The University of Latvia
Program of academic studies in sociology in pursuit of an
PhD degree in the social sciences (sociology)
(Program Code: 51313)
(4 semesters)
Rīga
March 2001
Program director: Tālis Tisenkopfs
Associate professor, Corresponding member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences
The Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Latvia
Department of Sociology
Lomonosova iela 1, Rīga LV-1019
Telephone: +371-708-9860
E-mail: social@latnet.lv
1
CONTENT
A doctorate (PhD) program in sociology ........................................................................................ 3
PROGRAM ANNOTATION ......................................................................................................... 3
Areas of studies ............................................................................................................................... 3
Admission to the doctoral studies program..................................................................................... 4
The content of the doctoral program in sociology .......................................................................... 4
The content of the doctoral program in sociology .......................................................................... 5
Cooperation partners ....................................................................................................................... 6
Supervision of doctoral studies ....................................................................................................... 6
The doctoral thesis .......................................................................................................................... 6
Defending the thesis ........................................................................................................................ 6
Doctoral exams ............................................................................................................................... 7
The doctoral exam in the theory and history of sociology .............................................................. 7
Recommended literature (see attached list) .................................................................................. 10
2
A doctorate (PhD) program in sociology
Faculty
Program director
Degree to be awarded
Diploma
Areas of science in which
the degree is awarded
Requirements for
admission
Duration of studies
Requirements for the
degree
Faculty of Social Sciences
Assoc. Prof. Tālis Tisenkopfs, corresponding member,
Latvian Academy of Sciences, telephone 728-4488
Doctorate in sociology (Dr.soc., Dr.sc.soc.)
Doctorate diploma in sociology (Dr.soc., Dr.sc.soc.)
Sociology, communications studies
An M.soc or M.sc.soc. degree in sociology,
communications studies or social anthropology, or an
equivalent education
Three years full time or four years part time (the studies
may take up to five years)
All requirements of the study program must be met, and the
student must collect 144 credits, writing and defending a
Ph.D. thesis
Program annotation
The goal of the program is to train highly qualified scientific workers and educators in
the fields of sociology and communications studies. The studies take place at the Faculty of
History and Philosophy (the Faculty of Social Sciences) of the University of Latvia and at
institutes that are associated with the university. Doctorate studies and research take place in the
following sub-sectors of sociology and communications studies, as affirmed by the Latvian
Science Council, as well as in the directions of research and studies in which professors from the
Department of Sociology of the University of Latvia work.
Areas of studies
Sub-sectors in sociology and communications
studies
The theory and history of sociology
Applied sociology
Social anthropology
Social policy and organization of social work
Sociology of culture and mass communications
Rural sociology
Sociology of organizations and public
administration
Sociology of politics
Mass communications theory
Research and study directions (in relation to the
work of professors)
Human development
Regional development
Urban environment development
European integration
Professors and docents
Tālis Tisenkopfs*, Aivars Tabuns*
Aivars Tabuns*
Aivita Putniņa, PhD
Brigita Zepa, Tālis Tisenkopfs
Brigita Zepa*, Inta Brikše
Tālis Tisenkopfs*, Aija Zobena*,
Ilkka Alanen*
Aivars Tabuns, Tālis Tisenkopfs,
Brigita Zepa*
Inta Brikše
3
Sociology of economics
Integration of society
Sociology of youth and educational policy
Stratification of society
Research into communities and the civil society
National identity
Sociology of education and knowledge
Doctoral students may also choose other areas of
study
* Scientists who have been approved as experts by the Latvian Science Council in the relevant
sub-sector of sociology
Admission to the doctoral studies program
Students are admitted to the doctoral studies program on a competitive basis, and the
process is organized by the Doctorate Division of the University of Latvia. Financing is
provided by the state or by companies or individuals. The number of seats in the program that
are available through state financing is determined by the Science Council of the University of
Latvia.
Documents for the competition and applications for the program are accepted by the
Doctorate Division of the University of Latvia (usually between August 25 and September 25).
