ASOK05224U Political Sociology Theory Seminar - The course is cancelled

Volume 2014/2015
Education
MA Theory course
Content

The lectures aim at presenting different answers to the central question in political sociology: how do we come to terms with the concept of power in the study of society? Here the question of power is put in the context of themes like religion and culture through which sociology has sought to come to terms with the concept of social cohesion. The introduction of religion and culture into political sociology accentuates a classic focus on the question: What is the force keeping society together? We commence with asking the question: Where is Sociology dealing with these fundamental questions today, and throughout the introductory lectures, the general questions will be raised in reference to our list of theoreticians. Both the classics and the modern responses to the classics revolve around this question in different forms and with different emphasis. The course is based on lectures and exercises on the basis of read texts. There is a compendium to the course. Students pick a theoretician to work with more deeply and use for comparison with another theoretician, for instance a contemporary writer dealing with the same theoretical problems. Here Jonathan H. Turner: Contemporary Sociological Theory comes to our aid as a substantial overview of the historical developments in Sociological theory. Below an outline for the course is given.

The course is built in three steps. Firstly, we investigate the classics. Here we have taken a wide scope on the classical texts in political sociology. By introducing Sorel, we come to facilitate the introduction of genealogical and discourse analytical approaches. Secondly, we investigate some deeper reactions to its foundation from inside broadly founded philosophical and political theoretical approaches to our central questions. Thirdly, we come to contemporary perspectives on political sociology. Here we come to discuss modern topics in political sociology by focusing on central themes like power, governance, social cohesion and conflict.

Introduction – Themes in Political Sociology

The first lecture gives an introduction to our perspective and allows us to get acquainted with each other, review expectations and get a little deeper into why the syllabus looks like it does. There is no reading for the first lecture, but here we could have a small discussion of what is missing from the list of theoreticians and why! The general themes of power and social cohesion are introduced.

The use of Religion and Culture in Political Sociological Theories

What is the main theoretical focus in reading the history of Political Sociology today? The answer we shall give to this question will encircle an answer to what we could call the turn to religion in Political Sociology. We shall understand this turn as an example of importing the concept of culture into Political Sociology and the necessity of coming to terms with the notion of religion so deeply felt by Durkheim, Weber, Sorel and Schmitt.

Primary reading: Friedrich Nietzsche: The Birth of the Tragedy, section VII, paragraph 6

Secondary reading: Jonathan H. Turner: Contemporary Sociological Theory, Sage, LA, 2013, p. 1 - 32

Part one The Classics

Emile Durkheim  - Social Cohesion and Morals

Reading: The Division of Labour in Society, Palgrave. N.Y., 1984, p. 68 - 100

Secondary reading: Jonathan H. Turner: Contemporary Sociological Theory, Sage, LA, 2013, p. 33 - 48

Max Weber – Bureaucracy and Power

Reading: Politics as Vocation

Online access

Janoski, Alford, Hicks & Schwarts: The Handbook of Political Sociology – States, Civil Society and Globalization, Cambridge University Press, 2005, p. 33 – 53

Georges E. Sorel – Myth and Stratification

Primary reading: Excerpt from Georges Sorel: Reflections on Violence

Carl Schmitt – The Political and Sovereignty

Primary reading: Carl Schmitt: The Concept of the Political

Part Two Postwar Reactions to Classical Approaches

Lewis A. Coser – The Function of Conflict

Primary reading: Lewis A. Coser: The Function of Social Conflict, 1958

Secondary reading: Jonathan H. Turner: Contemporary Sociological Theory, Sage, LA, 2013, p. 49 – 65 + 205 - 236

Jürgen Habermas – Theory of Communicative Action

Primary reading: Excerpt from Theory of Communicative Action,

Secondary reading: Darrow Schecter: The Critique of Instrumental Reason from Weber to Habermas, kontinuum, N.Y., 2010,.p. 6 - 42

Michel Foucault – Disciplinary Institutions and Power

Primary reading: Excerpt from Michel Foucault: Discipline and Punishment

Secondary reading: Janoski, Alford, Hicks & Schwarts: The Handbook of Political Sociology – States, Civil Society and Globalization, Cambridge University Press, 2005, p. 153 - 171

Samuel P. Huntington – Modernization and Political Movements

Primary reading: Samuel P. Huntington, Political Order in Changing Societies, Yale university Press, USA, 1968, p. 1- 97

Secondary reading: Dobratz, Waldner & Buzzell: Power, Politics and Society, Pearson Education, Boston, 2012, p. 189 – 225 + Kate Nash: Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalization, Politics and Power, Wiley – Blackwell, UK, 2010, p. 87 – 130

Part Three Contemporary Themes

Power and Governance

Primary reading: Niklas Luhmann: Social Systems, Stanford University Press, California, 1995, p. 405 - 436

Secondary reading: Jonathan H. Turner: Contemporary Sociological Theory, Sage, LA, 2013, p. 67 - 104

Social Cohesion and Conflict   

Primary reading: Randall Collins: Conflict Sociology, Academic Press, N.Y., 1975, p. 49 - 89

Secondary reading: Jonathan H. Turner: Contemporary Sociological Theory, Sage, LA, 2013, p. 237 - 255

Political Sociology and Political Theory today  

Primary reading: Excerpt from Rene Girard: Violence and the Sacred

Secondary Reading: M. Kirvan: Girard and Theology, MPG Books Ltd. Cornwall, 2009, p. 20 – 32

Closure: Seminar                                                

Learning Outcome

The goal of the course is to give the participants the prerequisites for evaluating sociological theory. This is sought through focusing on the basic questions like: What is a theory? How is a theory produced? What makes for a valid sustainable theory? What are the demands for theory today? The participants convey their deep understanding of a classical work by either focusing deeply on one classical author, or comparing a classical author with a modern author of their own choosing. Participants should show mastery of evaluating a theoretical composite and show the ability to account for strengths and weaknesses of a theory in terms of operationalization and stringency.  

Primær: Durkheim, Weber, Sorel, Schmitt, Coser, Habermas, Foucault, Huntington, Luhmann, Collins og Girard.

Sekundær: Jonathan Turner: Contemporary Sociological Theory

ding from classical texts supported by secondary literature made available in a compendium.

BA in Sociology or similar.
The seminar is based on lectures with discussions and exercises on the basis of read texts. There is a compendium to the course. Students pick a theoretician to work with more deeply and use for comparison with another theoretician, for instance a contemporary writer dealing with the same theoretical problems. Here Jonathan H. Turner: Contemporary Sociological Theory comes to our aid as a substantial overview of the historical developments in Sociological theory. Below an outline for the course is given. The course is built in three steps. Firstly, we investigate the classics. Here we have taken a wide scope on the classical texts in political sociology. By introducing Sorel and Schmitt into the group of classics, we come to facilitate the introduction of genealogical and discourse analytical approaches in reference to the classical approaches by Durkheim and Weber. Secondly, we investigate some deeper reactions to the foundation of Sociology from broadly founded philosophical and political theoretical approaches to our central questions. Thirdly, we come to contemporary perspectives on political sociology. Here we come to discuss modern topics in political sociology by focusing on how to theorize around central sociological themes like conflict and institutionalization.
Kurset fungerer også som liniefag for specialiseringsretningen: Politisk Sociologi
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 28
  • Exam
  • 123,5
  • Preparation
  • 123,5
  • Total
  • 275,0
Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Individual/group
Assesment: 7-point grading scale

See details concerning form of examination exam in the curriculum
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Exam period
Submission dates and time will be available on the homepage of Sociology / education Site / Exam.
Criteria for exam assesment

See learning outcome.