B_Soc_1 Sociology 1

University of Finance and Administration
Winter 2024
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Ondřej Roubal, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Ondřej Roubal, Ph.D.
Subdepartment of Social Sciences – Department of Social Sciences – Departments – University of Finance and Administration
Contact Person: Dita Egertová
Timetable of Seminar Groups
B_Soc_1/cMPH: each even Wednesday 10:30–11:14 E306, each even Wednesday 11:15–12:00 E306, O. Roubal
B_Soc_1/pMPH: Wed 8:45–9:29 E007KC, Wed 9:30–10:15 E007KC, O. Roubal
Prerequisites
There are no pre-requisites for this course.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
This study programme aims at leading students to forsake a laic (everyday) view on social reality and at directing them towards better informed, more qualified and more objective (scientific) levels of learning about society. Our goal is to present sociology as „the art of distrust“, to develop critical thinking, sociological imagination, empathy and intuition for social reality. Sociology 1 is the subject of a profiling foundation, oriented to the concepts of sociological thinking and the ability to apply the method of sociological imagination in assessing various facts of social reality. Students will learn about the relationship between scientific and lay knowledge of reality, scientific methods, and the subjectivity of knowledge in the form of prejudices and stereotypes. Attention will be focused on specific examples of stereotypes in the media space, specifically in contemporary advertising campaigns. After a brief introduction to the historical development of sociological thought and the nature of industrial modernity, students will be confronted with conceptions of late modern society. Primary emphasis will be placed on issues of transformations in lifestyle, values, identity, or the role of technologization, digitalization, and automation of the world on human and social life. Students will be motivated to think critically, creatively and courageously in making and defending their own presentations. They will also be motivated to use a combination of anthropological, evolutionary psychological, sociological and media knowledge to understand specific marketing and communication strategies. The course design aims to develop the graduate's profile as an educated practitioner. Translated with DeepL.com (free version) After the course students will be able:
1. To judge social reality phenomena from the critical perspective of someone who has studied sociology and thus who has pre-requisites to develop sociological imagination;
2. To understand basic sociological concepts, to know basic theoretical approaches and emphirical methods of learning about social reality;
3. To get oriented in and be sufficiently instructed about the discourse of the nature of problems of a society of later modernity;
4. To apply sociological studies in marketing practice.
Learning outcomes
Basic theoretical knowledge, orientation in problems and context of monitored topics. At the same time, the practical skills and skills of applying the acquired knowledge in a real environment of professional activities. The learning outcomes are the support and development of the profile of the educated practitioner.
Syllabus
  • 1. Scientific and lay knowledge of social reality. Common sense and science. Limits of subjective knowledge and schematic thinking. Stereotypes, prejudices, self-stereotypes, heterostereotypes in marketing communication. 2. Practical functions of sociological knowledge and methods of sociological imagination. Sociological thinking as the "art of disbelief". Critical thinking in the information society. Paradigmatic structure in sociology. 3. History of sociological thought. Classical sociology. Industrial modernity and postmodern society. Hypermodern society. Risk society, liquid modernity. Black swans and resilience in an era of uncertainty. Identity, values ​​and lifestyle in a consumer society. 4. Foundations of human society I. Man, society and nature. Man as a biological creature. Application of evolutionary psychological, biological and neurological knowledge in marketing communication. Differences in male and female consumer populations from a biological deterministic perspective. 5. Foundations of human society II. Man, society and culture. Man as a social creature. Values, norms and social construction in marketing communication. Differences in male and female consumer populations from a social determinism perspective. 6. Social structure of society, stratification systems of society, social inequalities. Economic, symbolic, social, cultural and erotic capital. 7. Economic globalization. Wealth and poverty. The dynamics of consumer culture and the transformation of values. Prestige consumption and hedonism. Voluntary and involuntary modesty. Alternative hedonism. Living minimalism and new forms of consumption. 8. Sociology of organization and social groups. Lifestyle, identity and subcultures. 9. New technologies, social media and digital communities. Digital anthropology, sociology of virtual communities and cyberculture. 10. Sociology of politics. Politics, authority, power and influence. Media and public opinion. 11. Privatized society and the crisis of social capital. Individualization, hyper-segmentation and personalization. Identification of ideas of privatism in marketing communication. 12. Consumer society, consumption hypertrophy, hedonism. Material well-being, human happiness and the growth paradox. The symbolic essence of shopping. Responsible consumption and climate change.
