FSS:SOC755 General Sociology - Course Information
SOC755 General Sociology
Faculty of Social StudiesAutumn 2013
- Extent and Intensity
- 1/1. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
- Teacher(s)
- Mgr. Benjamin Jeremiah Vail, Ph.D., M.Sc. (lecturer)
- 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. 9. to Wed 16. 10. Thu 10:00–11:40 U34, Fri 18. 10. to Sun 15. 12. Thu 10:00–11:40 U34
- Prerequisites (in Czech)
- NOW( SOC755a Seminar to General sociology )
- Course Enrolment Limitations
- The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25 - fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
- Cultural Sociology (Eng.) (programme FSS, N-SO)
- Multidisciplinary studies at Faculty of Social Studies (programme CST, KOS)
- Multidisciplinary studies at Faculty of Arts (programme CST, KOS)
- Sociology (Eng.) (programme FSS, N-SO)
- International Joint Master's Degree in Cultural Sociology (programme FSS, N-SO)
- Course objectives
- This course introduces students to the wide range of social theory that has developed in the discipline of Sociology, providing exposure to classical, 20th century, and contemporary theories. The literature has been selected to provide a comprehensive, critical introduction to the development of the topics, theory, and methods of Sociology. There is a strong emphasis on clarifying the basic philosophy of sociological inquiry and examining the first principles upon which each theory is based.
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Recall and relate sociological theories and approaches that have developed over time
- think critically about and engage in debate over different theoretical approaches
- Identify and explain major contemporary and historical sociological theories and use formal theory in the analysis of current social issues
- Interpret the significance of sociological issues in their daily lives
- Demonstrate their knowledge of sociological theory and contemporary social issues
- Be prepared to pass the State Exam to fulfill requirements to earn the MA degree - Syllabus
- The course is based on weekly seminar meetings in which the required reading is presented and discussed. The weekly topics for the semester include:
- - What is Sociology?
- - Visions of Human Nature
- - Classical Sociology
- - Structural Functionalism
- - Marxism and Critical Theory
- - Rational Choice and Exchange Theories
- - Feminist Theory
- - Interactionism and Social Constructionism
- - Micro-Macro, Structure-Agency Integration
- - Modernity and Postmodernity
- - The Book of Absolutes, by William Gairdner
- Literature
- required literature
- GIDDENS, Anthony. Introduction to sociology / Anthony Giddens ... [et al.]. 8th ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012, xxiii, 633. ISBN 9780393912135. info
- RITZER, George. Sociological theory. 8th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2012, 1 sv. ISBN 9780071315371. info
- not specified
- GAIRDNER, William D. The book of absolutes : a critique of relativism and a defence of universals. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2008, xvi, 398. ISBN 9780773536197. info
- SOWELL, Thomas. A conflict of visions : ideological origins of political struggles. New York: Basic Books, 2007, xiv, 329. ISBN 9780465002054. info
- DANERMARK, Berth. Explaining society : critical realism in the social sciences. 1st ed. London: Routledge, 2002, 221 s. ISBN 041522182X. info
- Teaching methods
- The method of teaching focuses on weekly lectures.
- Assessment methods
- Students are expected to attend every seminar meeting and participate actively in class. There is one mid-term exam covering information presented in class and the required readings up to that point; a comprehensive final exam at the end of the semester tests all information presented during the semester. Students receive a final letter grade (A-F) for the semester based on the following components:
40% – Mid-term exam
60% – Final exam - Language of instruction
- English
- Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
- Information on course enrolment limitations: For Masters students from any dpt in FSS and for Graduate Program in Sociology (English) students and for exchange students.
- Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
- Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2013, recent)
- Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2013/SOC755