SOC723 Symbolic construction of boundaries - sociology of im/purity"

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2014
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 9 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Barbora Vacková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lucie Galčanová Batista, Ph.D. (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
Prerequisites
No special requirements for enrolment in a course
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
Course will focus on the main concepts and approaches to the formation of cultural and symbolic boundaries in contemporary society. Theoretical background is formed by the sociological and anthropological concepts interlinked with the theme of im/purity and its cultural meanings, its symbolic and moral consequences. The duality of purity and dirt is one of the elementary cultural categories that structure the human behaviour in its everyday or ritualized forms as well as on higher level of socio-spatial organization of society.
Syllabus
  • Part 1: We and the others, symbolic in culture, creation of difference
  • Part 2: Purity and social stratification - meanings, moral dimension, cultural differences
  • Part 3: Society and its relation to im/purity - historical context and consequences
  • A. Body, gender and society
  • B. Race and ethnicity
  • C. Private space
  • D. Urbanism and public space
  • E. Politics and state
Literature
  • Sibley, D. 1999. Geographies of Exlusion, Society and Difference in the West. London: Routledge.
  • Sennet, R. 1996a. The Uses of Disorder. Personal Identity and City Life. London: Farber and Farber.
  • Sennett, R. 1996. Flesh and Stone. W. W. Norton.
  • SMITH, Virginia. Clean : a history of personal hygiene and purity. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007, viii, 457. ISBN 9780199297795. info
  • CORBIN, Alain. Narcis a miazma : pach a společenské představy 18. a 19. století. Translated by Lenka Kolářová. První vydání. Praha: Argo, 2004, 290 stran. ISBN 8072035290. info
  • DOUGLAS, Mary. Purity and danger : an analysis of the concepts of pollution and taboo. London: Routledge, 1966, viii, 193. ISBN 0415066085. info
Teaching methods
lecture with consultation and discussion, critical literature review including the book review, electronic test, final essay
Assessment methods
1) critical book review (Erving Goffman: Stigma, 3600 characters including spaces) (20 points) 2) 3 one-page (1800 characters including spaces) critical comments on the readings (5 points each) 3) online (home based) test (20 points) 4) voluntary field trip with written reflection (1800 characters including spaces) (10 points) 5) final essay based on the analysis of the book Svabba - čistý domov (3600 / 7 200 - without a field trip participation - characters including spaces) (35 points)
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2014, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2014/SOC723