Learning objectives

Referring to knowledge 1. Understand the main contributions of contemporary sociological theory, from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. 2. Display a general understanding of contemporary sociological theory and its practical applications. 3. Understand the different theoretical and practical approaches in contemporary sociology.   Referring to abilities, skills 4. Relate the theoretical work of major authors to the different contemporary sociological theories presented during the course. 5. Learn to apply contemporary sociological theories to the analysis of current social problems.

 

 

Teaching blocks

 

1. Introduction to contemporary sociological theory

2. Objectivist theories

3. Subjectivist theories

4. Dual-process theories: systems and subjects

 

 

Teaching methods and general organization

 

The course structure is posted by the teaching staff on the Virtual Campus. Students attend face-to-face lectures and practical sessions, using computers and digital resources, carrying out guided reading, conducting independent study and completing assessed exercises. A range of learning activities is used. Each group carries out the specific activities determined by the lecturer, which may include the following: 1. Face-to-face lectures 2. Guided reading, to include books and articles related to the course content 3. Practical sessions based on the seminar on sociological theory 4. Practical sessions of group work 5. Contributions to the course unit forum on the Virtual Campus and face-to-face or virtual tutorial sessions As for practical sessions: one hour per week is devoted to practical sessions in smaller groups. The group is split and each subgroup attends class every two weeks (on alternate weeks).

 

 

Official assessment of learning outcomes

 

Continuous assessment Students are assessed on a range of activities and exercises to ensure that the necessary learning outcomes are achieved. The lecturers for each group determine the specific assessment criteria to be applied. Continuous assessment includes the following activities: a) Commentaries on sociology texts or books (40% of the final grade) b) Examination(s) (60%) The specific details for each group are made available in the course programme. Students who submit the last continuous assessment exam are evaluated under this procedure. Otherwise, they are entered for single assessment. Repeat assessment: it consists of the same content, procedure and criteria as established for the single assessment option. Therefore, any student who has not previously passed the subject (whether failed or absent) may sit for the repeat assessment.   Examination-based assessment Given the fact that at the University of Barcelona “as a general rule, assessment is continuous” (art. 4.3 of the Regulations for the assessment and marking of learning outcomes), the student’s right to freely opt for single assessment is respected (art. 6.4). The exercise of this right does not entail any “discrimination with respect to continuous assessment in relation to the maximum grade that can be obtained” (art. 6.3). Students who do not wish to be entered for continuous assessment may request the single assessment. The request must be submitted in writing by the deadline stipulated in the course programme. Single assessment consists of a final examination and may also include additional assignments to be submitted by the examination date. Additional assignments are described in detail in the course programme. According to the Criteria and complementary general guidelines for the Faculty of Economics and Business of the Regulations for the assessment and marking of learning outcomes (art. 3.2), “some activities may be required, apart from the final examination, which do not involve attendance (such as, for example, the submission of assignments)”. Repeat assessment: it consists of the same content, procedure and criteria as established for the single assessment option. Therefore, any student who has not previously passed the subject (whether failed or absent) may sit for the repeat assessment.

Reading and study resources

Check availability in Cercabib

Book

HABERMAS, Jürgen. Teoría de la acción comunicativa. Madrid : Trotta, 2010

Two volumes.

Catàleg UB  

BECK, Ulrich. La mirada cosmopolita, o, La guerra es paz. Barcelona: Paidós, 2005

Catàleg UB  

BLUMER, H. El interaccionismo simbólico: perspectivas y método. Barcelona: Hora, 1981

Chapter 2.

Catàleg UB  

BECK, Ulrich. Libertad o capitalismo: conversaciones con Johannes Wilms. Barcelona: Paidós, 2002

Catàleg UB  

BECK, Ulrich; BECK-GERNSHEIM, Elisabeth. El normal caos del amor: las nuevas formas de la relación amorosa. Barcelona: Paidós, 2001

Catàleg UB  

BECK, Ulrich; GIDDENS, Anthony; LASH, Scott. Modernización reflexiva: política, tradición y estética en el orden social moderno. Madrid: Alianza, 1997

