SOC07018 2022 Contemporary Sociological Theory 2
Full Title
Contemporary Sociological Theory 2
Transcript Title
Contemp Sociological Theory 2
Code
SOC07018
Attendance
80 %
Subject Area
SOC - Sociology
Department
SOCS - Social Sciences
Level
07 - Level 7
Credit
05 - 05 Credits
Duration
Semester
Fee
€
Start Term
2022 - Full Academic Year 2022-23
End Term
9999 - The End of Time
Author(s)
Susan McDonnell, Breda McTaggart, Brenda Feeney, Ailise McDowell, Gwen Scarbrough
Programme Membership
SG_HJOIN_H08 202200 Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Sociology and Politics
Description
Following on from Contemporary Sociological Theory 1, this module sets out to trace the development of the main theoretical approaches within the sociological tradition. During the semester, students will analyse the context in which these theories have developed, how the theories have been used, the key debates surrounding the theories, and the influences they have had on the development of later theories. Over the course of the module students will have the opportunity to examine cultural and structural explanations of empirical phenomena and understand how sociological theory is employed in empirical research.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module the learner will/should be able to;
1.
Outline the development of contemporary sociological theory
2.
Discuss how contemporary sociological theories have been used within the field of sociology
3.
Examine the key debates surrounding the theories
4.
Identify the influences of sociological theory on the development of later theories
5.
Describe how sociological theory is employed in empirical research
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Students will be supported to learn though the development of a dedicated Moodle page, lectures and peer and lecturer-led discussions in tutorials. There will be a strong emphasis on group work, interaction with the lecturer, research and sharing of insights with fellow students. Students will engage in discussion and debate centred around key themes. Seminars and guest speakers will provide additional learning opportunities.
Module Assessment Strategies
Like Contemporary Sociological Theory 1, this module will be assessed using Continuous Assessment (100%).
Assessment 1/Reading Circle: Students will present, lead and participate in discussions on reading material introduced in the module. Each student will be assigned one week to lead a discussion during the semester beginning in week 4 (20%).
Assessment 2/Theory Project and Presentation: Students will be asked to develop a project that explores key issues in Sociological theory. The project will include research and development, participation in classroom based activities, a written component and a presentation at the end of the semester (80%).
Repeat Assessments
Should a student fail the module they will be required to resubmit on the failed component(s) as per guidelines and recommendations set out by the exam board.
Indicative Syllabus
1. Outline the development of contemporary sociological theory
- The social/cultural context and the emergence of sociological thought
- The major schools of contemporary sociological theory, part 2
- Structuralism/Post-Structuralism: production/reproduction of meaning, "habitus" (Lévi-Strauss, Bourdieu, etc.)
- Foucault: power/knowledge; social control and the institution
- Critical theory: the rise of mass culture/cultural hegemony; understanding late capitalism; grand/meta-narrative; multidisciplinary approach (Frankfurt School)
- Queer theory (Adrienne Rich, Judith Butler, etc.)
- Postcolonial theory and "Orientalism" (Edward Said, Homi K. Bhabha, etc.)
- Critical race theory (Derick Bell, Richard Delgado, etc.)
- Feminist Theory: perspectives on the body, sexuality and desire; gender, materialism and emergent identities; agency, power and oppression (Susan Bordo, Andrea Dworkin, Diana T. Meyers, Nancy Chodorow, etc.)
- Intersectionality (bell hooks, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, Patricia Hill Collins, etc.)
- Feminism and Neo-Marxism (Lise Vogel, Chizuko Ueno, etc.)
2. Discuss how contemporary sociological theories have been used within the field of sociology
- Analysis of sociological themes and theory building: exploitation and oppression, alienation, stratification/mobility, social change, the individual in society, etc.
- Sociological theory and social action
3. Explore the key debates surrounding the theories
- Macro/micro; institutions and networks; power and inequality, etc.
- Current controversies in theoretical sociology
4. Examine the influences of sociological theory on the development of later theories
- Mapping sociological theories
- Emerging themes in sociology: race, gender, difference and inequality; micro/macro integration; theoretical synthesis, etc.
