Министерство экономического развития и торговли
Российской Федерации
Государственный университет Высшая школа экономики
Факультет Социологии
Программа дисциплины
«Социология: вопросы и дебаты»
для направления 040200.65 «Социология» подготовки бакалавра
Автор Кузина О.Е.
kuzina@serviceline.ru
Рекомендована секцией УМС
«Социология»
Председатель
_____________________________
«_____» __________________ 2006
Одобрена на заседании кафедры
экономической социологии
Зав. кафедрой
Радаев В.В.
«5» декабря 2006 г.
г.
Утверждена УС факультета
социологии
Ученый секретарь
Рыжова А.В.
« ____» ___________________2006 г.
Москва, 2006
1
Тематический план учебной дисциплины
№
Название темы
Всего часов по
дисциплине
Аудиторные часы
Лекции Сем. и практ.
занятия
2
0
Самостоятельная
работа
1
Introduction to sociology
8
2
8
2
0
6
3
Key principles of Sociological
Research
Methodology of Sociological research
8
2
0
6
4
Research Methods
8
2
0
6
5-6
Classical sociological theories: Marx,
Durkheim, Weber
16
4
0
12
7
Structural functionalism and Parsons
8
2
0
6
8
Bringing the individual back in
8
2
0
6
9
Postmodernity and Sociology
8
2
0
6
10
Global sociology and classical theories
of social change
8
2
0
6
11
Understanding globalization
7
2
0
5
7
2
0
5
7
2
0
5
7
2
0
5
108
28
0
80
12
Introduction: power, modernity and
sociology
13 Weber power stratification and
domination
14 Social Inequality, Poverty and Wealth
Итого:
6
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Базовый учебник (и) или ридер (ы)
Отсутствуют.
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Формы контроля:
Формы контроля
Текущий контроль:

учет посещаемости лекций;
2
Промежуточный контроль:
Контрольная работа
Итоговый контроль:
Письменная зачетная работа
Формы контроля:
Объем самостоятельной подготовки к занятиям – обязательное чтение не более 1,5 печатного
листа в неделю, объем дополнительной литературы не ограничивается, подготовка ответов на
вопросы по материалам лекции и обязательной и дополнительной литературы
Форма проведения контрольной работы
Контрольная работа проводится в письменной форме. Студентам предлагается список открытых и
закрытых вопросов. Работа выполняется студентами без использования каких-либо материалов.
Время работы – 15 мин.
Форма проведения зачетной работы
Зачетная работа проводится в письменной форме. Студентам предлагается список открытых и
закрытых вопросов. Использование каких-либо материалов при выполнении работы запрещается.
Время работы – 30 мин.
Итоговая оценка по учебной дисциплине складывается из следующих элементов:

оценки работы на занятиях -10%;

оценки за контрольную работу - 30%;

оценки за письменную зачетную работу- 60%.
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Содержание программы
Lecture 1 – Introduction to sociology
Intro. What is Sociology? In what respect sociology is different from other social disciplines? Is
sociology a science or a commonsense?
Social and Sociological Problems. How the order of social life is possible? How do societies change?
How are our lives as individuals shaped by the societies in which we live?
Socialisation and Identity.
Obligatory Readings
Fulcher, J and J. Scott (2003) Sociology. -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, second edition, Ch. 1,
pp. 3-17.
Macionis, J. and K. Plummer (2005) Sociology: a Global Introduction -- Harlow: Prentice Hall, pp.47.
Additional Readings
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Berger, P. (1963) Invitation to Sociology: a humanistic perspective – Penguin Books, Ch.2, pp. 37-67.
Giddens, A. (2001) Sociology. --Cambridge: Polity Press, Ch 4.
Talor, S. (ed.) (2000) Sociology: Issues and Debates – Palgrave: MacMillan, pp. 2-5
Sociological Research and Methodology
Lecture 2 - Key principles of Sociological Research
Objective and subjective knowledge. Standartisation. Reliability. Transparency. Validity. Authenticity.
Research designs in Sociology. What is a research design? Concepts and conceptual thinking.
Operationalisation and indicators. Descriptive and explanatory research designs. Quantitative and
Qualitative research designs. Major research designs: Survey. Experiment. Comparative research.
Ethnography.
