RSO-32806 Advanced Social Theory
Course
Credits 6.00
| Teaching method | Contact hours |
| Individual Paper | |
| Lectures | 18 |
| Literature study | |
| Tutorial | 16 |
| Self-study |
| Course coordinator(s) | dr. ir. JP Jongerden |
| Lecturer(s) | dr. ir. CEP Jansen |
| dr. AJAM Schuurman | |
| prof. dr. ir. G Spaargaren | |
| dr. ir. JP Jongerden | |
| dr. S Kloppenburg | |
| Examiner(s) | dr. ir. BB Bock |
Language of instruction:
English
Assumed knowledge on:
RSO-10306 Sociology; ENP-22803 Theories and Themes: Sociology; Social Science Bachelor.
Contents:
This course enables students to select an inspiring theoretical framework for social scientific research. The course consists of lectures and discussion groups on influential approaches and issues in social scientific theorizing. This is an advanced course which is part of the Research Master Variant in the MSc programmes MID (Specializations A and C) and MME (Specialization B).
Learning outcomes:
After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- distinguish and contrast the main arguments in key texts of important approaches in contemporary social scientific theory;
- distinguish and contrast the core themes of important approaches and debates in contemporary social scientific theory;
- assess the differences and similarities between these approaches;
- appraise a particular social scientific work to these approaches and debates;
- assess the opportunities and limitations of these approaches for doing research;
- use concepts and theories of at least two of these approaches to compose research questions for social scientific research.
Activities:
Weekly lectures on fundamental ideas, debates and authors that are related to approaches in social scientific theorizing. Weekly discussion groups in which students actively review and discuss key texts. Students write an assignment in which they show their ability to view a specific social scientific problem from different theoretical perspectives. Furthermore, students read articles, participate in discussions and present a review of a key text.
Examination:
- individual essay (50%);
- written exam with open/and or closed questions (50%).
Both essay and the written exam need at least a 5.50 to pass.
Literature:
C. Calhoun; [et al]. (eds), (2012). Contemporary sociological theory, Malden: Wiley-Blackwell.
Additional readings, which will be made available in class, partly via the BlackBoard site and partly via master copies that the students need to copy themselves (for reasons of copyright).
The master-copies are available at the secretary's office room 3053, Leeuwenborch.