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Theories and concepts in sociology [ LPOLS1234 ]


4.0 crédits ECTS  30.0 h  

Teacher(s) Van Campenhoudt Luc ;
Language French
Place
of the course
Louvain-la-Neuve
Main themes This course will approach the most familiar issues in Sociology and Anthropology from the point of view of action analysis. Particular attention is given to the following topics: 1. action within interpersonal interaction - social construction of space (frontstage, backstage, barriers) - social construction of time (time lived, temporal metrics, speaking turns, etc.) - role adoption and self-presentation - meetings, shared knowledge, context 2. Group action: - birth, sexuality, kinship, marriage, death - socialisation: learning the rules, habitus, relationship between culture and personality etc. - Organisational theories: strategies, power (legitimacy and processes), identity (professional, family, etc.), regulation - Technical mediation - conformity, deviance, stigmatism 3. Social action: - social structures: classes, social status, social stratification - technical relations to nature and division of labour - Theories of economic exchange: gifts, markets, distribution, exploitation, embedding - Theories of the state (stateless societies, forms of legitimacy, elitism, pluralism, etc.) - Theories of culture and religion (myths, totemism, standard sociological theories of the phenomenon of religion, etc.) - social change: class struggles, social movements - theories of history (evolutionism, diffusionism, historical particularism, etc.) 4. Epistemology: - the debate on explaining vs. understanding (broad outline) - the defining features of Sociology and Anthropology as compared to other disciplines - sociological and anthropological paradigms
Aims Whereas the first year BAC 1 course introduces students to Sociology and Anthropology through social issues typical of modern societies, this second year BAC 2 course aims instead to give students theoretical and conceptual skills (at a mid-level of abstraction and systematicity) in both disciplines. In particular, students are expected to develop: - an understanding of the major theoretical issues in Sociology and Anthropology: power, culture, economics, social integration, socialisation, change etc - an ability to analyse social action on a number of (micro, meso, macrosociological) levels - a basic ability to place the concepts within a wider range of possible theories.
Content There will be emphasis on learning the basic concepts within the sociological and anthropological tradition. The course teacher will: 1. widen students' understanding of socio-anthropological culture by giving non-Western and non-modern examples, and encouraging them thus to adopt a comparative approach 2. show that sociological and anthropological approaches offer multiple explanations 3. demonstrate a simple approach to tackling epistemological questions, the methodologies being the subject of specific courses in BAC 2 and the metatheoretical debate of a specific course in BAC 3. 4. introduce basic concepts used in Anthropology within a sociological perspective, without encroaching on the contents of the specific Cultural Anthropology course given in BAC 2 At least one ECTS will be devoted to theoretical text reading related to the subjects studied in the course.
Other information Course entry requirements: Students should have taken Sociology and Anthropology I Evaluation: The course will be examined through an oral examination.
Cycle et année
d'étude
> Master [120] in Information and Communication Science and Technology
> Bachelor in Psychology and Education: General
> Bachelor in Ancient and Modern Languages and Literatures
> Bachelor in Information and Communication
> Bachelor in Philosophy
> Bachelor in Law
> Bachelor in Engineering : Architecture
> Bachelor in Ancient languages and Literatures : Classics
> Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures: German, Dutch and English
> Bachelor in Computer Science
> Bachelor in French and Romance Languages and Literatures : General
> Bachelor in Economics and Management
> Bachelor in Motor skills : General
> Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures : General
> Bachelor in History of Art and Archaeology : General
> Bachelor in Ancient Languages and Literatures: Oriental Studies
> Bachelor in Mathematics
> Bachelor in History
> Bachelor in Biomedicine
> Bachelor in Engineering
> Bachelor in Pharmacy
> Bachelor in Religious Studies
> Bachelor in Human and Social Sciences
> Bachelor in Political Sciences: General
> Preparatory year for Master in Sociology
> Bachelor in Sociology and Anthropology
Faculty or entity
in charge
> ESPO


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