Syllabus
Thematic course structure (final version):
I. Orientation session (!!! 23.2. at 9:10 AM in Celetna 20, room 207 !!!)
II. Global migration (new patterns) (16.3.)
III. Gender inequality today (postfeminism as a crisis) (23.3.)
IV. Biotechnology: Body enhancements and social inequality (6.4.)
V. Generational gap? (13.4.)
VI. Post-communism today (20.4.)
VII. Current mistrust of science and/or experts (27.4.)
VIII. Social networking sites and public discourse/opinion (4.5.)
IX. Bowling alone or alone together - corrupted sociability? (11.5.)
X. The role and meaning of sociology in the 21st century (18.5.)
Upon request, I would be willing to exchange up to two of the below topics for topics of the students’ choice. If you have a topic in mind that you wish to be addressed or discussed during the course, please send the topic title proposal and a brief summary to the course supervisor’s e-mail before the orientation session which will take place on Friday 23rd February at 9:10 AM in Celetna 20, room 207.
Annotation
One of sociology’s key tasks is to help navigate today’s complex world. However, due to the increasing complexity of societal organization and the emergence of novel social institutions, concepts and structures, students of sociology can sometimes feel that sociology, while it might have been useful in addressing the issues of the 19th and 20th century, cannot be so easily applied to society’s contemporary issues. By discussing up-to-date sociological texts which address a selection of contemporary problems, the course attempts both to improve the general sociological imagination and to answer the question of what sociology says, or can say, in relation to these issues.
This course is intended for sociology students and for those interested in sociology, who want to contemplate the role that sociology plays (or can play) in better understanding and handling certain contemporary issues. Each week, students conduct short literature research, select a recent article dealing with the theme of the week, and write a short position paper based on the article. In class, students will give a brief report on the results of their homework and then, a moderated group discussion will unfold in order to better our understanding of the sociological approach towards the discussed problem.
The course can also be conceived of as a gateway towards developing one’s own original research question, which can then serve as the student’s focus in future studies. A more detailed description of the course’s themes, aims and exam requirements will be provided during the introductory orientation session.