Applicants must submit a proposal for scientific research which states the intended
subject of their doctoral thesis, as well as the sub-sector of science which has been selected. The
goal and methodology for doctoral research must be set out. The applicant must also describe
previous experience in the area of study which has been selected.
Applicants are evaluated by the Doctorate Council of the sociology sector between
October 1 and December 25. Members of the council are Dr. Tālis Tisenkopfs, associate
professor, Department of Sociology; Dr. Inta Brikše, associate professor, chair, Department of
Communications Studies; Dr. Aivars Tabuns, associate professor, Department of Sociology; and
Dr. Brigita Zepa, associate professor, Department of Sociology.
The council evaluates the proposed research projects that have been submitted, the
readiness of each applicant, and the level of knowledge that each applicant has in the area of
sociology and foreign languages. The council decides that each applicant is or is not appropriate
for doctoral studies. If necessary, the council designates additional courses which an applicant
must take.
Applicants are admitted to the program on the basis of a decision by the Doctoral Council
after the submission of the minutes from the relevant council meeting and all other relevant
documents to the Doctorate Division of the University of Latvia.
The content of the doctoral program in sociology
The doctoral program of studies in sociology is designed by the Doctoral Studies Council
of the Department of Sociology and approved by the Scientific Council of the University of
Latvia. The individual study and research program of each doctoral student is developed by the
student and an adviser who is a professor in the relevant sub-sector. It is approved by the
Doctoral Studies Council and submitted to the Doctoral Division of the University of Latvia.
Individual study programs must conform to all requirements that are set out in the
doctoral studies program. Students must earn 144 credits during the doctoral studies program in
sociology at the University of Latvia.
4
The content of the doctoral program in sociology
Content of studies
Thesis: Developing and completing independent
research work with original and tested results in the
relevant sub-sector of science
Doctoral exam in sociological theory
Doctoral exam in the selected specialization
Credits
80
5
5
Doctoral exam in English
5
Publication of academic articles in recognized and
reviewed journals
Publication of academic articles in books
Scientific or popular articles or interviews in
Latvian magazines, central newspapers, TV and
radio broadcasts
Presentation of papers at international scientific
conferences or seminars
Presentation of papers at domestic scientific
conferences or seminars
Theoretical courses, as determined by the doctoral
student and his or her adviser, as well as the
Doctoral Studies Council. Courses are taught by
local and foreign professors, and each takes up
between 8 and 16 academic hours.
Specialization course, content to be determined
individually. Course takes up approximately 32
academic hours.
Work and studies at other universities and/or joint
scientific projects
Attendance at doctoral courses at other universities,
summer school sessions for young academics, etc.
Study of the latest research methods in sociology,
information technologies, data processing and
presentation methods, course content to be
determined individually
Participation in the bachelor’s and master’s degree
programs of the sector, preparing and teaching
courses and assisting professors
Ongoing academic investment in the projects of
professors, or independent research work
Individually determined additional courses
Total
10 per
article
8 per
article
1
apiece
5 per
paper
3 per
paper
3 per
course
4
Transfe
r of
credits
Transfe
r of
credits
3
5 per
course
3 per
project
2 per
course
144
Mandat
ory or
elective
Mandato
ry
Mandato
ry
Mandato
ry
Mandato
ry
Form of testing
Preliminary defense
before the Doctoral
Studies Council
Exam
Exam
Professor
Academic adviser,
Doctoral Studies
Council
Doctoral Studies
Council
Doctoral Studies
Council
Doctoral Studies
Council
Elective
Examination,
certification from the
Language Center
Published article
Elective
Published article
Elective
Published article,
broadcast
Mandato
ry
Mandato
ry
At least 2
courses
are
mandator
y
Mandato
ry
Presented paper
Academic adviser
Presented paper
Academic adviser
Exam or P/F
University of Latvia
professor, guest
professor, professor at
a foreign university
Paper and exam
Academic adviser or
other professor
Elective
As required by other
universities
Elective
As required by other
universities
Mandato
ry
P/F
Professor at a foreign
university, Doctoral
Studies Council
Professor at a foreign
university, Doctoral
Studies Council
Academic adviser,
Doctoral Studies
Council
Elective
P/F
Doctoral Studies
Council
Elective
P/F
Elective
P/F
Academic adviser or
other professor
Academic adviser or
other professor
Doctoral Studies
Council
Doctoral Studies
Council
Academic adviser
5
Cooperation partners
The Department of Sociology of the University of Latvia supports exchange visits and
study visits to foreign universities and research centers for its students. These exchanges are
possible under the auspices of the SOCRATES Program. The Department of Sociology has
cooperation agreements with the Konstanz University in Germany and the Jyvaskyla University
in Finland. Professors support students in academic exchanges and international cooperation
efforts, involving them in their own networks of academic contacts and cooperation.
