BA_Soc_1 Sociology 1

University of Finance and Administration
Winter 2022
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Zuzana Bártová, Dr. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Zuzana Bártová, Dr.
Subdepartment of Management and Marketing – Department of Economics and Management – Departments – University of Finance and Administration
Contact Person: Bc. Kamila Procházková
Timetable of Seminar Groups
BA_Soc_1/cMCPH: each even Wednesday 14:00–14:44 E304, each even Wednesday 14:45–15:30 E304, Z. Bártová
BA_Soc_1/pMCPH: each odd Wednesday 12:15–12:59 E307, each odd Wednesday 13:00–13:45 E307, each odd Wednesday 14:00–14:44 E307, each odd Wednesday 14:45–15:30 E307, except Wed 26. 10. ; and Wed 26. 10. 12:15–13:45 E228, 14:00–15:30 E227, Z. Bártová
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 course is meant as introductory. Its primary objective is to strengthen interest of students in sociology and increase their motivations in the study of modern societies. To meet this objective, the course will provide a broad overview of major theoretical perspectives, theories, and concepts while focusing on their application to everyday life. Discussions on sociologically relevant non-scientific materials (including documentary movies, news and public debates) as well as the results of the most recent cross national comparative research projects will help students to understand the role of culture, values, religion, family, socialization, education, social and cultural capital, social structure and inequality in modern societies. The ultimate goal of the course is to develop student’s own 'sociological imagination'.

After completing this course, students will be able to:
View people’s behavior from a sociological perspective.
Develop students’ own sociological imagination and apply it to current social trends, problems and situations.
Understand main trends in the development of sociology and link them to principal historical changes from traditional to post-modern society.
Identify the most important sociologists and their major contributions to the field.
Understand the three major sociological perspectives (functionalist, conflict, and interactionist) and apply them to the explanation of human behavior.
Understand the role of religion, culture and values in society, and explain socialization process and the role of family, school and other institutions in it.
Understand the nature of social inequality, explain the role of social and distributive justice norms in the legitimization of inequality, describe meritocratic vs. egalitarian ideologies of distributive justice.
Explain the main steps of research process and recognize appropriate research procedures.
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. Sociology and its perspective 2. Development of sociological thinking 3. Theoretical and empirical sociology 4. Sociological research 6. Culture, identity and community 7. Social inequality: class, race and gender 8. Family and intimacy 9. Organizations, institutions, bureaucracy, government, power and politics 10. Institutions, government and power 11. Globalization, social change and social transformation 11. Sociology applied in marketing and marketing communication
Literature
    required literature
  • Mills, C. W., ʽPrivate Troubles, Public Issuesʼ, in Giddens, A. and Sutton, P. W.. (eds.) Sociology: Introductory Readings. Cambridge: Polity Press, pp. 5-8.
  • The Sociology Book - Big ideas simply explained. Dorling Kindrsley, A Penguin Random House Comp. 2015
  • Weber, Max. (2001) The protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. London: Routlege, pp. xxxi-xxxv, 116, 121-124.
  • Elias, N. (2000) The civilizing process. Revised Edition. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, pp. 365-374.
  • Crompton, R. (2011) ʽThe Rise, Fall and Rise of Social Classʼ, in Giddens, A. and Sutton, P. W.. (eds.) Sociology: Introductory Readings. Cambridge: Polity Press, pp. 154-160.
  • Adichie, C. N. Americanah. London: 4th Estate, pp. 220-221, 325-327, 346-347.
  • Goffman, E. (1969) ʽThe characteristics of total institutionsʼ, in Etzioni, A. (ed.) A sociological reader on complex organizations. 2nd edition. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, pp. 3212-338.
    recommended literature
  • International Social Survey Programme: http://www.issp.org/
  • Fulcher, James and John Scott. Sociology. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2011.
  • European Values Study: http://www.europeanvaluesstudy.eu/
    not specified
  • A Sociology Experiment web www.sociologyexperiment.com Section for students
  • Popular Sociology web www.popularsociology.net
Teaching methods
Each topic will be covered by the lecturer’s presentation and followed by the discussion occasionally based on presentations of students’ assignments.
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. Anticipated participation in lectures and discussions is 75%. Students who do not meet this requirement will have to write a supplementary essay at the end of the semester to be allowed to sit the final test. Assignments are obligatory and must be turned in (uploaded to the homework vault) at the due time. Students who do not turn in all assignments will not be graded. Also, there will be a midterm test which is a prerequisite for taking the final test.
Language of instruction
English
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 2023, Winter 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Winter 2022, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.vsfs.cz/course/vsfs/winter2022/BA_Soc_1