SSC 211 Modern Sociology

Content

Modern Sociology builds on the subjects, concepts and theories that have been studied in the Introduction to Sociology course (SSC 111.) The course on Modern Sociology focuses on the work of sociologists that have gained widespread reputation during the second half of the 20th century. Their work has lead to new, seminal sociological insights. The number of renowned modern sociologists is too large to treat them all. Constraints of time and workload force us to make some difficult choices. Students who want to become better acquainted with the latest developments in sociological theory are advised to do some 300 level courses in sociology after finishing SSC 211.

The main objective of course 211 is introducing students to a variety of important sociological perspectives as they are presented and further developed by the following icons of sociology: Peter Berger, Pierre Bourdieu, James Coleman, Mary Douglas, Norbert Elias, Michel Foucault, Erving Goffman, and Jürgen Habermas. Students should acquire a good understanding of the way in which these modern sociologists have expanded the work of their predecessors and grasp why some of them reject some of the major assumptions, theories or approaches of the founding fathers. This should enhance the development of a critical attitude towards important sociological theories and major perspectives on methods and epistemology. As Bourdieu said, students should learn to think with and against these great thinkers
A third educational objective is the development of a personal view on the work of these modern masters of social science so that students are able to apply their theories to concrete social phenomena and social situations, and are able to expand on the work of the theorists studied in this course.
But it is even more important that students acquire the knowledge and skills to use the work of these theorists and researchers in a valid sociological way and learn to apply their insights convincingly in their own individual essays and (small scale) research projects.  

Instructor

Prof. Dr. Mart-Jan de Jong

Track

Sociology

Period

Fall / 2012

Additional Prerequisites

This course can be followed by all students who have taken a relevant 100-level course in the Social Sciences, for instance in anthropology, politics, law, history (all but economics and psychology) or who’ve taken social psychology.

Required for

This course is an alternative requirement for the following courses:

• SSC 311 New Issues in Contemporary Sociology
• SSC 331 Faces of the State: A View from Anthropology
• SSC 332 The Dynamics of Globalization
• SSC 334 Advanced Cultural Studies