Supervision of doctoral studies
The process of doctoral studies is inspected at least twice a year. Supervision of doctoral
studies is the responsibility of the Doctoral Studies Council in the sector. All doctoral students
report on their work at a conference which is attended by council members, the academic
advisers of the students, invited specialists, members of the Sociology Promotion Council and
other specialists. On the basis of these reports, the Doctoral Studies Council decides whether the
program is being implemented successfully and awards the relevant credits.
The Doctoral Studies Council of the sector also administers promotion exams, controls
and evaluates the entire process of studies, and awards or approves the credits that are involved
in the completion of the program.
A professor from the relevant area and the scientific adviser of each doctoral student
supervise the implementation of the program and provide information to the program director.
It is mandatory for all doctoral students to write a thesis, to receive a positive evaluation
from the Studies Council of that thesis, to pass all necessary exams, and to collect the necessary
number of credits.
The doctoral thesis
The doctorate in sociology is awarded to students who have prepared an important,
original and independently developed thesis – one that can be seen as a significant investment in
the development of sociology and the relevant area of specialization. The thesis is a thematically
unified set of publications, a dissertation or a monograph. A dissertation or monograph must be
no less than 150 pages long (7 author’s sheets). If there is a collection of articles, it must be at
least 10 author’s sheets long, of which 7 author’s sheets must involve independent work (without
co-authors).
The results that are presented in the thesis must have been published or accepted for
publication through at least five different articles in recognized and reviewed academic journals
that are listed on the Social Science Citation Index or are included on the list of confirmed
academic journals of the Latvian Science Council. In Latvia, these include LZA Vēstis and
Humanities and Social Sciences in Latvia, as well as other journals in which articles are
reviewed (the list of approved journals is attached to this document).
Defending the thesis
A doctoral degree in sociology is available to candidates who, before defending their
theses, have completed the doctoral studies program and passed all doctoral exams in sociology
and foreign languages.
A thesis may be defended before the Sociology Sciences Promotion Council, as approved
by the Latvian Science Council.
6
Doctoral exams
Each doctoral student must pass three doctoral examinations – two in sociology (one on
the theory and history of sociology and another on the chosen area of specialization), and one in
a foreign language. The examination program in the theory and history of sociology is presented
below.
The examination in the student’s area of specialization is approved by the Doctoral
Studies Council on the basis of the individual study program of the student. There are two
questions on the specialization exam “ticket” which the student draws from a number of possible
tickets, one of which is about the specific area of sociology, and the other of which is about the
subject of the student’s thesis. The answer to this question must be submitted to the council no
later than one week before the examination.
The doctoral exam in the theory and history of sociology
There are three questions on the exam ticket in the theory and history of sociology, one
about theory, one about history and one about sociology methods. The examination program in
the theory and history of sociology and specific questions can be changed by the Doctoral
Studies Council.
