Course/Module Syllabus
Tilte of the course
Code of thr course
Status of the course
ECTS
Lecturer
The goal of the course
Modern and Post-modern Social Theories
Master course for the study programme – European Integration and
Employment Relations
Number of the ECTS credit point - 4; The distribution of the total hours
(100 hours) is the following:
 Lectures –20 hours
 In class work – 10 hours (including 4 hours mid-term exams, 2 midterm exams, 2 hours each)
 Preparing for mid-term exams – 10 hours total (2 mid-term exams,
5hours each)
 Preparing for final exam – 10 hours
 Final exam – 4 hours
 Independent (out class work) – 46 hours
Iago Kachkachishvili, full professor of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State
University
Tel.: +995 32 2250819 (office); 899 56 63 55 (Cell).
E-mail: Iagok@yahoo.com
The goal of the course is to give students knowledge of growing conflict
between modern and postmodern social theorists. Students will aware how
the postmodernist thinking rejects modern approaches as essentialist and
often leading to authoritarian policies. On the other hand course shows how
the modernism goes against postmodern approaches for their rejection of
holistic approaches which facilitate an overall picture of how social wholes
(organizations, communities, nation-states, etc.) are constituted, reproduced
and transformed.
No prerequisites
Prerequisites
Format of the study Lecture, seminar
course
Content of the course
See appendix #1
Assessment
- Attendance - 10%
- Active participation in seminars - 10%
- 2 midterm-exams (based on the tests) - 20%+20%=40%
- Final exam (written) - 40%
Sum: 100%
Obligatory literature
The questions in the tests will have different ‘weight’ and consist of
both – closed and open questions
 Modern Social Theory (Reader), 2003. (In Georgian)


Beck, U., What is Globalisation? ‘Elpi’ publishinh house, Tbilisi,
2003 (In Georgian).
Гидденс, Э. (2003): Устроение общества: очерк теории
структурации. Москва.




Supportive
material
study

Ритцер Дж. (2000): Современные социологические теории. 5-е
издание – СПБ.: Питер,.
Ritzer, George (2000): Classical Sociological Theory, 3rd edition.
McGraw-Hill Company, USA.
Austin Harrington (ed) (2005): Modern Social Theory, Oxford
University Press,
Anthony Elliot (ed.) (1999): Contemporary Social Theory, Blackwell
Publishers.
Kachkachishvili, I. (2008): Social Theory. Tbilisi, ‘Inteleqti’. (In
Georgian).

Learning outcomes
Kachkachishvili, I. (2001): Theories of Social Action, Tbilisi,
‘Metsniereba’. (In Georgian).
 Tevzadze, G, (2001): Sociology of Institutional Changes, CSS,Tbilisi.
 Американская социологическая мысль. Тексты. М.:1994. Издво МГУ.
“Modern and Postmodern Social Theories” will enable students to develop
the following competencies:
 Knowledge of and reflection on modern and postmodern approaches



in social sciences
Competencies of making analysis and conclusions
Communication skills (group work)
General transfer skills (leading discussions, making public
presentations, renewing knowledge, etc.)
By the end of the course students will be able to analyze and identify the
major characteristics of the key theories, have clear understanding of the
subject, critically engage in debates around the topic.
Values: awareness of scholars/analysts’ academic responsibility.
Methods of teaching The following methods will be used to fulfill learning outcomes:
and learning
 Discussion/debates
 Group work
 Problem based learning
 Case analysis
 Brain storming
In the study process, the additional methods will be used by students:
1. Verbal method
2. Method of written work (making notes, designing thesis and
synopsis writing essays, etc.)
Appendix 1
Weeks
Course Content
1
Topic (Lecture/practical work/etc)
Modernity with or versus Post-modernity?
The general features of modern social theories
2
Modernity with or versus Post-modernity?
The general features of post-modern social
theories
Reading Materials
Obligatory literature:
- Smart, Barry (2005): Modernity and Postmodernity: Part I. In: Modern Social Theory
(edited by Austin Harrington), Oxford University
Press; pp: 252-73.
Additional sources:
- Ritzer, George (2000): Classical Sociological
Theory, 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill Company,
USA; pp. 78-83.
- Harvey, David (1999): Postmodernism. In:
Anthony Elliot (ed.) Contemporary Social
Theory, Blackwell Publishers; pp: 303-317.
- Encyclopedia of Postmodernism, edited by
Victor E. Taylor, Routledge, 2001, pp.: 304-07.
Obligatory literature:
-Modern Social Theory (Reader), 2003. (In
Georgian) pp. 1-27.
-Mouzelis, Nicolas: The Poverty of Sociological
Theory. Sociology Vol. 27, #4, November 1993;
-Harvey, David (1999): Postmodernism. In:
Anthony Elliot (ed.) Contemporary Social
Theory, Blackwell Publishers; pp: 303-317.
Additional sources:
 Kachkachishvili, I. (2008): Social Theory.
Tbilisi, ‘Inteleqti’, chapter 7, pp. 194-99.
(In Georgian).

