social Studies at MU expects students to know the study rules and maintain
academic honesty by refraining from plagiarism and from cheating during exams. Plagiarism
means that one presents other peoples’ ideas or work as one’s own without crediting the
original author. Plagiarism is one of the most serious breaches of ethical standards in the
academic environment, for it contradicts the mission of the university and the purpose of
education. From a legal perspective, plagiarism is the stealing of intellectual property. The
official FSS policy on academic honesty is available in the course’s online interactive syllabus
in both English and Czech. Academic dishonesty is not tolerated under any circumstances at
FSS. The minimum penalty for academic dishonesty in this course is expulsion from the
course, a grade of F for the semester, and referral to the Faculty disciplinary committee.
Semester Schedule
(See the online Interactive Syllabus for specific reading assignments.)
Date Theme Literature
February 18 Introduction Syllabus
February 25
Reading, Writing, and
Presenting
• ASA Style Guide
• Guide to writing response papers
• Effective Thinking, Writing, and
Studying
March 11 Economy Heinberg: The End of Growth
March 25 Social Institutions Bakan: The Corporation
April 8 Politics Wolin: Democracy, Inc.
April 22 Globalization Glenny: McMafia
May 6 Ideology and Culture
Gairdner: The Book of
Absolutes
May 13 To be announced (TBA)… TBA