Department of Social & Policy Sciences, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
SP10043 Sociology of modern societies |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Certificate |
| Semester: 1 |
| Assessment: ES 100% |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: This unit introduces students to the key sociological issues posed by the rise of capitalist modern (industrial societies) and classical theory. The unit aims:
* To investigate the historical processes which led to the emergence of capitalist modern societies; * To explore the constitution of political, economic and social spheres of social relations and their institutions; * To provide an understanding of the fundamental concepts of classical sociology in relation to capitalism and industrialism; * To help students to identify and critically assess the significance of key concepts, ideas and problems in the works of Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim to capitalist industrial societies. Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit, you should be able to understand the historical processes which led to the emergence of capitalist industrial societies, identify the major sociological questions and answers to the fundamental issues brought about capitalist industrialism and, finally, to assess the theoretical ideas and problems posed by in the works of what is called classical theory, in their historical context. Skills: Intellectual skills: * To think creatively and analytically; * To evaluate others' arguments and research; * To critically evaluate and assess research evidence as well as a variety of other information; * To synthesise information from a number of sources in order to gain a coherent understanding. Transferable/Key Skills: * Essay research, preparation and writing skills; * To construct a bibliography of varying complexity; * To develop time-management and administrative skills. Knowledge outcomes: sociology: * Knowledge of the theoretical basis of sociological perspectives; * Knowledge of historical and contemporary perspective of sociology; * Knowledge of the relationship between Sociology and other cognate disciplines. Content: The unit is divided into two sections. The first section will look at what makes capitalist modern societies distinctive. That is what are the social processes and new institutions leading to these differentiation? The second section will look at the work of three major thinkers who constitute what we call classical sociology (they were not, with the exception of one of them, really 'sociologists': Karl Marx (1818-1883), Max Weber (1864-1920), Emile Durkheim (1858-1917). The three thinkers were committed to their political convictions and ideas which are reflected in the theoretical frameworks and concepts that they developed. The main questions we will ask them are: what is the driving force in industrial societies? Are social relations driven by class conflict? Coercion? Rationalisation? Individualism? Solidarity? |