Contemporary Sociological Theories

Objectives

This course introduces students to mainstream contemporary sociological theories and its main goals are:

1. Study the history of sociological ideas from the early twentieth century until the first decade of the 21st century;

2. Characterize the fundamental assumptions of contemporary sociological perspectives;

3. Analyze the continuities and discontinuities between modern and “postmodern” sociological thought;

4. Understand the new theoretical complexities around the new global paradigm.

Program

Module I

1. Functionalism and Structural-Functionalism

2. Talcott Parsons

2.1. Robert Merton

3. Theory of conflict

3.1. Ralf Dahrendorf

3.2. Charles Tilly

4. Theories of interaction

4.1. Symbolic interactionism: George Mead and Erving Goffman

4.2. Ethnometodology: Harold Garfinkel

5. Critical Theory: School of Frankfurt

5.1. Max Horkheimer

5.2. Theodor W. Adorno

5.3. Walter Benjamin

5.4. Herbert Marcuse

5.5. Jürgen Habermas’ Theory of communicative action

5.6. Axel Honneth’ Theory of recognition

Module II

1. Postmodern social theory

1.1. Jean-François Lyotard

1.2. Jean Baudrillard

2. Michel Foucault’s post-structuralism

3. Pierre Bourdieu’ s structural constructivism

4. Anthony Gidden’s theory of structure

Module III

1. Social Theories of Globalization

1.1. Zygmunt Baumann

1.2. Manuel Castells

1.3. Ulrich Beck

1.4. Alain Touraine

Teaching Methodologies

The teaching activity consists of expositive and practical classes

The following learning activities play a major role:

1. That are on the basis of the expositive classes;

2. Oral presentation and debate of the written essays;

3. To discuss the taught subjects;

4. Analysis of relevant theoretical debates;

5. Personal supervision of the students’ work (two hours in the weekly schedule)

Bibliography

ARON, Raymond, As etapas do pensamento sociológico, Lisboa, D. Quixote, 1991.

CORCUFF, Philippe, As novas sociologias, Sintra, Editora dist., Vral, lda, 1997.

CRAIB, Ian. Modern Social Theory. From Parsons to Habermas. London, Harvester Wheatsheaf.1984.

GIDDENS, Anthony, As Consequências da Modernidade, “Sociologias”, 2ª ed., Oeiras, Celta Editora, 1995 (1990).

GIDDENS, Anthony e J. Turner, Social Theory Today, Cambridge, Polity Press, 1987

MILES, Steven, Social theory in the real world, London, Sage, 2001.

RITZER, George. Modern Sociological Theory. New York, McGraw-Hill Internacional Editions. 1996.

TURNER, Bryan S. (ed.), Teoria Social. Lisboa: Difel 2002.

TURNER, Bryan S. e Anthony Elliott (ed.), Profiles in Contemporary Social Theory, London, Sage, 2001.