Possible questions concerning the theory of sociology:
1) Sociology as a science
 Social reality and the subject of sociology
 The structure of sociology – applied and theoretical sociology
 The basic sectors of sociology
 The functions of sociology in the system of social sciences;
 Sociology and social practice
2) The construction and formation of society
 Social cohorts and individuals
 Cohorts, groups and society
 Organizations
 Social order and social control
 The center and the periphery
 Values and norms
 Power, governance, authority and charisma
 The elite and mass society
 Social activities, structures and social institutes
 Differentiation and integration
 Culture
3) Social structures and stratification of society
 Residents
 Inequality, stratification and social mobility
 Classes
 Socioeconomic groups
 Gender stratification
 Generation and age group stratification
 Ethnicity
 Roles, status and prestige
4) The theoretical paradigms of sociology
 The history of theory: Theories, theoreticians, schools of thought
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Macrosociological theory
Microsociological theory
Post-modern social theory
Structuration theories
Social action and activity theories
The theory of social exchange
Symbolic interactionism
Phenomenological sociology
Structural functionalism
Critical theory
Social conflict theory
The materialist theory of society
Structuralism
Ethnomethodology
Post-Marxist thought
Social processes
Communications
Socialization
Social changes
Urbanization
Industrialization
Bureaucratization
Modernization
Social movements
Social institutions
The economy
The state and politics
The family
Religion
Education
Special sociological theories
Possible questions in the history of sociology:
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The subject of the history of sociology
The subject and method of the history of sociology
The periodization of the history of sociology
The history of sociology as a science
The institutionalization of sociology
The emergence and development of sociology in the 19th and early 20th centuries
The cultural, historical and social terms for the emergence of sociology
Comte and the emergence of the sociology of positivism
Spencer’s historical and evolutionary sociology
Durkheim’s sociology and the emergence of the school of thought
Marx’s sociology
Weber’s sociology
Simmel’s sociology
Pareto’s sociological theory
8
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The basic concepts of sociology in the 20th century
Neopositivism in sociology
Sorokin’s analytical theory
Parsons’ theory of social activities
The psychoanalytical direction of sociology
The sociology of symbolic interactionism
Phenomenological sociology
The Frankfurt School and critical theory
Structuralism
Post-Marxism
Symbolic interactionism
Ethnomethodology
Postmodernism
The theory of a network of actors
Possible questions in the methods of sociology:
1) The theoretical and methodological foundations of sociology research
 Sociology and social research
 The structure of sociological research
 The functions of sociology and the structure of sociological knowledge
 Special and medium-level sociological theories and their methodological role in
sociological research
 Social facts
 Theoretical and empirical sociological research
 Methodological problems in sociological research
2) The process of sociological research
 The organization and procedure of sociological research
 The theoretical and methodological foundations of sociological research (concepts,
laws, hypotheses, theories, veracity, utility, testing of hypotheses)
 Ethical issues in research
3) The methods of sociology
 Quantitative methods of sociology
 Qualitative methods of sociology
 Data collection methods
 Data processing methods
 Relations among theory, methodology and practical research
4) Sociological research as an instrument for social knowledge
 The structure, functions and organization of sociological research
 The sociological research program
 The planning and organization of sociological research
 The methodology, techniques and procedure of sociological research
 Selection of a cohort in sociological research and ensuring the representative nature
of the cohort
 Pilot studies
 Documents as a source of sociological research and methods for analyzing same
 The observation method
 The survey – a method for obtaining primary sociological information
 The method of surveying experts
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Social experiments
Processing of information with computer equipment
Biographical methods
Analysis and correlation of sociological research results
Social indicators and their measurement
Sociological services, their role and organization
Recommended literature (see attached list)
1. Actor Network Theory and After (1999), ed.by John Law and John Hassard, Blackwell
Publishers, 264 pp.
2. Bauman, Zygmunt (1990) Thinking Sociologically, 248 pp.
3. Bauman, Zygmunt (1998) Globalization. The Human Consequences, Polity, 136 pp. (10.99)
4. Bauman, Zygmunt (1999) In Search of Politics, Polity, 224 pp. (13.99)
5. Beck, Ulrich (1999) What is Globalization? Polity, 208 pp. (13.99)
6. Beck, Ulrich (1999) World Risk Society, Polity, 148 pp. (12.99)
7. Bocock, Robert (1993) Consumption: Key Ideas, 144pp, paper 9.99
8. Bourdieu, P. (1997) Zur Soziologie der symbolischen Formen. Frankfurt a.M., Suhrkamp,
6.Aufl. (19,80 DM)
9. Bourdieu, P. (1998) Das Elend der Welt. Frankfurt a.M., Suhrkamp (Ekvivalents vācu valodā
pasūtītajiem Pjēra Burdjē darbiem angļu valodā)
10. Bourdieu, P. (1998) Praktische Vernuft. Zur Theorie des Handelns. Frankfurt a. M.,
Suhrkamp (Ekvivalents vācu valodā pasūtītajiem Pjēra Burdjē darbiem angļu valodā)
