Contemporary Sociological Themes
Code
711081061
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Sociologia
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Maria Margarida Marques, Paula Reis Duarte
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
1. Knowledge and understanding of the main contemporary sociological theories;
2. Ability to identify theoretical perspectives of contemporary sociology in substantive theoretical propositions;
3. Ability to critically compare the potentials and gaps of different theoretical perspectives;
4. Ability to mobilize adequate theoretical perspectives according to specific problems and empirical objects;
5. Ability to identify and control the incorporation, selection and bias effects of contemporary theoretical perspectives on research objects;
6. Ability to communicate in an accurate and meaningful way the fundamentals of contemporary sociological theories.
Prerequisites
Students should have previously completed 48 credit units ECTS before enrolling in TSC, having studied:
Sociologia Geral: Fundamentos,
Sociologia Geral: Teorias,
Teoria e Metodologia das Ciências Sociais,
Métodos e Técnicas de Investigação Compreensiva, e
Métodos e Técnicas de Investigação: Amostragem e Inquérito
Subject matter
1. Structuralist and functionalist perspectives
T. Parsons structural-functionalism and R. K. Merton´s functionalism
Interdependence and historicity in N. Elias
Power and social order in M. Foucault
2. Interactionist perspectives
H. Garfinkels ethnomethodology
E. Goffmans frames of experience
Phenomenological constructivism: A. Schutz, H.S. Becker and P. Berger and T. Luckmann
3. Theoretical synthesis
The structural-constructivism of P. Bourdieu
The structuration theory of A. Giddens
4. Recent developments
4.1. Multiple, plural and reflexive actors: J. Elster, F. Dubet and B. Lahire
4.2. New uses of the notion of critique: from the pragmatic sociology of L. Boltanski and L. Thévenot to the
struggle for recognition in A. Honneth
4.3. Debating society and modernity
The risk society of U. Beck
Liquid modernity in Z. Bauman
The singuralist society of D. Martucelli
The relevance of the sociological concept of society: a final debate with A. Elliott and B. S. Turner.
Bibliography
Giddens, A. & Turner, J (1987). Social theory today. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Elliott, A. (2009). Contemporary social theory: An introduction. London & New York: Routledge.
Lahire, B. (2005). L´esprit sociologique. Paris: La Découverte.
Mattos, P. (2006). A sociologia política do reconhecimento. As contribuições de Charles Taylor, Axel Honneth e Nancy Fraser. São Paulo: Annablume.
Nachi, M. (2009). Introduction à la sociologie pragmatique. Paris: Armand Colin.
Turner, B.S. (ed.) (2002). Teoria social. Lisboa: Difel.
Teaching method
Teaching methods:
Lectures or theoretical classes (60%); practical classes (40%). Practical classes will be dedicated to the preparation, presentation and group discussion of sociological essays; using compared / alternative sociological perspectives; and regarding objects previously selected by the professors. Practical classes also imply a personalized monitoring of the students work.
Evaluation method
The evaluation is based on three components: a written essay (15 pp.) (worth 30% of the final grade), b) and its presentation and discussion (25%); c) a written test focusing on the whole theoretical content of the discipline (45%).