Obligatory Readings
Macionis, J. and K. Plummer (2002) Sociology: a Global Introduction -- Harlow: Prentice Hall, Ch. 3
pp.38-46.
Additional Readings
McNeil, P. (1990) Research Methods --London: Routledge, pp. 11-15.
Marsh, I. (ed.) (2002) Theory and Practice in Sociology. -- Harlow: Prentice Hall, Ch.2 , pp.26-68.
Arber, S. The Research Process, in Gilbert (ed.) (1993) Researching Social Life, London : Sage,
pp.32-49.
Bryman, A. (2001) Social Research Methods. -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.34-58
Lecture 3 –Research Methods
Primary and secondary data. Questionnaires. Structured interviews. Unstructured interviews.
Observations: structured and participant. Social statistics. Documents. Selection of methods. Research
designs and research methods.
Obligatory Readings
Fulcher, J and J. Scott (2003) Sociology. -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, second edition, pp. 14–
17 (in Chapter 1) and 24–25 (in Chapter 2), pp. 75-97 (in Chapter 3).
Giddens, A. (2001) Sociology. --Cambridge: Polity Press, pp. 640–41
Additional Readings
Marsh, I. (ed.) (2002) Theory and Practice in Sociology. -- Harlow: Prentice Hall, pp. 41-58.
McNeil, P. (1990) Research Methods --London: Routledge, pp.64-93, 99-114.
Lecture 4 – Methodology of Sociological research
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What is methodology? Ontology. Epistemology. Positivism. Interpretivism. Realism.
What is a theory. Origins of Sociology. The Enlightment. Ontological assumptions.
Obligatory Readings
Fulcher, J and J. Scott (2003) Sociology. -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, second edition, pp.1417, 20-28.
Giddens, A. (2001) Sociology. --Cambridge: Polity Press, pp. 6-8, 640-641.
Macionis, J. and K. Plummer (2005) Sociology: a Global Introduction -- Harlow: Prentice Hall, pp.
41–46.
Additional Readings
Marsh, I. et al. (2002) Theory and Practice in Sociology, -- Harlow: Prentice Hall, pp.21-25
Parker, J. (2003) Social Theory: a Basic Tool Kit. -- Houndmills: Palgrave, Ch. 11
Hughes, J. (1997) The Philosophy of Social Research -- London, New York: Longman, pp.24-73
Swingewood, A. (2000) A Short History of Sociological Thought -- Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp.3-27
Sociological perspectives
Lecture 5-6 – Classical sociological theories: Marx, Durkheim, Weber
Formations of modern social thought. The central subject matter of social theory. Ontological debates:
idealism versus materialism, structural theories versus action theories, consensus versus conflict.
Obligatory Readings
Fulcher, J and J. Scott (2003) Sociology. -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, second edition, pp. 2843.
Additional Readings
Cuff, E.C. ; Sharrock, W.W. ; Francis, D.W. (2001) Perspectives in sociology - London : Routledge,
pp. 9-83.
Lee, D. and H. Newby (2000) The Problem of Sociology, -- London: Routledge, Part 4, pp.111-165,
pp.209-258
Swingewood, A. (2000) A Short History of Sociological Thought -- Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp.5780.
Lecture 7 –Structural functionalism and Parsons
Functional approach in sociology. 'Functional prerequisites'. ‘Soft’ versus ‘hard’ (normative) versions of
structural functionalism.
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Parsons’ sociology: Social action and social system, moving equilibrium, status roles, social institutions,
pattern variables.
Merton’s ideas: “middle range theories”, manifest and latent functions: intended and unintended
outcomes, positively functional /dysfunctional / non-functional levels of society, structural alternatives.
Obligatory Readings
Fulcher, J and J. Scott (2003), Sociology, -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, second edition, Ch.2,
pp.45-52.
Additional Readings
Lee, D. and H. Newby (2000) The Problem of Sociology, -- London: Routledge, Part 7, pp. 259-305.
Cuff, E., W.W. Sharrock and D.W. Francis (1998) Perspectives in Sociology. - London : Routledge,
Chapter 5, pp. 88-114.
Craib, I. (1992) Modern Social Theory -- New York: St Martins Press, Ch.3 pp. 37-67.
Lecture 8 –Bringing the individual back in
Social interactionism, symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology. Thomas&Thomas Theorem.
