SOC705 Classical sociological theory

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2017
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Roman Vido, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Pavel Kvaltýn (assistant)
Mgr. Juraj Potančok, Ph.D. (assistant)
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
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course introduces students to major sociological theories, which one can call classical from the contemporary point of view. Students review the main streams of sociological thought in 19st and in the beginning of 20st century, focusing on the work and thought of Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, Georg Simmel. These forth main theorists of sociology will be compared with respect to their point of views on modern society, their approaches to the social sciences, their views on history, their conceptions of capitalism, and their ideas on social change. Important objectives of the course are to identify the conceptual core of the discipline and to critically evaluate the relevance of the classical theories to contemporary societies in the beginning of 21st century. Course materials include both the original texts and the secondary undergraduate literature, used to examine the concepts, methods, and explanation in classical sociological thought.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to the course: social and economic background of the rise of sociological theory.
  • 2. The origins of sociological theory: sociological thought of Auguste Comte and Herbert Spencer.
  • 3. Sociological legacy of Alexis de Tocqueville: modernization as democratization.
  • 4. Sociological theory of Karl Marx: material conditions as the key of comprehension of modern society.
  • 5. Sociological theory of Emile Durkheim I: the discovery of social facts.
  • 6. Sociological theory of Emile Durkheim II: society as sui generis phenomenon.
  • 7. Sociological theory of Max Weber I: social action as the key of comprehension of social world.
  • 8. Sociological theory of Max Weber II: capitalism as the essence of modern world.
  • 9. Forgotten classics: F. Tönnies and V. Pareto.
  • 10. Sociology of modernity of Georg Simmel and the Chicago school.
  • 11. Sociology of knowledge of K. Mannheim and sociology of culture of N. Elias.
  • 12. Thorstein Veblen and the origins of American sociology.
Literature
  • MARTUCCELLI, Danilo. Sociologie modernity : itinerář 20. století. Translated by Pavla Doležalová - Jana Spoustová. 1. vyd. Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury, 2008, 494 s. ISBN 9788073251451. info
  • KELLER, Jan. Dějiny klasické sociologie. Vydání první. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 2004, 529 stran. ISBN 8086429342. info
  • CUIN, Charles-Henry and François GRESLE. Dějiny sociologie. Translated by Jindřich Veselý. Praha: Slon, Sociologické nakladatelství, 2004, 263 stran. ISBN 8086429334. info
  • HUBÍK, Stanislav. Sociologie vědění :základní koncepce a paradigmata. Vyd. 1. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 1999, 224 s. ISBN 80-85850-58-3. info
Assessment methods
Students must pass a written test and a final written exam.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
General note: Kurs je povinnou součástí kombinovaného studia, a má proto specifickou formu vyuky.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 1999, Autumn 2000, Autumn 2001, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2017, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2017/SOC705