Contemporary Sociological Thought
Code: 101127 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2500262 Sociology | OB | 2 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Maria del Mar Griera Llonch
- Email:
- mariadelmar.griera@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Prerequisites
We strongly recommend to have passed the first grade course on "Fonaments de la Sociologia", and to have a basic knowledge of classical sociological theory.
Objectives and Contextualisation
Sociological theory must contribute significantly to outlining the basic conceptual map of sociology students and offer tools that enable them to understand and analyse in a critical and rigorous way contemporary reality.
In the course of Contemporary Sociological Thought, the most significant contributions to contemporary sociological thought are studied, placing them in relation to their social, political and cultural context. The guiding thread of the course is the presentation of the most relevant theoretical currents of the 20th century, such as functionalism, structuralism, symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, ethnomethodology, neo-Marxism and postmodernism, among others. In order to convey the complexity of contemporary sociological thought, the course combines an explanation of the theories with a portrait of the historical-intellectual climate of the period and biographical notes. At the same time, the course seminars will encourage reflexivity by connecting contemporary sociological thought to critical analysis of the contemporary moment. The aim is to think creatively about the relevance of 20th century sociological thought in our times, and to give theoretical depth to the way we look at the present. Furthermore, a critical reflection will be developed, with a gender perspective, on the theoretical production in sociology in the 20th century, incorporating the viewpoint of contemporary women authors who reflect on the issue.
In this way, therefore, the aim of the subject is for students to acquire the ability to situate, understand and relate the main theoretical contributions of contemporary sociological thought, and to do so with rigour, reflexivity and a critical perspective.
Competences
- Analysing the problems arising from the implementation of public policies and conflict situations by recognising the complexity of the social phenomena and political decisions affecting democracy, human rights, social justice and sustainable development.
- Applying the concepts and approaches of the sociological theory, specially the explanations of social inequalities between classes, between genders and between ethnic groups, to the implementation of public policies and to the resolution of conflict situations.
- Demonstrating a comprehension of the analysis of social phenomena presented in English, as well as observing their strengths and weaknesses.
- Demonstrating a comprehension of the approaches of the sociological theory in its different aspects, interpretations and historical context.
- Describing social phenomena in a theoretically relevant way, bearing in mind the complexity of the involved factors, its causes and its effects.
- Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Students must be capable of assessing the quality of their own work.
- Students must be capable of managing their own time, planning their own study, managing the relationship with their tutor or adviser, as well as setting and meeting deadlines for a work project.
Learning Outcomes
- Comparing theoretical approaches about the macro- and micro- sociological phenomena.
- Defining the main micro and macro sociological concepts.
- Demonstrating a comprehension of the analysis of social phenomena presented in English, as well as observing their strengths and weaknesses.
- Expressing the debates about these approaches in several moments.
- Rearranging the different meanings of the problems derived from the application of public policies and conflict situations.
- Relating their usage and criticism in the historical context in which they emerged.
- Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Students must be capable of assessing the quality of their own work.
- Students must be capable of managing their own time, planning their own study, managing the relationship with their tutor or adviser, as well as setting and meeting deadlines for a work project.
- Using the approaches of sociology in order to observe the effect of these policies or the outcome of these conflicts.
Content
The course program is structured through the following 4 blocks:
0. Introduction to Contemporary Sociological Thinking.
0.1. Theorize in the twentieth century: historical, political and ethical implications.
0.2. Classics and contemporaries: similarities and differences.
0.3. Intellectual protraits: biographies, gender and ethnicity.
1. Functionalism
1.1. Parsons: from the theory of action to system theory.
1.2. Merton: the paradigm of functional analysis.
1.3. The crisis of functionalism and its causes.
2. The hermeneutic and comprehensive theories
2.1.The Chicago School: Jane Addams, Thomas, Mead and Goffman.
2.2.Sociophenomenology: Schütz, Berger and Luckmann.
2.3. Ethnomethodology: Garfinkel.
3. Neomarxism, critical theory and modernity.
3.1. Marxism after Marx: introduction.
3.2. Reflections on a post holocaust World: the Frankfurt school
3.3. Hannah Arendt and the human condition
3.4. About power: Mills, Elias, Foucault and Bourdeiu.
3.4. Beyond modernity? the postmodern debate
4. Understanding contemporary societies: current theories
4.1. Eva Illouz, and the making of emotional capitalism.
4.2. Boundaries and recongition with Michèle Lamont.
4.3. An accelerated world (Hartmut Rosa)
4.4. Ideas for thinking the present, and the future.
In parallel to the regular program, the course develops a set of three lab sessions that revolvearound theidea of power, obedience and social change. They are the following:
a) Power, domination and social order: why do we obey? The practice consists in a reflection on the processes of obedience and the factors that lead to it. The reflection will be encouraged through movie fragments such as "The Experiment" or "The Wave", and will include the realization of a reflective essay.
b) Utopia, collective representations and social order: the dangers of dreaming the future. The practice will consist of watching Margarethe Von Trotta's "Hannah Arendt" film related to the book "Eichmann in Jerusalem: report on the banality of evil" and write an essay. The will is to reflect on the processes of collective obedience and the construction of totalitarian regimes.
c) Power, domination and social order: the critical look at the present. The practice will consist of watching the movie "La Granja de el Pas", and conducting an essay on the construction processes-but also of resistance-of the social order. The will is to propitiate the reflection on the concept of hegemony, counter-hegemony and the possibilities of social transformation.