11. Bourdieu, P. (1999) Die feinen Unterschiede. Kritik der gesellschaftlichen Urteilskraft.
Frankfurt a.M., Suhrkamp, 11.Aufl. (34,80 DM)
12. Bourdieu, Pierre (1998) Practical Reason. On the Teory of Action, Polity, 153 pp. (12.99)
13. Bourdieu, Pierre (1999) The Weight of the World, Polity, 720 pp (16.95)
14. Coffey, Amanda and Atkinson, Paul (1996) Making sense of Qualitative Data.
Complementary Research strategies, SAGE, paper (0-8039-7053-6) (15.50 šiliņi)
15. Cuff, E.C.; Sharrock, W.W.; Francis, D.W. (1990) Perspektives in Sociology, the third
edition, 257 pp, 0-415-07920-9 (GBP 11.99)
16. Dearing, James W., Rogers, E. M. Agenda-Setting
17. Doing Social Psychology (1998) Ed.by Dorothy Miell and Magaret Wetherell both at the
Open University, 256 pp., paper (o-7619-6050-3) (14.99)
10
18. Duerr, H.P. Mythos vom Zivilisationprozess. Bd.3. Obszoenitaet und Gewalt. Frankfurt a.M.,
Suhrkamp, 1993. Bd.2. Intimitaet. F.a.M.,1994.Bd.1. Nacktheit und Scham. F.a.M.,1988.
19. Durkheim, E. (1970) Suicide. A Study in Sociology, 404 pp.0-415-04587-8 (GBP 13.99)
20. Eder Klaus. The Social Construktion of Nature. London SAGE. 1996. 256 p.Paper (0-80397849-9) £ 13.95
21. Edwards, David C. Motivation and Emotion (1998), volume 3, 624 pp, paper (0-7619-08323) (35.00)
22. Fine, Ben; Leopold, Ellen (1993) The World of Consumption, Routledge, 384 pp, paper,
14.99
23. Foucault, M. (1973) Wahnsinn und Gesellschaft. Eine Geschichte des Wahns in Zeitalter der
Vernuft. Frankfurt a.M., Suhrkamp, 1.Aufl.(29,80 DM)
24. Foucault, Michel (1994) Ueberwachen und Strafen. Die Geburt des Gefaengnisses. Frankfurt
a.M., Suhrkamp (19,80 DM)
25. Fowles, Jib (1996) Advertising and Popular Culture, Foundations of popular Culture series,
Vol 5, March 1996, 296 pp, paper 14.95
26. Giddens, Anthony (1997) Sociology, Third edition, Polity, 670 pp. (šeit un turpmāk cenas
GBP 14.99)
27. Giddens, Anthony (1998) The Third Way. The Renewal of Social Democracy, Polity, 166 pp.
(7.99)
28. Habermas, Jurgen (1998) On the Pragmatics of Communication, ed by Maeve Cooke, 464
pp. (45.00)
29. Habermas, Jurgen (1998) The Inclusion of the Other, Studies in Political Theory, ed.by
Ciaran Cronin and Pablo De Grieff, Polity, 366 pp. (45.00)
