ASOK05241U Norbert Elias and Pierre Bourdieu – relational sociology for the 21st century
MA course in sociological theory (MSc 2005)
Specialiseringslinje: Politisk Sociologi
BA-undergraduates from foreign countries can NOT sign up for: MA course in sociological theory (MSc 2005) and MA Theory and Methodology (MSc 2015)
This innovative course focuses on two of the most prominent relational thinkers in the 20th century, Norbert Elias and Pierre Bourdieu. First we compare the key concepts in their two different but similar perceptions of relational sociology. Second we look at two of their most famous empirical studies – On The Process of Civilisation and Distinction – to detect differences and similarities. Third we explain how establisher-outsider relationships (relations between education, class, gender and ethnicity) are related to state formation processes. Fourth we discuss how these two sociologists can explain long-term, structural change in complex societies. Finally, we propose an important synthesis by discussing some of the main strengths and weaknesses in each of their approaches.
Students will be able to explain the key concepts in Elias’s and Bourdieu’s relational sociologies, applying them to problems or contemporary issues in modern societies.
Indicative readings:
- Norbert Elias (2012), What is Sociology? Dublin: UCD Press, Collected Works, volume 4
- Pierre Bourdieu (1989) Social Space and Symbolic Power, Sociological Theory, Vol. 7, 1: 14-25.
- Stephen Mennell (1998) Norbert Elias: An Introduction Dublin: UCD Press.
- Richard Jenkins (2002) Bourdieu, Revised edition, London: Routledge.
- Bowen Paulle, Bart van Heerikhuizen and Mustafa Emirbayer (2012), Elias and Bourdieu, Journal of Classical Sociology, vol. 12 no. 1, pp. 69-93
Loic Wacquant (2004) ’Decivilizing and demonizing: the remaking of the Amercan black ghetto’, in Steven Loyal and Stephen Quilley (eds), The Sociology of Norbert Elias, Cambridge: Cambridge Iniversity Press.
illustrating through concrete examples the application of theoretical concepts and their relevance to different societies.
5 ECTS:
Lectures: 15
Course preparation: 61,25
Exam Preparation: 61,25
Total: 137,5
Biography
Inspired by the work of Norbert Elias, I am developing a distinctive, multi-disciplinary approach to political sociology and early childhood, one that is relational, comparative and historical. I am currently writing a book on the Sociology of Early Childhood, to be published by Sage in 2014 and have co-edited a multi-disciplinary, social science Monograph with Professor Stephen Mennell (2011), Norbert Elias and Figurational Research: Processual Thinking in Sociology, Oxford: Blackwell.
Kurset fungerer også som liniefag for specialiseringsretningen: Politisk sociologi
SAMF IT has created a page for installing Software on personal computers: http://samf-it.ku.dk/english/stud/software/
- Category
- Hours
- Exam
- 61,25
- Lectures
- 15
- Preparation
- 61,25
- Total
- 137,50
The Deadline for signing up for courses is June 1 for the autumn
semester and November 1 for the spring semester. Deadline for
signing up for Summer school is June 1.
When signing up you are automatically signed up for exam.
International exchange students must sign up by filling in an
application form which you find
here:
course registration.
Meritstuderende: klik her
- Credit
- 5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Written assignmentIndividual/group. See further details in the curriculum
- Exam registration requirements
Sociology students must be enrolled under MSc Curriculum 2005 to take this exam.
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- External censorship
- Exam period
Submission dates and time will be available at KUnet, www.kunet.dk. Exchange students and danish full degree guest students please see the homepage of Sociology; http://www.soc.ku.dk/english/education/exams/ and http://www.soc.ku.dk/uddannelser/meritstuderende/eksamen/
Criteria for exam assesment
Please see the learning outcome.
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- ASOK05241U
- Credit
- 5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree MasterFull Degree Master choice
- Duration
- 1 semester
- Placement
- Spring
- Schedule
- See schedule
- Continuing and further education
- Price
- Study board
- Department of Sociology, Study Council
Contracting department
- Department of Sociology
Course responsibles
- Tine Skou Sørensen (3-84837b5083717d763e7b853e747b)
Lecturers
Dr. Norman Gabriel,
Plymouth University,
norman.r.gabriel@plymouth.ac.uk