Taking the role of the other. The self as a process. Phenomenological approach. Labelling theory. A selffulfilling prophecy. The Social Construction of Reality. ‘Breaching experiments’.
Obligatory Readings
Fulcher, J and J. Scott (2003), Sociology, -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, second edition, Ch.2,
pp. 52-57, Ch. 4, pp. 133–36.
Additional Readings
Cuff, E., W.W. Sharrock and D.W. Francis (1998) Perspectives in Sociology, - London : Routledge,
pp. 115-147, especially 143–47.
Craib, I. (1992) Modern Social Theory -- New York: St Martins Press, Ch.5, pp.85-123
Swingewood, A. (2000) A Short History of Sociological Thought, -- Basingstoke: Macmillan,
pp.161-182.
Lecture 9 – Postmodernity and Sociology
Modernity versus postmodernity. Information Society. Knowledge class. Consumerism. Postmodern
sociological theory. The Enlightenment as Modern Project. The reconstruction of the image of natural
sciences in postmodern theory. ‘Grand naratives’. Cultural analysis.
Obligatory Readings
6
Fulcher, J and J. Scott (2003) Sociology, -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, second edition, Ch.2, pp.
65-67, 387-388.
Additional Readings
Macionis, J. and K. Plummer (2005) Sociology: a Global Introduction, pp.33-34, 686-688.
Cuff, E., W.W. Sharrock and D.W. Francis (1998) Perspectives in Sociology, - London : Routledge,
pp. 291-305.
Marsh, I. et al. (2002), Theory and Practice in Sociology, -- Harlow: Prentice Hall, pp.220-254.
Globalisation and Social Change
Lecture 10 - Global sociology and classical theories of social change
Sociological theories of social change: Evolutionary theory, Modernisation theory, Convergence theory,
Dependency theory.
Obligatory Readings
Neil J. Smelser (1992) External and Internal Factors in Theories of Social Change in Social Change
and Modernity, in Haferkamp and Smelser (ed.) Social Change and Modernity, Berkeley: University
of California Press, http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft6000078s/
Additional Readings
Waters, M. (2001) Globalization, -- London: Routledge, Ch.1, pp.1-25.
I.Craib (1997), Classical Social Theory -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.185-260.
Sklair, L. (2002) Globalisation: Capitalism and its Alternative, -- Oxford: Oxford University Press,
pp. 29-34.
Lecture 11 Understanding globalization
Defining globalisation. Hyperglobalisers, skeptics, transformationalists (Held).
Theorising and researching globalisation: World-Systems theory, Global capitalist theory, Global society
theory, Global culture theory.
Obligatory Readings
Fulcher, J and J. Scott (2003), Sociology, -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, second edition, Chapter 14:
‘Globalisation’, pp.539-550.
Additional Readings
Sklair, L. (2002) Globalisation: Capitalism and its Alternative -- Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.
35-48.
Held et al, (1999) Global Transformations -- Stanford: Stanford University Press, Introduction, pp. 1-10
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Power in Society
Lecture 12 Introduction: power, modernity and sociology
Different understandings of this term. Power as coercion. Power as domination. Power as influence. The
problem of ‘power’.
Marxist account of power. Humanist versus structuralist (or ‘scientific’) Marxism. Two models of the
State. Theorising of transition theory (Lenin, radical democracy). Gramsci’s theory of hegemony. The
role of intellectuals.
Obligatory Readings
Lee, D. and H. Newby (2000) The Problem of Sociology -- London: Routledge, Part 7, pp. 115–123, 124–
136.
Additional Readings
Swingewood, A. (2000) Short History of Sociological Thought -- Basingstoke: Macmillan, pp.49-56.
Held, D. (1987) Models of Democracy, -- Cambridge: Polity Press, pp. 108–113.
Dunleavy, P. and B. O’Leary (1987) Theories of the State -- Basingstoke: Macmillan Education, pp. 204–
215, 237–243
Gramsci, A. (1971) The Intellectuals, in Selections from the Prison Notebooks. Translated and Edited by
Q. Hoare and G. N. Smith. New York: International Publishers, page 3-23
Scott, J. (1991), Networks of corporate power: A comparative assessment, Annual Review of Sociology,
17.
