SOCb2004 Sociology of Post-Truth Society

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Dominik Želinský, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Dominik Želinský, Ph.D.
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Supplier department: Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Mon 16:00–17:40 U34
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: 27/25, only registered: 3/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 2/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 8 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
This course introduces students to a critical analysis of topics associated with the so-called "post-truth" condition (conspiracies, disinformation, polarisation, etc.).
Learning outcomes
The students: 1. Will understand key processes in contemporary societies 2. Will learn sociological concepts that will help them understand specific problems of contemporary democracies 3. Will learn to integrate interdisciplinary acheivements of social scientific disciplines
Syllabus
  • 1. [23. 9.] Modernity, post-modernity, hyper-modernity, post-truth society 2. [30. 9.] Where did the trust go? Crisis of trust and social capital. 3. [7. 10.] Democracy and emotions 4. [14. 10.] Crisis of truth or crisis of expertise? 5. [21. 10.] Social media and polarization 6. [28 10.] READING WEEK 7. [4. 11.] Charismatic populism and "tricksters" 8. [11. 11.] Anti-populism 9. [18. 11.] Media, social media and moral panics 10. [25. 11.] Conspiracy theories: Resistance or enchantment of the world? 11. [2. 12.] GUEST: Marie Heřmanová (online) 12. [9. 12.] How to win the hybrid war? 13. [16. 12.] Summary and reflection: Unity in a divided world?
Teaching methods
Detailed seminar discussion of readings.
Assessment methods
Evaluation methods Students have the opportunity to earn 100 points during the semester. It will be according to the points achieved awarded final mark as follows: 0-59 points: F 60-67 points: E 68-75 points: D 76-83 points: C 84-91 points: B 92-100 points: A Points can be earned through: 1) An ongoing group presentation (30 points), which students will sign up for during the first week of classes and which will be prepared on the basis of one of the recommended texts. The presentation will last 15 minutes. It will consist of 1. summary of text 2. clarification of the meaning of the text (which allows us to understand) 3. critical evaluation of the text. The presentation must not be just a summary of the text. 2) Regularly submitted short "position papers" (PP) from the compulsory literature (300 words) before each class. Students lose 5b (20b in total) for an undelivered PP. Each PP will contain a short summary of the text and 3 critical questions for discussion. 3) Final thesis (50b). Students A) generate an essay in ChatGPT/Gemini with the prompt "Write 1000 words on why contemporary society is a post-truth society", or B) find a journalistic text that analyzes the issue of post-truth/post-factual times and I will write my own critical response to it on 5nms (tolerance frame +-10%). Participation in seminars is mandatory. Two unexcused absences are allowed. The course emphasizes the role of active discussion in academic education. It is therefore assumed that students will be actively involved in communication in class.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
Teacher's information
The adjective "post-truth" or "post-truth" was designated by the Oxford English Dictionary as the word of the year 2016. It indicates "circumstances in which objective facts have less influence on the formation of public opinion than appeals to emotions and personal assumptions." The OED responded to contemporary politics: the victory of Donald Trump in the US elections, the success of the Brexit referendum, the rise of anti-immigration populism and the spread of conspiracy narratives. After 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic and after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the fight for the truth in society intensified. The aim of the idea of ​​"post-truth" was not only to provide an ad hoc adjective for specific phenomena, but to describe a new phase of social development. After the modern or post-modern society (Lyotard) or the society of networks (Castells) comes the "post-truth society", in which truth and facts lose their value. The platforms of experts and their authority, built up over years of study, have been taken over by influencers and the anonymous crowd on social networks, which only further polarize society. However, there are critical voices in the social sciences, according to which "post-truth" has become more of a label, covering the moral panic caused by the breakdown of expert discourses or the plurality of opinions made possible by the new media. This course aims to critically reflect on topics associated with the idea of ​​a post-truth society and examine how well popular ideas correspond to reality. Has belief in the truth really crumbled? Are social network algorithms really polarizing us? Is it possible to win the hybrid war?
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2023.
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