The content of the labs might be slightly modified at the beggining of the course.
Methodology
The course is structured around four types of activities:
1. Exhibition of the contents of the program in class by the teacher - with participation and critical discussion of the students.
2. Practices consisting of text reading seminars, viewing and discussion of films and exercises for the practical application of the theory, among other activities.
3. Tutorials outside the classroom.
4. Autonomous activities by students: reading texts, writing essays and exercises, etc.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lectures | 43 | 1.72 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Essays and Lab | 2 | 0.08 | 8, 3, 9, 6, 7 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Independent learning | 50 | 2 | 8, 1, 2, 3, 9, 6, 5, 7, 10 |
Assessment
The assessment consists of the following evidences:
The final exam. Represents 50% of the final mark and it is necessary, as a minimum, to get a 4.75.
Essays: the subject is based on two practical works (to choose between three different options) and each of which represents 20% of the final grade.
Attendance, reading texts and participation in class is mandatory and will be valued at 10% of the mark.
It will be considered that the person has a "Non-Presented" if he has not done the exam.
Single assessment: the single assessment will consist of a final exam, and two essays. There will be the possibility to retake the exam but not to submitt the essays again.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essays | 40 | 30 | 1.2 | 8, 3, 4, 9, 5, 7, 10 |
| Exam | 50 | 5 | 0.2 | 1, 2, 6, 10 |
| Participation and attendance | 10 | 20 | 0.8 | 8, 1, 2, 4, 7 |
Bibliography
Course bibliography
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Alexander, J. C. (2006). The meanings of social life: A cultural sociology. USA, Oxford University Press.
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Anderson, Perry (1983). Tras las huellas del materialismo histórico. Madrid, Siglo XXI, 1989.
Arendt, Hannah. 1958. The Human Condition. Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
Baert, Patrick (2001). La teoría social en el siglo XX. Madrid, Alianza.
Beck, Ulrich. 1999. World Risk Society. London, Polity Press
Beck, Ulrich (2006). La sociedad del riesgo global. Madrid, Siglo XXI de España Editores.
Berger, Peter L. y Luckmann, Thomas. (1966). La construcció social de la realitat. Barcelona, Herder, 1988.
Bernstein, Richard J. (1985). "Introducción" a R. Bernstein, (ed.): Habermas y la Modernidad. Madrid: Cátedra.
Birulés, F. (2000). Hannah Arendt: El orgullo de pensar. Madrid, Editorial Gedisa.
Bourdieu, P. (2003). Cuestiones de sociología (No. 166). Madrid, Ediciones AKAL.
Bourdieu, P. (1991) El sentido práctico. Madrid, Taurus.
Bourdieu, P. (1999) Meditaciones pascalianas. Barcelona, Anagrama.
Bourdieu, P. (2000) Poder, derecho y clases sociales, Desclée, Bilbao.
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Blumer, Herbert. (1969). El Interaccionismo Simbólico: Perspectiva y Método.Barcelona, Hora, 1982.
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Foucault, M (i Bermúdez) (2003). Foucault vist per Foucault. Valencia, Bromera.
Foucault, Michel. (1990). History of Sexuality: an Introduction, Volume I. New York: Vintage Books.
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Goffman, Erving. (1963). Estigma. La identidad deteriorada. Buenos Aires, Amorrortu, 1986.
Griera, M. i Clot, A. (2013). Peter Berger. La sociologia com a forma de consciència. Barcelona, Col·lecció Vull saber. Editorial UOC.
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Habermas, Jürgen (1981). Teoría de la acción comunicativa(2 vols.). Madrid,Taurus, 1987.
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Illouz, Eeva (1997). Consuming the romantic utopia: Love and the cultural contradictions of capitalism. California, Univ of California Press.
Illouz, Eva (2007). Intimidades congeladas: las emociones en el capitalismo. Buenos Aires, Katz editores.
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Illouz, Eva (2012). Por qué duele el amor. Una explicación sociológica. Katz Editores.
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Software
All the necessary materials for the course will be uploaded to the moodle site of the course. If necessary, teams will be used for online teaching.