Lecture 13 Weber power stratification and domination
Power versus domination. Legitimacy. Three types of authority. Bureaucracy. Weber’s definition of the
State.
The power of elites. The key ideas of classical elitist theories: Mosca, Pareto, Michels. Neo-elitist theory
of C.Wright Mills.
Obligatory Readings
Lee, D. and H. Newby (2000) The Problem of Sociology, -- London: Routledge, Part 7, pp. 169-182
Additional Readings
Held, D. (1987) Models of Democracy -- Cambridge: Polity Press, pp. 150-154,
Bilton, T. et al. (2002) Introductory Sociology -- Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 192–205; 211–
218.
M. Weber (1968) Economy and Society, -- Berkeley : University of California Press, Volume 1 Ch 1,
section 16 and Chapter III, sections 1-6.
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Inequality, Poverty and Wealth
Lecture 14 Social Inequality, Poverty and Wealth
Citizenship and Inequality. Poverty and Wealth (Rowntree, Townsend). Intelligence and Heredity.
Openness and Meritocracy. Social Mobility. New Inequalities. New forms of poverty. Poverty and
Deprivation. Groups most likely to experience poverty.
Obligatory Readings
Macionis and Plummer (2002) Sociology : a global introduction - Harlow : Prentice Hall , pp. 190–193,
383–384, 395–398, 256– 266 and 286– 292, 302–305
Scott (1996) Stratification and Power: Structures of Class, Status and Command. -- Cambridge: Polity,
pp. 87–88
Additional Readings
Sen, A. (1999) Development as Freedom. New York: Anchor Books, Chapter 4: pp. 87-110.
Welch, F. (1999) In Defense of Inequality, The American Economic Review, 89(2), pp. 1-17.
Brady, D. (2003) Rethinking the Sociological Measurement of Poverty. Social Forces, 81(3), pp.715-751.
Iceland, J. (2005) Measuring Poverty: Theoretical and Empirical Considerations. Measurement 3(4),
pp.199-235.
Hunt, M. O. (2004). Race/Ethnicity and Beliefs about Wealth and Poverty. Social Science Quarterly
85(3), pp.827-53.
Примерные вопросы для контрольной работы:
Поскольку контрольная работа проводится в середине курса, в нее включаются вопросы по
лекциям 1-8.
1. ‘Sociology is not interested in people’ Discuss.
2. If you were seeking to persuade a friend about the practical uses of sociology what would you say?
3. How, if at all, is sociological explanation different from ‘common sense’?
4. Let us assume that you are going to investigate students’ life at HSE. What would be your research
questions? Make a list of 5 possible research questions.
5. Explain any of the following statements:
i. Sociological research is about moving from subjective knowledge to a more objective
understanding of societies.
ii. Even if sociology cannot be truly objective, objectivity remains a goal of sociology.
6. State whether each of the following statements are true or false, and very briefly explain why:
i. Reliability and replicability mean the same thing
ii. Reliability and validity mean the same thing
iii. Observational methods do not so well in terms of the criterion of standartisation
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iv. Transparency means that a researcher has shown exactly how the research was funded
7. Why have some qualitative researchers sought to devise alternative criteria from reliability
and validity when assessing the quality of investigations?
8. Does a Marxist analysis of class have relevance today?
9. Explain the concept ‘mode of production’. How does society change from one epoch to another?
10. Explain and illustrate how Durkheim’s concept of anomie differs from Marx’s concept of
alienation?
11. What is meant by ‘elective affinity’?
12. Explain and illustrate what the pattern variables are?
13. Why do phenomenologists criticise statistical methods?
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Вопросы для оценки качества освоения дисциплины:
14. What are social institutions?
15. What do sociologists mean by institutional dependence?
16. Why does one need to study sociology?
17. ‘Society’ is an exceptionally difficult concept to define. Why is that?
18. What is meant by asking sociological questions?
19. Identify some of the key ways that sociology gives us insights that go beyond commonsense
understanding.
20. What is meant by science and can sociology be a natural science? Explain why.
21. In what way is sociology different from the other social sciences?
22. In what way sociological explanation of social life is different from a journalist’s one?
23. Why is it important for sociologists to be critical?
24. ‘Sociology is about studying social problems and perhaps helping to find ‘solutions’ to them.
Discuss.