3
Encyclopedia of Postmodernism, edited
by Victor E. Taylor, Routledge, 2001, pp.:
302-04.
Macro-level social theories: the structural- Obligatory literature:
srtucturalist approach of Talcot Parsons and -Парсонс,
Талкот
(2000):
Структура
Robert Merton
Социального Действия. В книге: О Структуре
Социального
Действия,
Москва,
Академический Проект; стр. 52-78.
-Parsons, Talcott (1937): The Stucture of Social
Action: A Study in Social Theory with Special
Reference to a Group of Recent European
Writers. New York: McGraw-Hill; pp. 664-718.
-Парсонс, Талкот (1996): Система Координат
Действия и Общая Теория Систем Действия. В
книге:
Американская
Социологическая
Мысль, Москва, МУБУ; стр. 462-70.
-Parsons, Talcott (1951): The Social System. New
York: Free Press; pp. 5-33.
-Merton, Robert (1963):‘Manifest and latent
functions’. In: R. Merton, Social Theory and
Social Structure. Glencoe: Free Press; pp. 54-73.
-Ritzer, George (2000): Classical Sociological
Theory, 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill Company,
USA.
-Ritzer, George (2000): Classical Sociological
Theory, 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill Company,
USA; pp. 430-45.
Additional sources:
- Kachkachishvili, I. (2008): Social Theory.
Tbilisi, ‘Inteleqti’, chapter 5, pp. 134-52. (In
Georgian).
4
Kachkachishvili, I. (2001): Theories of Social
Action, Tbilisi, ‘Metsniereba’, chapter 3, pp. 6397. (In Georgian).
-Holmwood, John (2005): Functionalism and its
Critics. In: Modern Social Theory (edited by
Austin Harrington), Oxford University Press; pp.
92-8.
Macro-level social theories: Niklas Luhmanns’ Obligatory literature:
theory of Systems
-Луман Н. Теория общества. В кн. Теория
общества, фундаментальные проблемы. М.:
«Канон-пресс Ц» «Кучково поле», 1999 стр.
196-235.
-Луман Н. Что такое коммуникация?
Социологический журнал 1995, №3, стр. 1-9
- Austin Harrington (ed), Modern Social Theory,
Oxford University Press, 2005; პპ. 143-56.
-Ритцер Дж. Современные социологические
теории. 5-е издание – СПБ.: Питер, 2000; гл. 5.
стр. 215-237.
Additional sources:
- Kachkachishvili, I. (2008): Social Theory.
Tbilisi, ‘Inteleqti’, chapter 5, pp. 152-63. (In
Georgian).
5
6
7
8
-Луман Н. Власть. М. Праксис, 2001, стр. 7-34,
151-178.
Micro-level
social
theories:
Symbolic Obligatory literature:
Interactionism (Georg Mead and Herbert -Мид Дж., Разум, самость и общество.Москва,
Blumer)
2002.
-Блумер Г. Общество как символическая
интеракция. В кн. Современная зарубежная
социальная психология. Тексты. Изд-во МГУ.
1984 .с.173-180
-Блумер Г Коллективное поведение. В кн.
Американская
социологическая мысль.
Тексты. М.: Изд-во МГУ с. 168-215
-Ритцер
Джордж.
Современные
социологические теории. 5-ое издание,
«Питер, 2002. გვ. 238- 287
Additional sources:
- Kachkachishvili, I. (2001): Theories of Social
Action, Tbilisi, ‘Metsniereba’, chapter 5, pp. 13972 (In Georgian).
Micro-level social theories: Ethnomethodology Obligatory literature:
(Harold Garfinkel and Erving Goffman)
- Modern Social Theory (Reader), 2003. (In
Georgian) pp. 1-27;
-Гарфинкел
Г.,
Исследование
этнометодологии. М., 2000.
-Гофман И Представление себя другим в
повседневной жизни. Пер. с англ. МоскваКучково поле. 2000ж с. 32-44, 45-111, 112-142,
208-217, 251-282, 283-302.
-Ритцер Дж.. Современные социологические
теории. 5-ое издание, «Питер, 2000, с. 92-95,
287-316.
- Austin Harrington (ed), Modern Social Theory,
Oxford University Press, 2005; с. 110-32.
Mediatory social
theories:
sociology of Pier Burdeu
Additional sources:
-Kachkachishvili, I. (2008): Social Theory. Tbilisi,
‘Inteleqti’, chapter 4, pp. 134-52. (In Georgian).
-Новые направления. в социологической
теории . Пер. с англ. М., Прогресс. 1978. с.
328-375.
First mid-term exam
synthetical Obligatory literature:
-Modern Social Theory (Reader), 2003. (In
Georgian)
-Бурдье П., Социология политики – М.,
სოციო-ლოგოს, 1993. გვ. 5-27, 3342, 5398, 114-159.
-Бурдье П., Поле полтики, поле социальных
наук, поле журналистики., стр.107-138.
