GLCb2025 Sociological Diagnoses of our Times

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Dr. Werner Binder (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Dr. Werner Binder
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Supplier department: Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites
! SOCb2587 Sociological Diagnoses of our
The course has no prerequesites, except of course for the ability to read English texts and converse in English. It is not only suitable for bachelor students in sociology but also for students from other fields without a sociological background.
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 40 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/40, only registered: 0/40, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/40
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Sociological literature, especially in the writings of the classics, often contains a (more or less explicit) diagnosis of the present time of the author (for example, Weber’s characterization of modern capitalism as “iron cage”). In the 20th century, “time diagnosis” emerged as a specific sociological genre, exemplified by works such as Beck's "Risk Society", Bauman’s “Liquid Modernity” or Castell's "Network Society". Time diagnoses offer a sociological interpretation of contemporary society, often with a critical edge and the potential to reach broader educated audiences beyond the confines of the discipline. This course focuses on recently published diagnoses of our times, which we will read and discuss in their entirety, limiting ourselves to one or two monographs per semester.
Sociological literature, especially in the writings of the classics, often contains a (more or less explicit) diagnosis of the present time of the author (for example, Weber’s characterization of modern capitalism as “iron cage”). In the 20th century, “time diagnosis” emerged as a specific sociological genre, exemplified by works such as Beck's "Risk Society", Bauman’s “Liquid Modernity” or Castell's "Network Society". Time diagnoses offer a sociological interpretation of contemporary society, often with a critical edge and the potential to reach broader educated audiences beyond the confines of the discipline. This course focuses on recently published diagnoses of our times, which we will read and discuss in their entirety, limiting ourselves to one or two monographs per semester. This year, two recently published books will be at the center of our attention, Late Modernity in Crisis and Cannibal Capitalism. Andreas Reckwitz and Hartmut Rosa, arguably the two most influential sociologists in contemporary Germany, have published together a book entitled Late Modernity in Crisis (2023). There, both authors not only provide outlines of their respective theories and diagnoses of contemporary society but also engage in a debate with each other. While Reckwitz focusses on the social consequences of cultural processes of “singularization”, Rosa argues that the modern desire to control the world harms our capacity to experience “resonance”. In the second part of the class, we will discuss Nancy Fraser’s Cannibal Capitalism, where she develops a contemporary critique of capitalism on social, political and environmental grounds.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course students will be able to
- read and discuss contemporary sociological texts in English
- identify the key arguments in a text and present them in a written form
- apply general insights from the literature to specific social phenomena in their lives and societies
- think about contemporary challenges to our societies in a sociological way
- understand the role, strenghts and weaknesses of particular time diagnoses as well as of the genre in general
Syllabus
  • Organizational Meeting
  • Reckwitz & Rosa: Theory of Society
  • Reckwitz: Social theory and The Practice of Modernity
  • Reckwitz: Theory of Late Modernity
  • Rosa: Theory of Modern Society
  • Debate: Modernity and Critique
  • Reading Week
  • Fraser: Cannibal Capitalism I – Capitalism
  • Fraser: Cannibal Capitalism II – Racism
  • Fraser: Cannibal Capitalism III – Care
  • Fraser: Cannibal Capitalism IV – Nature
  • Fraser: Cannibal Capitalism V – Democracy
  • Fraser: Cannibal Capitalism VI – Socialism
Literature
    required literature
  • RECKWITZ, Andreas. The end of illusions : politics, economy, and culture in late modernity. Translated by Valentine A. Pakis. English edition. Cambridge: Polity, 2021, viii, 201. ISBN 9781509545704. info
  • ROSA, Hartmut. The uncontrollability of the world. Translated by James C. Wagner. English edition. Cambridge: Polity, 2020, ix, 132. ISBN 9781509543168. info
    recommended literature
  • RECKWITZ, Andreas. The society of singularities. English edition. Cambridge: Policy, 2020, viii, 416. ISBN 9781509534227. info
  • ROSA, Hartmut. Resonance : a sociology of our relationship to the world. English edition. Cambridge: Polity, 2019, xiv, 554. ISBN 9781509519910. info
Teaching methods
Reading, response papers, class discussion, presentation in class, final essay.
Assessment methods
1. Participation in class – 20%
2. Eight short response papers – 60%
3. Presentation or Final Essay – 20%
Language of instruction
English
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/GLCb2025