Contemporary Sociological Thought
Code: 101127Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Sociology | OB | 2 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Maria del Mar Griera Llonch
- Email :
- mariadelmar.griera@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Teresa Sorde Marti
- Mayte Cantero Sanchez
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
We strongly recommend to have passed the first grade course on "Fonaments de la Sociologia", and to have a basic knowledge of classical sociological theory.
Objectives
Sociological theory must significantly contribute to outlining the basic conceptual map for sociology students and offer tools that enable them to understand and critically analyze contemporary reality.
In the course Contemporary Sociological Thought, we study the most significant contributions to contemporary social theory, placing them in their social, political, and cultural contexts. The guiding thread of the course is the presentation of the most relevant theoretical currents of the 20th century, including functionalism, structuralism, symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, ethnomethodology, neo-Marxism, and postmodernism, among others.
To convey the complexity of contemporary sociological thought, the course combines an explanation of the theories with a depiction of the historical-intellectual climate of the period and biographical notes. At the same time, the course seminars will encourage reflexivity by connecting contemporary sociological thought to a critical analysis of the contemporary moment. The aim is to think creatively about the relevance of 20th-century sociological thought today and to provide theoretical depth to our understanding of the present.
Furthermore, we will develop a critical reflection with a gender perspective on the theoretical production in sociology in the 20th century, incorporating the viewpoints of contemporary women authors who reflect on these issues.
Thus, the aim of the course is for students to acquire the ability to situate, understand, and relate the main theoretical contributions of contemporary sociological thought, doing so with rigor, reflexivity, and a critical perspective.
Learning outcomes
- Students must be capable of assessing the quality of their own work.
- Demonstrating a comprehension of the analysis of social phenomena presented in English, as well as observing their strengths and weaknesses.
- Students must be capable of managing their own time, planning their own study, managing the relationship with their tutor or adviser, as well as setting and meeting deadlines for a work project.
- Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Defining the main micro and macro sociological concepts.
- Comparing theoretical approaches about the macro- and micro- sociological phenomena.
- Expressing the debates about these approaches in several moments.
- Relating their usage and criticism in the historical context in which they emerged.
- Using the approaches of sociology in order to observe the effect of these policies or the outcome of these conflicts.
- Rearranging the different meanings of the problems derived from the application of public policies and conflict situations.
Contents
The course program is structured through the following four blocks:
0. Introduction to Contemporary Sociological Thinking
0.1. Theorizing in the twentieth century: historical, political, and ethical implications.
0.2. Classics and contemporaries: similarities and differences.
0.3. Intellectual portraits: biographies, gender, and ethnicity.
1. Functionalism
1.1. Parsons: from the theory of action to system theory.
1.2. Merton: the paradigm of functional analysis.
1.3. The crisis of functionalism and its causes.
2. Hermeneutic and Comprehensive Theories
2.1. The Chicago School: Jane Addams, Thomas, Mead, and Goffman.
2.2. Sociophenomenology: Schütz, Berger, and Luckmann.
2.3. Ethnomethodology: Garfinkel.
3. Neomarxism, Critical Theory, and Modernity
3.1. Marxism after Marx: an introduction.
3.2. Reflections on a post-Holocaust world: the Frankfurt School.
3.3. Hannah Arendt and the human condition.
3.4. About power: Mills, Elias, Foucault, and Bourdieu.
3.5. Beyond modernity? The postmodern debate.
4. Understanding Contemporary Societies: Current Theories
4.1. Eva Illouz and the making of emotional capitalism.
4.2. Boundaries and recognition with Michèle Lamont.
4.3. An accelerated world (Hartmut Rosa).
4.4. Ideas for thinking about the present and the future.
In parallel to the regular program, the course includes a set of three lab sessions that revolve around the idea of power, obedience, and social change. They are as follows:
a) Power, Domination, and Social Order: Why Do We Obey?