Literature
    required literature
  • ROUBAL, Ondřej. Consumer Culture and Abundance of Choices: Having More, Feeling Blue. In Umut Ayman. A New Era of Consumer Behavior - In and Beyond the Pandemic. UK, London: IntechOpen, 2023, s. 3-21. IntechOpen Series. Business, Management and Economics
  • MAIELLO, Giuseppe a Ondřej ROUBAL. Média a kultura. Od primární orální kultury ke konstrukci kyber-prostorových identit v éře digitální komunikace. 1. vyd. Praha: VŠFS, 2020. 126 s. EUpress. ISBN 978-80-7408-179-8.
  • ROUBAL, Ondřej. Sociologie a pozdně moderní společnost. 1. vydání. Praha: Vysoká škola finanční a správní, 2014, s. 58. Edice EUPRESS. ISBN 978-80-7408-087-6
  • Koukolík, F. Břevno v oku. Lidé v roce 2022. Praha: Karolinum, 2022.
  • ROUBAL, O., F. ZICH. Marketingová sociologie. Marketingová komunikace a moderní společnost. Praha: Vysoká škola finanční a správní, 2014, s. 98. Edice EUPRESS. ISBN 978-80-7408-102-6
    recommended literature
  • ZICH, František. Úvod do sociologie. Praha: VŠFS, 2003. 105 s. ISBN 80-86754-06-5.
  • ROUBAL, O., P. MATĚJŮ. Pracovitost a požitkářství – spolu, nebo proti sobě? In. ZICH, F., P. ANÝŽOVÁ a kol. Konfrontace hodnot v pozdní modernitě. Česko a Hlučínsko v evropském kontextu. Praha: SLON, 2016, s. 205-227. ISBN 978-80-7419- 241-8 (50 %)
  • Giddens, A. Sociologie. Praha: Argo, 2013
  • ROUBAL, Ondřej. Média ve službách diktatury strachu. In https://blog.aktualne.cz/blogy/jan-hnizdil.php. Aktuálně.cz, 2020. s. 1. https://blog.aktualne.cz/blogy/jan-hnizdil.php.
  • ROUBAL, O., F. ZNEBEJÁNEK. Teorie modernity a modernizace. In Kubátová, H. a kol. Mezigenerační proměny způsobu života na Hlučínsku. Praha: SLON, 2015, s. 63-74. ISBN 978-80-7419-190-9.
  • Ridley, M.: Červená královna. Sexualita a vývoj lidské přirozenosti. Praha: Portál, 2007.
  • ROUBAL, Ondřej. Maximalisté vs. uspokojovači aneb proč méně může být více. Marketing & Komunikace. Praha: Česká marketingová společnost, 2019, XXVIV, č. 1, s. 12-13. ISSN 1211-5622.
  • ROUBAL, Ondřej. THE ETHICAL CONSUMER AND THE RELIGIOUS NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL THINKING. European Journal of Science and Theology. Iasi (Romania): Acad Organisation Environmental Engineering & Sustainable Development, 2022, roč. 18, č. 1, s. 113-124. ISS
Teaching methods
Lectures in a daily form of study, tutorials in a combined form of study. Thematic lectures and instructions for individual preparation and self-study on the basis of compulsory and recommeded literature. Compulsory tutorial participation is 50%.
Assessment methods
The prerequisite for obtaining credit is the presentation of a selected sociological topic / problem, using adequate professional resources. The presentation should be within 20 minutes. Presentation of the selected sociological problem takes the form of a defense followed by a critical discussion of opponents from among students. The course is completed with a written test consisting of 20 questions in total - answering minimally 15 questions (15 points) correctly, this means mastering 75% of test questions, is a pre-requisite for successful completion of an exam test. 15 points – E, 16 points / D, 17 points – C, 18 points – B; 19 – 20 points A.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 12 hodin KS/semestr.
The course is also listed under the following terms Winter 2019, Winter 2020, Winter 2021, Winter 2022, Winter 2023.
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