30. Held, David (1996) Models of Democracy, Second Edition, Polity, 392 pp. (13.99)
31. Hoelscher, B. (1998) Lebensstile durch Werbung? Zur Soziologie der life-style-Werbung.
Opladen;Wiesbaden,Westdeutscher Verlag
32. Jamrozik, Luisa Nocelle (1998) The Sociology of Social Problems, 253 pp, 0521 59932 6
(GBP 15.95)
33. Kivisto P. Key Ideas in Sociology. London SAGE. 1997. 198 p.Paper (0-8039-9088-X) £
16.50
34. Laaksonen, Pirjo (1994) Consumer Involvement: Concepts and Research, Routledge, 256pp,
hard 40.00
11
35. Laver, Michael Private Desires, Political Action. An Invitation to the Politics of Rational
Choise. (1997), SAGE, paper (0-7619-5114-6) (12.95 šiliņi)
36. Lorenz, Walter (1993) Social Work in a Changing Europe, 208 pp. 0-415-07808 (GBP
12.99)
37. Lovallo, William R. Stress and Health (1997), Volume 1, 240 pp, paper (0-8039-7001-3)
(17.95)
38. Mahbub ul, Haq (1998) Reflection on Human Development, pp.13-23, Oxford Univercity
Press, Oxford
39. Markoff, John (1996)Waves of Democracy. Social Movements and Political Change. Un. of
Pittsburg.paper (0-8039-9019-7), SAGE (14.95 šiliņi)
40. Mc Quail, Denis (1997)Audience Analysis, SAGE, paper (0-7619-1002-6) (13.99 š.)
41. `Mennell, Stephen, Murcott, Anne, Otterloo, A.H.Van (1992) The Sociology of Food: Eating,
Diet and Culture, Pine Forge Press, A Division of SAGE Publications 160 pp, paper 11.95
42. Miles, Matthew B. (1994) Qualitative Data Analysis, SAGE, paper (0-8039-5540-5) (8.95
šiliņi)
43. Negrine, Ralph (1997)The Communication of Politics, paper (0-8039-7739-5) (12.95 šiliņi)
44. Parsons, Talcott (1991) The Social Sistem, 640 pp., 0-415-06966-1 (GBP 12.99)
45. Raymond, Mark (1996) Research Made Simple. A Handbook for the Human Services, 448
pp, 0-8039-7427-2 (GBP 22.95)
46. Ritzer, Georg (1995) The McDonaldization of Society, Pine Forge Press, A Division of
SAGE Publications 288 pp, paper 12.50
47. Sen, Amartya (1997) Inequality Reexamined, Oxford
48. Simmel on Culture. Selected Writings. (1997) Ed.by D.Frisby. Sage, Paper (0-8039-8651-3)
49. Simmel, G. (1990) The Philosophy of Money. Second edition. Ed by Frisby D., 592 pp, 0415-04641-6 (GBP 15.99)
50. Smelser, Neil J. and Swedberg, Richard, editors The Handbook of Economic Sociology,
Princeton University Press, 1994, 835 p., ISBN 0-691-04485-6 (aptuvena cena - 75 GBP)
51. Stake, Robert E. (1995) The Art of Case study research, SAGE, paper (0-8039-5767) (14.95
šiliņi)
52. The American Tradition. London SAGE 1997. vol. 1-4. 1664 p. Cloth (0-7619-5325-6) £
425.00
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53. The European Tradition. London SAGE 1997. vol. 1-4. 1664 p. Cloth (0-7619-5324-8) £
425.00
54. The Globalization Reader (1999), ed. By David Held and Anthony McGrew, Polity, 320 pp.
(14.99)
55. The Plural Self. Multiplicity in Everyday life (1998). Ed.by John Rowan Pribvate Practice
and Mick Cooper University of Brighton, 292 pp., paper (0-7619-6076-7) (16.99)
56. The Sociology of Social Problems. Theoretical Perspectives and Methods of Intervention
(1999), Cambridge Uni-y Press 052159070 1
57. The Sociology of Social Work, ed.by Davis M., 272 pp (GBP 12.99)
58. The Student Companion To Sociology (1997), ed. By Chet Ballarf, Jon Gubbay and Cris
Middleton, 416 pp.
59. Tompson, John B. (1995) The Media and Modernity. A Social Theory of Media, Polity, 314
pp. (13.99)
60. Weber, Max (1985) The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, 310 pp., 0-415-084342 (GBP 10.99)
61. Working with Involuntary Clients. A Guide to Practice (spring/summer 1999), Sage, 0-76196332-4
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