This session consists of reflecting on the processes of obedience and the factors that lead to it. Reflection will be encouraged through movie fragments such as \"The Experiment\" and \"The Wave,\" and will include the writing of a reflective essay.
b) Utopia, Collective Representations, and Social Order: The Dangers of Dreaming the Future
This session involves watching Margarethe Von Trotta's film \"Hannah Arendt,\" related to the book \"Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil,\" followed by writing an essay. The aim is to reflect on the processes of collective obedience and the construction of totalitarian regimes.
c) Power, Domination, and Social Order: A Critical Look at the Present
This session involves watching the movie \"La Granja de el Pas\" and conducting an essay on the construction and resistance processes of the social order. The goal is to reflect on the concepts of hegemony, counter-hegemony, and the possibilities of social transformation.
The specific way in which the course contents are presented can be adapted and modified according to the characteristics of each course, as well as the recommended readings.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 43 | 1.72 | |
| Independent learning | 50 | 2 | |
| Essays and Lab | 2 | 0.08 |
Th
The course is structured around four types of activities:
Lectures
Presentation of the program content by the teacher, with participation and critical discussion by the students.Practices
Activities such as text reading seminars, film viewings and discussions, and exercises for the practical application of theory, among other activities.Tutorials
One-on-one or small group sessions outside the classroom.Autonomous Activities
Independent work by students, including reading texts, writing essays, and completing exercises
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam | 50 | 5 | 0.2 | 3, 5, 6, 9 |
| Essays 1 and 2 | 30 | 30 | 1.2 | 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10 |
| Participation in class and seminars | 20 | 20 | 0.8 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8 |
The assessment consists of the following evidences:
- Final exam. It accounts for 50% of the final grade, and students must obtain a minimum score of 4.75 in order to average their final mark. The final exam will consist of two equally weighted parts. One part will be based on memorization, where students must demonstrate they have acquired the basic knowledge of the course. The second part may be completed with supplementary materials (notes, books) and will take the form of an essay and critical reflection. Both parts of the exam must be passed to calculate the average. Students must show that they have properly understood and assimilated the core course content and are able to argue theoretical positions rigorously.
- Essays: They account for 30% of the final grade. Students must complete two essays, choosing from three different options.
- Participation in classes and seminars: This accounts for 20% of the final grade. It includes compulsory attendance and participation in classes and in the seminars established by each lecturer.
Regarding assessment, the following guidelines will be taken into account:
- Participation and discussion in class may be positively considered by the teaching staff when assessing and determining students’ overall grades.
- To pass the course, students must obtain a minimum grade of 4.75 in each assessment component for the grades to be averaged.
- If in-person participation in practical sessions and the submission of the corresponding essays are not possible, the teaching staff may establish an alternative assessment system for this component, which will always include an in-person test.
- Students who do not sit the exam will be recorded as “Not Assessed.”
- There will be a resit opportunity for the exam, but not for the essays.
Single assessment
The single assessment will consist of a final exam, and two essays. There will be the possibility to retake the exam but not to submit the essays again.
Use of AI
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction, or translation. Students must clearly identify which parts have been improved using this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these tools influenced both the process and the final outcome of the activity. Failure to disclose the use of AI in this assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total reduction of the activity grade, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.
Plagiarism and other irregularities
In accordance with academic regulations, any irregularity committed during an assessment activity—such as academic fraud, plagiarism, or improper use of AI, unless such use is expressly authorised in the course guide—that may lead to a significant alteration of the grade will result in a grade of 0 for that assessment activity. If the course guide establishes that obtaining a minimum grade in that assessment activity is an essential requirement for passing the course, or if several irregularities occur in assessment activities within the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0.
In addition, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student who commits one of these irregularities. Teaching staff reserve the right to conduct oral interviews or require an alternative assessment in order to verify the effective acquisition of knowledge and competences and, therefore, the validity of the assessment work completed by the student.
Bibliography
Course bibliography
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Software
All the necessary materials for the course will be uploaded to the moodle site of the course. If necessary, teams will be used for online teaching.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEM) Seminars | 1 | Catalan | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 51 | Catalan | first semester | afternoon |
| (SEM) Seminars | 51 | Catalan | first semester | afternoon |