-Ритцер Дж., Современные социологические
теории. 5-е издание – СПБ.: Питер, 2000; гл. 5.
стр. 456- 470.
- Austin Harrington (ed), Modern Social Theory,
Oxford University Press, 2005; pp. 107-19.
Additional sources:
- Kachkachishvili, I. (2008): Social Theory.
Tbilisi, ‘Inteleqti’, chapter 6, pp. 165-78. (In
Georgian).
9
-Бурдье П. Социология и демократия. წიგნში
Поэтика и политика. СПБ, Алетейя, 1999. стр.
119-125.
-Бурдье П. Дух государства: генезис и
структура биурократического поля. стр. 125166.
Mediatory social theories: Structuration theory Obligatory literature:
of Antony Giddens
-Modern Social Theory (Reader), 2003. (In
Georgian).
-Э. Гидденс, Устроение общества: очерк
теории структурации., М.,2003, გვ. 38-88.
-Джордж
Ритцер,
Современные
социологические теории. 5-ое издание,СПБ.:
Питер., 2002, გვ. 447-453.
- Austin Harrington (ed), Modern Social Theory,
Oxford University Press, 2005; პპ. 119-31.
10
Additional sources:
-Kachkachishvili, I. (2008): Social Theory. Tbilisi,
‘Inteleqti’, chapter 6, pp. 178-94. (In Georgian).
- Kachkachishvili, I. (2001): Theories of Social
Action, Tbilisi, ‘Metsniereba’, chapter 6, pp. 172207. (In Georgian).
At the beginning of post-modern social theory Obligatory literature:
- J-F Lyotard.
-Lyotard, J-F. (1984). The postmodern condition:
A report on knowledge (trans. G. Bennington
and B. Massumi). Minneapolis: University of
Minnesota Press;
Additional sources:
-Elliot, Anthony
(1999):
Introduction,
in:
Anthony Elliot (ed.) Contemporary Social
Theory, Blackwell Publishers. Pp. 1- 33.
-Encyclopedia of Postmodernism, edited by
Victor E. Taylor, Routledge, 2001, pp.: 233-35;
-Kachkachishvili, I. (2008): Social Theory. Tbilisi,
‘Inteleqti’, chapter 7, pp. 194-99; 205-15. (In
Georgian).
11
12
13
14
Michel Foucault: discourse and power
Jean Baudrillard:
simulation
Obligatory literature:
-Foucault, M. (2004): The Order of Things,
Tbilisi, Diogene: chapters 3,7, 10; pp..: 81-116;
306-65; 411-61. (In Georgian).
-Фуко М., Интелектуалы и власть. Часть I. М.:
Праксис, 2002, стр. 66-81, 148-152, 161-93, 201210, 220-249, 278-319.
-Foucault, Michel (1999): The Means of Correct
Training, in: Anthony Elliot (ed.), Contemporary
Social Theory, Blackwell Publishers; pp. 97-107.
-Foucault, Michel (1994): Genealogy and social
criticism, in: The Postmodern Turn (ed. By
Steven Seidman), Cambridge University press;
pp. 39-46.
Additional sources:
-Encyclopedia of Postmodernism, edited by
Victor E. Taylor, Routledge, 2001, pp.: 133-35;
Second mid-term exam
hipper-reality as a Obligatory literature:
-Baudrillard, Jean (1999): The Precession of
Simulacra, in: Anthony Elliot (ed.) Contemporary
Social Theory, Blackwell Publishers; pp.: 303-17.
-Бодрийяр, Жан, «Символический обмен и
смерть», გვ. 27-82;
Zygmunt
Bauman:
post-modernism
legitimation of ambivalence
Additional sources:
-Smart,
Barry
(2005):
Modernity
and
Postmodernity: Part II.
In: Modern Social
Theory (edited by Austin Harrington), Oxford
University Press; pp.: 273-92.
-Encyclopedia of Postmodernism, edited by
Victor E. Taylor, Routledge, 2001, pp.: 29-30;
as Obligatory literature:
-Bauman, Zygmunt (1999): Postmodernity, or
Living with Ambivalence, in: Anthony Elliot
(ed.) Contemporary Social Theory, Blackwell
Publishers; pp.: 363-77.
-Bauman, Zygmunt (1994): is there a postmodern
sociology? in: The Postmodern Turn (ed. By
Steven Seidman), Cambridge University press;
pp. 187-205.
15
Jacques Derrida and post-structuralism
Additional sources:
-Encyclopedia of Postmodernism, edited by
Victor E. Taylor, Routledge, 2001, pp.: 30-31
Obligatory literature:
-Derrida, Jacques (1997): Of Grammatology,
Johns Hopkins University Press. Part 1; pp.: 1-87
Additional sources:
-Ashenden, Samantha (2005): Structuralism and
Post-structuralism, in:
In: Modern Social
Theory (edited by Austin Harrington), Oxford
University Press; pp: 215-33.
-Encyclopedia of Postmodernism, edited by
Victor E. Taylor, Routledge, 2001, pp.: 308-11.
Final exam follows