B_SPSS Sociological Issues of Contemporary World

University of Finance and Administration
Summer 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
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
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
The objective of the course is to describe the principles of traditional, modern, postmodern and global society in the context of sociological theories. The student should be able to analyse a sociological discourse about a character of a postmodern society and he/she should learn to interpret chosen sociological conceptions of contemporary time in the conditions of the accelerated global processes. Moreover, the student should know the globalization of economic, political and cultural processes; especially the social consequences of these processes. The student should be properly informed about the alternatives of the ‘open’ world, hope and opportunity of the global period of the society and should be able to identify global risks from environmental, political and social points of view. The course provides the interpretation of the work of Z. Baumann and his conception of ‘liquid modernity’ as an alternative of the form of the global society. The student should analyse the problem of increasing individualisation and uncertainty in the society, point out signals of the new forms of global lifestyles and to discuss the questions of commercialization of day-to-day living in the conditions of welfare society. In addition to, the objective of the course is also to put an emphasis on the importance of the social effects of marketing communications as an intervention factor in a social area. Finally, the student should be able to introduce and explain the phenomenon of a human happiness in the welfare society and a participation of marketing communications on the imaginations about happiness and a choice of the individual strategies of its achievement.
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. The current sociological discourse about a character of the postmodern society (from traditional to global society). Principles of the traditional, modern, postmodern and global society – What society do we live in?
  • 2. Theory of modernity. Organized modernity and the term of ‘an organized person’.
  • 3. Theory of modernization. Specification of the first and the second wave of modernization theories, emancipation theory of the modernization and identification of social, political and economic consequences of modernity.
  • 4. Disputes over the character of globalization. The terms – globalization, globalism. Liberal and socio-critical point of view of the process of globalization. The first and second phase of globalization. ‘The winners’ and ‘the losers’ of globalization.
  • 5. Globalisation of economics. Deregulation, privatization, liberalization of economics and its connections to the society. Economics without borders, politics without power etc.
  • 6. Globalisation and a social state. Typology of social states, increasing of social risks, consequences of the changes of a character of work, prekarization of work, problems of employability in the modern society, flexibility of work and its consequences.
  • 7. Globalisation of politics. European integration, particularism, universalism, social movements, problems of present nationalism, ethnic a racial issues, multiculturalism and the policy of identities.
  • 8. Globalization of culture. New cultural phenomenon (hybridity and creolization), carnival society, new global lifestyles, commercialisation of day-to-day living, hedonism.
  • 9. Theory of liquid modernity by Z. Bauman.
  • 10. Living in the period of liquid modernity. From mentality of a game warden, a gardener to mentality of a hunter, the changes of life trajectories of man.
  • 11. The life as an artistic work. Art of self-identification and the construction of identity in period of ‘hunters and players’ society.
  • 12. Living in the period of welfare society. The syndrome of a big wolf and looking for happiness in welfare society. Phenomenon of human happiness and a choice of individual strategies for its achievement.
Literature
    required literature
  • 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.
  • Roubal, O. Sociologie a pozdně moderní společnost. Praha: VŠFS-EUPRESS, 2014. ISBN 978-80-7408-087-6
  • ROUBAL, Ondřej. THE DUALITY OF HEDONISM IN THE AMBIVALENT WORLD OF POLARITIES. European Journal of Science and Theology, Iasi (Romania): Technical University of Iasi, 2019, roč. 15, č. 1, s. 203-213. ISSN 1841-0464.
  • Roubal, Ondřej, Zich, František. Marketingová sociologie. Marketingové komunikace a moderní společnost. Praha: EUPRESS, 2015, 121 s.
  • Keller, J.: Tři sociální světy. Praha: Slon, 2010
    recommended literature
  • Bauman, Z.: Tekuté časy-život ve věku nejistoty. Praha: Academia, 2008
  • Bauman, Z.: Tekutá modernita Mladá fronta, Praha, 2002
  • Keller, J. (2007): Teorie modernizace. Slon: Praha.
  • Bělohradský, V.: Společnost nevolnosti, Slon, Praha, 2009
  • Fukuyama, F.: Velký rozvrat. Praha: Academia, 2006.
  • Bauman, Z. : Umění života. Praha: Academia, 2010
  • Beck,U: Riziková společnost, Sociologické nakladatelství, Praha 2004
  • Anýžová, Petra, Petr Hampl, Dana Hamplová, Marek Loužek, Petr Matějů, Michael L. Smith, Simona Weidnerová: Moc krásy: Pomáhá krása a atraktivita k životnímu úspěchu? Praha: Karolinum, 2017.
  • KOMÁREK, S.: Evropa na rozcestí. Prague: Academia, 2015
Teaching methods
Lectures and seminars in full-time study; tutorials in part-time study (giving instructions for an individual preparation and self-study based on the required and recommended reading); compulsory seminar participation is 75% in full-time study, compulsory tutorial participation is 50% in part-time study.
Assessment methods
The course is completed by the fulfilling of requirements. Students gain credits for a successful defence of the seminar paper. The defence includes a critical discussion and peer evaluation. Presentation of the seminar paper takes about 25 – 30minutes. One of the following topics should be chosen: a) secondary analysis of the current sociological research concerning the issues of the knowledge of human well-being or b) an identification of unintended effects of marketing statements.
Language of instruction
Czech
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 Summer 2008, Winter 2008, Winter 2009, Winter 2010, Summer 2011, Winter 2011, summer 2012, Summer 2013, Summer 2014, Summer 2015, Summer 2016, Summer 2017, Summer 2018, Summer 2019, Summer 2020, Summer 2021, Summer 2022, Summer 2023, Summer 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.vsfs.cz/course/vsfs/summer2025/B_SPSS