Catàleg UB  

BECK-GERNSHEIM, Elisabeth;  BUTLER, Judith; PUIGVERT, Lidia. Mujeres y transformaciones sociales. Esplugues de Llobregat: El Roure, 2001

Catàleg UB  

BERGER, Peter L.; LUCKMANN, Thomas. La construcción social de la realidad. Buenos Aires: Amorrortu, 1968

Catàleg UB  
Catàleg UB. Versió en català (1996)  

BOTTOMORE, Tom (ed.). Diccionario del pensamiento marxista. Madrid: Tecnos, 1984

Catàleg UB  

BOURDIEU, Pierre.  La distinción: criterios y bases sociales del gusto. Madrid: Taurus, 1988

Catàleg UB  

CASTELLS, Manuel. La era de la información: economía, sociedad y cultura. Vol. 1: La sociedad red,. Vol. 2: El poder de la identidad. Vol. 3: Fin de milenio. 3 vol. Madrid: Alianza, 1997-1998

ELSTER, Jon.  Alquimias de la mente: la racionalidad y las emociones. Barcelona : El Roure : Paidós,  2002

GOFFMAN, Erving. Internados: ensayos sobre la situación social de los enfermos mentales. Buenos Aires: Amorrortu, 1970

GOFFMAN, Erving. La presentación de la persona en la vida cotidiana. Buenos Aires: Amorrortu, 1981

HABERMAS, Jürgen. Tiempo de transiciones. Madrid: Trotta, 2004

LUHMANN, Niklas. La ciencia de la sociedad. México: Universidad Iberoamericana: ITESO: Anthropos, 1996

MEAD, George Herbert. Espíritu, persona y sociedad: desde el punto de vista del conductismo social. Barcelona: Paidós, 1982

MERTON, Robert King. Sociología de la ciencia: investigaciones teóricas y empíricas. Madrid: Alianza, 1977

MERTON, Robert King. Teoría y estructura sociales. México D.F.: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2002

PARSONS, Talcott. El sistema social. Madrid: Alianza, 1984

SCHÜTZ, Alfred. La construcción significativa del mundo social: introducción a la sociología comprensiva. Barcelona: Paidós, 1993

TOURAINE, Alain. ¿Podremos vivir juntos?: Iguales y diferentes. Madrid: PPC, 1997

TOURAINE, Alain. Un nuevo paradigma: para comprender el mundo de hoy. Barcelona: Paidos, 2005

TOURAINE, Alain.; WIEVIORKA, Michel; FLECHA, Ramón. Conocimiento e identidad: voces de grupos culturales en la investigación social. Esplugues de Llobregat: El Roure, 2004

ADDAMS, Jane. Veinte años en Hull House. Murcia: Editum, 2014

FOX PIVEN, Frances. Challenging Authority: How Ordinary People Change America. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2006

MILKMAN, Ruth. Immigrant Labor and the New Precariat. Wiley, 2020

HILL-COLLINS, Patricia; BILGE, Sirme. Interseccionalidad. Madrid: Morata, 2019

FLECHA, Ramon (2022). La Sociedad Dialógica. Barcelona: Hipatia Press

Chapter

BOURDIEU, Pierre. Algunas propiedades de los campos. En  Cuestiones de sociología. Madrid: Istmo, 2000, p. 112-119 

Chapter 9.

GIDDENS, Anthony. Elementos de la teoría de la estructuración. En GIDDENS, Anthony, La constitución de la sociedad: bases de la teoría de la estructuración. Buenos Aires: Amorrortu, 1995, p. 39-75.

Chapter 1.

DAVIS, Kingsley; MOORE, Wilbert  E. El continuo debate sobre igualdad. Algunos principios de estratificación.  En BENDIX, Reinhard; LIPSET, Seymour Martin (ed.).  Clases, status y poder. Buenos Aires: Euramérica, 1972-1973, p. 155-160.

PARSONS,, Talcott. El concepto de sociedad: los componentes y sus relaciones recíprocas. En PARSONS, Talcott  La sociedad: perspectivas evolutivas y comparativas. México D.F.: Trillas, 1974, p. 15-49

Electronic text

WRIGHT, Eric Olin. Envisioning real utopias  [en línia]. London: Verso, 2010 Disponible a: <http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/~wright/ERU.htm>