Contemporary Sociological Theories - 2nd semester
Code
711081076
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Sociologia
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
João Sedas Nunes, José Manuel Resende
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 rigorous and meaningful ways the fundamentals of contemporary sociological theories.
Prerequisites
Not applicable
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
a) Lectures (covering 55% of all classes); these aim at the presentation, discussion and clarification of the theoretical contents of the curricular unit.
b) practical classes (45%): dedicated to assess students adquired competencies either through tests or small \"practical\" papers, concerning parts or the course´s subjects totality.
In class teaching.
Evaluation method
a) Written test focusing on all of the course´s contents, worthing 40% of the final grade; b) two intermediate tests ( that may be replaced or supplemented by \"practical\" papers), each to be worth 30% of final grade.