Sociologie II

6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1022121BNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester

2nd semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Enrollment Requirements

Studenten die dit opleidingsonderdeel opnemen, moeten geslaagd zijn voor 'Sociologie I' en geslaagd zijn voor minstens 30 ECTS-credits op bachelorniveau. Studenten in een schakel-, voorbereidingsprogramma of master kunnen dit opleidingsonderdeel opnemen.

Taught in

Dutch

Partnership Agreement

Under agreement for exchange of courses

Faculty

Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool

Department

Sociology

Educational team

Bram Spruyt (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

39 contact hours Lecture
111 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

This course relates to Sociology I and deals with the sociological interpretation of modern history and goes more profoundly and critically into modernisation theory.

The relation between organization and modernization is studied. Further, two characteristics of contemporary Western society are considered in more detail. Firstly, the relation between the form of the settings of interaction such as the family on the one hand and a number of institutions and cultural traits such as the nature of parental authority, the romantic marriage and the significance of children on the other are analysed in more detail. In this way, the combined action between social structure and culture is introduced. Secondly, the modern types of organisation are highlighted. In this way, an insight is provided into the rationalisation trends and the reactions which are marked out against it. In the third part of the course, the question as to whether the modernisation process has been completed or closed and a post-modern period has set in is elaborated. This question is approached from two perspectives. First of all, it is researched whether developments and trends which are characteristic of modernity are no longer valid and/or have been replaced by new trends. Secondly, it is analysed whether the self-interpretation of society has changed, particularly with regard to phenomena such as rationality and individualism. Throughout the course special attention is devoted to two elements: (1) to approach critically macro-level indicators that are commonly used in comparative sociological research and (2) the contemporary challenges of modernity in general and capitalism in particular.

Course material

Handbook (Required) : Sociologie, Een inleiding, Elcharuds, M., Spruyt, B. & Vanroelen, C., 2de editie, Amsterdam: Pearson, 9789043038508, 2021

Additional info

Additional course material:

Class notes and slides
Video: Lessons of the Holocaust by Zygmunt Bauman
A selection of chapters (provided via Canvas) from:
- Wallerstein, I., Collins, R., Mann, M., Derluguian, G. & Calhoun, C. (2013) Does capitalism has a future? New York: Oxford University Press.
- Brown, P., Lauder, H. & Ashton, D. (2011) The global auction. The broken promises of education, jobs and income. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Streeck, W. (2016) How will capitalism end. London: Verso

Learning Outcomes

General Competences

At the end of this course the student should be able to:

explain with examples how modernization on the one hand caused progress, prosperity and welfare and on the other hand continues to generate new societal challenges.
explain key concepts of modernization theory (e.g., differentiation, bureaucratization, social control,…), illustrate them with an example and describe their place in the process of modernization.
explain the meaning and place of ‘modern nostalgia’ and explain its relationship with key processes of modernization.
explain the concepts ‘postmodernity’ and ‘postmodernism’ and use them in an original sociological diagnose of current Western societies.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Written Exam with a relative weight of 100 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Examples of exam questions are provided via Canvas.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context