Aims

This course aims to introduce students to:
1. the basic epistemology of the Social Sciences;
2. standard issues in the Social Sciences;
3. the basic paradigms of historical philosophy

Main themes

To meet these objectives, the course will deal with the following themes:
1. epistemological issues within the Social Sciences, such as :
- what sets the Human Sciences apart from the Natural Sciences (debate to explain and understand)
- the debate on individualistic and holistic methodologies (existence of collective entities)
- the issue of ethnocentricity
- the issue of the relationship between layman's knowledge and expert knowledge
2. Standard issues in the Social Sciences such as:
- axiological neutrality and the researcher's involvement in the Social Sciences
- the distinction between traditional theory and critical theory
- the prescriptive foundations of the great theoretical paradigms of actor-network theory and social action theory (utilitarian tradition, Weberian tradition, Hegelian and Marxist tradition)
3.the issue of history: evolutionary theories, dialectic theories, Kantian and Fichtian theories

Content and teaching methods

The lectures are completed by readings of texts.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Evaluation : An oral and written examination

Other credits in programs