5. Outline how sociological theory is employed in empirical research
- Theoretical developments and empirical research
- The impact of theories on methodological foundations in analytical sociology (Merton, etc.)
Coursework & Assessment Breakdown
Coursework & Continuous Assessment
100 %
Coursework Assessment
| Title | Type | Form | Percent | Week | Learning Outcomes Assessed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Theory and practice | Coursework Assessment | Individual Project | 80 % | End of Semester | 2,3,5 |
| 2 | Reading Circles/Student led presentations and discussions | Coursework Assessment | Assessment | 20 % | OnGoing | 1,3,4 |
Full Time Mode Workload
| Type | Location | Description | Hours | Frequency | Avg Workload |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | Flat Classroom | Lecture | 2 | Weekly | 2.00 |
| Workshop / Seminar | Flat Classroom | Seminar | 1 | Weekly | 1.00 |
| Independent Learning | Not Specified | Self-directed learning | 3 | Weekly | 3.00 |
Total Full Time Average Weekly Learner Contact Time 3.00 Hours
Required & Recommended Book List
Required Reading
2017-02-14 Sociological Theory Sage Publications, Incorporated
ISBN 1506337716 ISBN-13 9781506337715
2017-02-14 Sociological Theory Sage Publications, Incorporated
ISBN 1506337716 ISBN-13 9781506337715
Written by an author team that includes one of sociology's leading contemporary theorists, Sociological Theory gives readers a comprehensive overview of the major theorists and schools of sociological thought, from sociology's origins through the early 21st Century. Key theories are integrated with biographical sketches of theorists, and are placed in their historical and intellectual context.
Module Resources
Non ISBN Literary Resources
Appelrouth, S. Desfor Edles, L. (2008) Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory: Text and Readings. New York: Pine Forge Press.
Baudrillard, Jean (1988) Simulacra and Simulations. Pp. 166-184 in Jean Baudrillard: Selected Writings, edited by Mark Poster. Stanford, CA: Stanford University.
Collins, Patricia Hill (1991) Black Feminist Thought. NY: Routledge.
Foucault, M. (1970) The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences. New York: Vintage Books.
Foucault, M. (1978) Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. New York: Vintage Books.
hooks, bell (1999) Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism. Boston, MA: South End Press.
Lévi-Strauss, C. (1963) Structural Anthropology. New York Basic Books.
Lévi-Strauss, C. (1978/2005) Myth and Meaning. London: Taylor & Francis Group.
Marcuse, Herbert (1964) One Dimensional Man: Studies in the Ideology of Advanced Industrial Society. Boston: Beacon Press
Journal Resources
Bordo, Susan R. (1993) “The Body and the Reproduction of Femininity,” p. 165-185 from Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture and the Body. Berkley, University of California Press.
Bourdieu, Pierre (2000) "Bodily Knowledge," Ch. 4 in Pascalian Meditations, p. 128-42.
Bridges, Khiara M. (2019) Critical Race Theory: A Primer. St. Paul, Minn.: Foundation Press.
Butler, Judith. 2005. “Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity,” in Feminist Theory: A Reader (2nd Edition), edited by W. K. Kolmar and F. Bartkowski. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, p. 496-504.
Chodorow, Nancy (1978) "The Reproduction of Mothering," in Psychoanalysis and the Sociology of Gender. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Crenshaw, Kimberlé (1989). "Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: a black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics," in University of Chicago Legal Forum; (1): 139–167.
Go, J. (2016) "The Postcolonial Challenge," in Postcolonial Thought and Social Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hill Collins, Patricia (2019) Intersectionality as Critical Social Theory, Durham: Duke University Press.
Habermas, Jurgen (1987) The Tasks of a Critical Theory of Society. In Theory of Communicative Action, v2., p. 374-403.
West, Cornel (1995). "Foreword". In Crenshaw, Kimberlé; Gotanda, Neil; Peller, Gary (eds.). Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings that Formed the Movement. The New Press. pp. xi–xii.
URL Resources
Other Resources
Students will provided with access to Moodle and linked reading material throughout the semester.
Additional Information