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Social Theories
Study Course Description
Course Description Statuss:Approved
Course Description Version:7.00
Study Course Accepted:02.02.2024 12:25:24
| Study Course Information | |||||||||
| Course Code: | SUPK_093 | LQF level: | Level 7 | ||||||
| Credit Points: | 4.00 | ECTS: | 6.00 | ||||||
| Branch of Science: | Sociology; Theory and History of Sociology | Target Audience: | Communication Science | ||||||
| Study Course Supervisor | |||||||||
| Course Supervisor: | Agita Misāne | ||||||||
| Study Course Implementer | |||||||||
| Structural Unit: | Faculty of Social Sciences | ||||||||
| The Head of Structural Unit: | |||||||||
| Contacts: | Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szf rsu[pnkts]lv | ||||||||
| Study Course Planning | |||||||||
| Full-Time - Semester No.1 | |||||||||
| Lectures (count) | 12 | Lecture Length (academic hours) | 2 | Total Contact Hours of Lectures | 24 | ||||
| Classes (count) | 3 | Class Length (academic hours) | 2 | Total Contact Hours of Classes | 6 | ||||
| Total Contact Hours | 30 | ||||||||
| Study course description | |||||||||
| Preliminary Knowledge: | Basic knowledge in sociology. | ||||||||
| Objective: | To master main modern social theories, understand their historical development and theoretical directions, to know and differentiate main theoretical approaches and authors. | ||||||||
| Topic Layout (Full-Time) | |||||||||
| No. | Topic | Type of Implementation | Number | Venue | |||||
| 1 | Concept of “social theories”. Classical social theories. Founders of sociology: sociology of O.Comte and H.Spenser. K.Marx: characteristics of capitalism, historical materialism, teachings on class struggle and exploitation, concept of alienation. | Lectures | 2.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 2 | E.Durkheim: mechanical and organic solidarity, sociological analysis of suicide, concept of religion, method of sociology. Ferdinand Tönnies: community and society. M.Weber: theory of social action and sociology of understanding, methodology of social sciences, sociology of religion, political theory. G.Simmel: structure of society, social differentiation. | Lectures | 2.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 3 | Historical development and changes in social theories. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 4 | Modern sociological theories, their classification principles. Development of sociology in the United States. Chicago School. Structural functionalism: Talcott Parsons, Robert Merton. Exchange and rational choice theory – G.Homans, P. Blau, J.Coleman. | Lectures | 2.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 5 | Critical theory: Frankfurt School. Neo-Marxism. Theory of conflict. Radical sociology by Charles Wright Mills. Symbolic interactionism: George Herbert Mead, Herbert Blumer. Impact of phenomenology. Ethnomethodology: Harold Garfinkel. Creation of social reality. E.Goffman. | Lectures | 2.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 6 | Differentiation of structure and activity. Giddens structuration theory. Giddens on changes in society caused by globalisation. | Lectures | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||||
| 7 | Communicative action and public space theories of J.Habermas. Theory of sociology of P.Bourdieu. Analysis of modernity of A.Giddens, U.Beck. Postmodernism: Baudrillard. Sociology of Z.Bauman. | Lectures | 3.00 | auditorium | |||||
| 8 | Sociology at the end of the 20th century: discussion. | Classes | 1.00 | auditorium | |||||
| Assessment | |||||||||
| Unaided Work: | Independent studying of required readings, preparation of summaries and presentations for seminars. In order to evaluate the quality of the study course as a whole, the student must fill out the study course evaluation questionnaire on the Student Portal. | ||||||||
| Assessment Criteria: | Activity at seminars and seminar works – 50%, examination test – 50%. | ||||||||
| Final Examination (Full-Time): | Exam (Written) | ||||||||
| Final Examination (Part-Time): | |||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | |||||||||
| Knowledge: | Students know and understand the historical development and sequence of theories of sociology, know main theoretical directions, authors and their theories. | ||||||||
| Skills: | Students can differentiate classics and theoretical directions of sociology, can compare theoretical directions and theories of modern authors. Students correctly use concepts, compare and critically evaluate theoretical approaches in an argumented way. | ||||||||
| Competencies: | Students are able to use theories of sociology in the analysis of modern society, as well as select the most appropriate theoretical approach to studying of certain social processes and problems. | ||||||||
| Bibliography | |||||||||
| No. | Reference | ||||||||
| Required Reading | |||||||||
| 1 | Bauman Z. Liquid Modernity. Cambridge: Polity, 2000 | ||||||||
| 2 | Beck U. World Risk Society. Cambridge: Polity, 1999, rep.2008 | ||||||||
| 3 | Bodrijārs Ž. Simulakri un simulācija. Rīga, Omnia Mea, 2000. | ||||||||
| 4 | Giddens A. Runaway World: How Globalisation is Reshaping our Lives. Routledge, 2002 | ||||||||
| 5 | Giddens A. The Consequences of Modernity. Cambridge: Polity, 1990. | ||||||||
| 6 | Gidenss E. Sabiedrības veidošanās. AGB, 1999. | ||||||||
| 7 | Outhwaite W. Canon Formation in Late 20th-Century British Sociology. - Sociology, Volume 43 Number 6, December 2009 | ||||||||
| 8 | Profiles in Contemporary Social Theory. Ed.by Anthony Elliott & Bryan S. Turner. Sage Publications, 2001. | ||||||||
| 9 | Ritzer G. The McDonaldization of Society. Pine Forge Press, 2004 | ||||||||
| 10 | Sociological theory / George Ritzer. 5th ed. New York a.o. : McGraw-Hill, 2000. | ||||||||
| 11 | Touraine A. Sociology without Societies - Current Sociology 2003; 51 (2); 123-131 | ||||||||
| 12 | Webster F. Theories of the Information Society. Routledge, 2002. | ||||||||
| Additional Reading | |||||||||
| 1 | Key Sociological Thinkers. Ed. by Rob Stones. Macmillan Press Ltd., 1998, | ||||||||
| 2 | Полякова, H. ХХ век в социологических теориях общества. М. Логос., 2004. | ||||||||
| 3 | Volkovs V. Socioloģijas teorijas: 19.gadsimts – 20.gadsimta sākums. DU, 2007 | ||||||||
| Other Information Sources | |||||||||
| 1 | http://www.sociosite.net, | ||||||||
| 2 | http://www.socioweb.com/ | ||||||||
| 3 | http://www.vts.intute.ac.uk/he/tutorial/sociologist | ||||||||
| 4 | http://www.sociology.org.uk/ | ||||||||
| 5 | http://www.sociolog.com/ | ||||||||
| 6 | http://www.europeansociology.org | ||||||||
| 7 | http://www.isa-sociology.org | ||||||||
| 8 | http://www.petnieciba.lv | ||||||||
| 9 | Sage Journals Datebase | ||||||||