25. What do sociologists mean when they say that social problems are socially constructed?
26. What do sociologists mean by ‘social role’?
27. Outline how socialisation can help to understand the relationship between the individual and
society?
28. Explain the difference between ‘social identity’ and ‘personal identity’.
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29. Discuss the contribution of the concept ‘taking the role of the other’ in helping to explain the
process of identity formation?
30. Explain and illustrate what is meant by ‘role taking’ and ‘role making’ in sociology.
31. Explain and illustrate how sociologists approach the puzzle of social order.
32. Explain and illustrate what it means being Russian as a source of identity.
33. What do you think the ‘script’ of being a student involves.
34. What are the main differences between descriptive and explanatory research designs?
35. What are the main differences between qualitative and quantitative research designs?
36. What is ethnography?
37. What are the chief strengths of a comparative research design?
38. State whether the following statements are true or false, and very briefly, explain why:
v. The unstructured interview is a reliable research method
vi. Covert observational research increases the observer effect
vii. The structured interview is a transparent research method
viii. ‘The interview effect’ can bias the validity of interview data.
39. Participant observation always ‘tells it like it is’. Discuss.
40. You are undertaking an ethnographic study of students’ experiences of university life in your
society. Explain what is meant by ethnography and identify two research methods you could use.
41. How did Marx view society?
42. What is meant by alienation and how does it occur?
43. What is the role of the individual in Marxism?
44. What is meant by the terms ‘dialectical materialism’ and ‘historical determinism’?
45. Why is Marx described as a conflict theorist?
46. Was Marx a humanist?
47. What is meant by structural Marxism?
48. Why did Durkheim write Suicide?
49. Why did Durkheim believe the division of labour was functional?
50. What did Durkheim mean by society being ‘a moral force’?
51. Why has Durkheim been described as a realist?
52. What is the difference between anomie and egoism?
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53. What is the role of the individual in Durkheim’s sociology?
54. How did Durkheim differentiate between causal analysis and functional analysis?
55. How did Durkheim account for social change?
56. Outline Weber’s explanation of social action.
57. What is meant by methodological individualism?
58. How does Weber explain conflict in society?
59. According to Weber, how did rational capitalism develop in Northern Europe?
60. What is an ideal type? Why is it useful in comparative sociology?
61. What is meant by ‘verstehen’?
62. Why was Weber worried about rationalisation in the modern world?
63. Outline Hobbes's model of human action. What are Parsons's criticisms of it?
64. 'For Parsons, it is systems all the way down.' Discuss.
65. Show which subsystem fulfils which functional prerequisite for the general system of action and the
social system
66. Does Parsons have a theory of social change?
67. Does Parsons produce a consensus view of society?
68. What are the main contributions of Structural Functionalism to sociological theory?
69. What is meant by ‘gesture’ in symbolic interactionism?
70. Why is phenomenology sometimes called ‘a sociology of knowledge’?
71. What methods would phenomenologists use and why?
72. What is meant by bracketing?
73. How did Garfinkel conduct his experiments?
74. Explain the phrase ‘the world we live in is created by our consciousness’.
75. What is meant by labelling in sociology? Illustrate your answer with some examples.
76. What is pragmatism in philosophy?
77. Why do phenomenologists believe it is important to analyse conversation?
78. What is meant by the phrase ‘the presentation of self in every day life’?
79. Explain and illustrate the statement “How a theorist defines globalisation will affect what questions
s/he is interested in, and so will affect the research strategy and methodology”.
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80. How have sociologists researched globalisation? Give at least three examples of sociological
research in this field focusing on how the evidence has been furnished.
81. How to explain the difference between humanist and scientific Marxism (Marxist political economy
and Marxist political sociology)
82. What does it mean to define power as economic power?
83. What is hegemony (Gramsci)?
84. What is the role of intellectuals (Gramsci)?
85. What are instrumentalist and structuralist models of state (Miliband/ Poulantzas debate).
86. What does it mean by relative autonomy of politics in Marxist theories?
87. What does it mean by ideology as a structure (Althusser)?
88. ‘In modern societies, all power is ultimately economic power.’ Discuss.
89. How useful are Weber’s types of domination for understanding the basis of different kinds of nature
of political systems?
90. Can we measure power?
91. How useful is Parsons’ equation of power and authority?
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Автор программы: _____________________________/ Кузина О.Е./
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