ASOB16201U Protest movements, Culture, and Social Change
Full-degree students enrolled at the Faculty of Social Science, UCPH
Bachelor and Master Programmes in Sociology
Bachelor Programme in Anthropology
Bachelor Programme in Psychology
Master programme in Global Development
Course package (MSc 2015):
Velfærd, ulighed og mobilitet / Welfare, Inequality and
Mobility
Kultur, livsstil og hverdagsliv / Culture, Lifestyle and Everyday Life
Bachelor elective course
Enrolled students can register the course directly through the
Selfservice a KUnet without a preapproval.
Please contact the study administration at each programme for
questions regarding registration.
This course provides a sociological introduction to the study of
culture in trans-national and local protest movements, including
debates about political conflict and cooperation, social class and
group culture, race/ethnicity, gender/intersectionality,
nationality, language, and religion, images, narrative, discourse
and emotions. How do cultural diversity and inequality influence
the potential of social movements to promote social change or
cooperation on the local ground and in global arenas of political
and media debate? In a moment where right wing political parties
mobilize cultural difference as a threat, social movements around
the globe try to build coalitions across social differences to
address transnational political conflict and global collective
action problems including climate change and ethnic or religious
tensions. How and to what extend do engaged citizens and the
current progressive movements succeed to reach out to ordinary
people to build broader coalitions? How do they use digital media
networks and everyday politics to support minorities, migrants and
refugees?
First, we will investigate culture within local or transnationally operating non-state organizations such as activist groups or NGOs. Second, we will look at culture as a set of discourses and practices analyzing digital media, memes, visual, text-based and affective contents and news media framing and storytelling practices used by social movements. Lectures and research presentations in this course will allow students to gain an interdisciplinary and trans-national comparative perspectives on culture, protest movements, and social change. We focus on case studies including the climate justice movement, indigenous people’s movements, anti-racist movements, Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, transnational solidarity and pro-democracy movements. We compare protests in the context of the global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and protests against Corona regulations. Last but not least we critically explore far right and populist right wing political mobilization online and offline.
Knowledge:
The course will provide the students with knowledge of:
- the core sociological research literature within the thematic field of the course, and
- familiarity with the recent literature on Protest, Culture, and Social Change including interdisciplinary research on political participation, and research in cultural sociology, gender and media studies, narrative and discourse studies.
Skills:
Students will have trained their ability to:
- compare and contrast key theoretical perspectives that are central to the thematic field of research within the course
- identify significant international and interdisciplinary developments in research on Protest, Culture, and Social Change.
- apply and critically discuss key theoretical concepts within the thematic field of the course
- review and reflect on the interdisciplinary scientific literature on Protest, Culture, and Social Change acquiring insights into a number of different disciplines and their conceptualization of the themes we discuss as well as their state of the art.
Competences:
Further, students should also be able to
- assess and discuss practical relevance of their analysis for key actors, issues, and problems within and across the methodological and thematic fields addressed by the course.
Competencies:
In carrying out the presentations, projects, and written assignments students demonstrate that they have acquired competencies that allow them to independently
- identify and analyse empirical cases and settings for research on the themes of the course.
Readings include peer-reviewed journal articles, book
chapters, films, literary narratives and digital media
storytelling, newspaper articles and videos. Students are required
to read approximately 600-700 pages.
Students are also expected to choose supplementary reading
materials for their presentations, projects, and written
assignments (approximately 300 pages).
Students are expected to contribute actively to discussion of core theoretical-analytical tools as well as the more specific analytical examples and case studies. In their written assignments, including the final written take-home essay assignment, students are expected to identify their own analytical questions and demonstrate their capacity to critically assess and analyse empirical data based on the examples and case studies we discuss in class.
Students should also expect to review literature and assess empirical data besides the course texts. Aspects of conducting
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 42
- Preparation
- 124
- Project work
- 40
- Total
- 206
Peer feedback (students give each other feedback)
Peer feedback is integrated into the teaching through feedback on the ideas for the analysis of empirical case studies, societal debates and theories discussed in the course.
Self Service at KUnet
Registration deadline for courses is:
June 1st for Autumn semester
December 1st for Spring semester.
When registered you will be signed up for exam.
Sociology Student (from KU):
Registration online at KUnet
International exchange students:
You must sign up by filling in an application form. Find it
at www.sociology.ku.dk.
Credit students:
Find more information
at www.soc.ku.dk under
Uddannelse -> Meritstuderende.
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Written assignment, -
- Type of assessment details
- The students are required to formulate their own exam questions
based on pre-defined guidelines provided by the teacher. Students
will receive the exam guidelines for formulating exam questions
during the ongoing semester. The teacher is required to provide at
least two exemplary exam questions that adhere to the guidelines.
The exam can be written individually or in groups of max. 4 students.
Length of the exam is 10 pages + 5 pages pr. extra group member. - Exam registration requirements
You need to be signed up for the course to attend the exam
- Aid
- All aids allowed
Policy on the Use of Generative AI Software and Large Language Models in Exams
The Department of Sociology prohibits the use of generative AI software and large language models (AI/LLMs), such as ChatGPT, for generating novel and creative content in written exams. However, students may use AI/LLMs to enhance the presentation of their own original work, such as text editing, argument validation, or improving statistical programming code. Students must disclose if and how AI/LLMs have been used in an appendix, which will not count toward the page limit of the exam. This policy is in place to ensure that students’ written exams accurately reflect their own knowledge and understanding of the material.
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
- Exam period
Find more information on your study page at KUnet.
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/
- Re-exam
Students have to write a new essay using the guidelines provided by the teacher
NOTE!
This is an elective course. We can only guarantee that the exam can be taken during the 3 immediate exam periods after the course has ended.
Criteria for exam assesment
Please see the learning outcome.
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- ASOB16201U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- BachelorBachelor choice
- Duration
- 1 semester
- Placement
- Autumn
- Schedule
- See timetable
- Course capacity
- Vejl 40 personer.
Study board
- Department of Sociology, Study Council
Contracting departments
- Department of Sociology
- Department of Anthropology
- Department of Psychology
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Social Sciences
Course Coordinators
- Nicole Doerr (2-746a4679756934717b346a71)
Lecturers
Nicole Doerr, e-mail: nd@soc.ku.dk