TLÜ ÕIS

History of Social Theory

Course code

HIF6213.HT

old course code

HIF6213

Course title in Estonian

Ühiskonnateooriate ajalugu

Course title in English

History of Social Theory

ECTS credits

5.0

Assessment form

Examination

lecturer of 2023/2024 Spring semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

lecturer of 2024/2025 Autumn semester

Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.

Course aims

In its origins in the 19th century, sociology is linked with philosophy, politics, law and economics. The History of Social Theory presents an overview of classical social theory and discussion of some major themes in contemporary social thought.

Brief description of the course

Beginning with thinkers such as Marx, Durkheim and Weber, we will discuss ways in which the advent of industrialization and emergence of capitalism have affected social relations between individuals. Secularization, mass production, urbanization and the growing importance of technology become objects of philosophic interest. For some thinkers, the methodology of the social sciences should be primarily scientific, for others the emphasis rests more on hermeneutic understanding and interpretation. With the advent of the 20th century, social thought has various schools ranging from grand systems to symbolic interactionism, theories of collective identity (race, gender, class, nation) and distinctions between modernity and post-modernity. In the second half of the course, we will examine the rise of mass society in both totalitarian and democratic societies through the writings of Adorno.

Learning outcomes in the course

Upon completing the course the student:
- has an overview of the main social theories and their philosophical context.

Teacher

Triin Kallas

Study programmes containing that course