Download Introduction to Sociology II SO1310/1311

Introduction to Sociology II SO1310/1311
Foundations of Sociological Thinking:
Ireland in a globalizing world
Hilary term 2014
Lecturer: Dr Elaine Moriarty
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Room 3.06, 3 College Green
Tuesday 2-3pm, Thursday 11-12pm
and by prior appointment
“Sociology is…first and foremost a way of thinking about the human world…[It
asks how] does it matter that humans live always (and cannot but live) in the
company of, in communication with, in an exchange with, in competition with, in
cooperation with other human beings?...Its questions ‘defamiliarise the familiar’”
(Zygmunt Bauman, Thinking Sociologically, 1990: 8,15)
Background and aims of the module
Welcome to Introduction to Sociology Part II. This part of the module provides a
broad introduction to the origins of the discipline of sociology and explores the
rapid social and cultural change that has occurred in Irish society in recent
decades. Studying sociology involves questioning the obvious, challenging the
taken-for-granted and using our ‘sociological imaginations’ to think critically about
the world in which we live.
In this module we will consider the major foundations of sociology in terms of its
historical origins, its key theoretical traditions and major intellectual contributors.
In examining the foundations of social life, we will explore the key layers of social
life including societies, groups and individuals. Thus we aim to understand how
human behaviour is shaped by everyday interaction, social constructs and by
institutions such as gender, organizations and networks. In turn we will examine
how societal structures rely on our individual actions. In exploring key dimensions
of Irish social change, sociological theories are applied to issues including
patterns of inequality, institutional practices, new mobilities and identities.
Learning outcomes
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to:
 Demonstrate a general knowledge of sociology as a discipline, outline the
chronology of the main periods of development of human society, and
recognise the canonical theorists referred to in the module;
 Discuss and engage in key sociological topics such as the social
construction of reality, inequalities, gender, organizations and networks
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and explain why these themes have attracted the interest of sociologists
and what the main challenges are;
Identify and apply sociological theories to the case of Ireland and assess
the strengths and weaknesses of the selected theories in relation to
particular aspects of Irish society;
Articulate an informed and independent argument in discussions and
examination questions using materials from readings and tutorials.
Module structure and teaching methods
The course will be organised around two lectures and one tutorial each week.
SO1310 lectures take place on Tuesdays at 11am in the Edmund Burke Theatre
of the Arts Building and Thursday at 4pm in Goldsmith Hall.
SO1311 lectures take place on Tuesday at 12pm in the Synge Theatre of the
Arts Building and Thursdays at 10am in the Edmund Burke Theatre of the Arts
Building.
Tutorials start in Week 2 (week beginning 20 January 2014). You have all been
timetabled for a tutorial and attendance is compulsory. The TAs will take an
attendance register. The goal of the tutorials is not merely to revise lecture
contents but you will get new content that is directly relevant for the annual exam.
Your TAs for this module are Cormac McNamara, Anna Siuda, Robert O’Keefe,
Mariam Nagi, Craig Considine and Sara Bojarczuk.
There is a study week (Week 7 beginning 24 February 2014) during which you
have no classes – no lectures and no tutorials. This is an opportunity to revise
and return with queries and comments before commencing the final lectures
before exams in May.
Course Materials
Books
The main textbook for the module is:
J. Macionis and K. Plummer. 2012. Sociology: A Global Introduction (5th Ed)
Harlow: Pearson Education/Prentice Hall Europe.
A key text on Ireland for this module is:
P. Share, M. Corcoran and B. Conway. 2012. Sociology of Ireland (4th Ed)
Dublin: IPA.
There is also a supplement on Ireland which is on Reserve in the Library:
M.J. Power et al 2012 An Introduction to Irish Society: Transitions and Change.
Harlow: Pearson Education/Prentice Hall Europe
Articles and Chapters
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All books from which chapters are drawn are available on reserve with additional
copies for loan in the library.
All articles on the reading list are available in the Lecky Library in the First year
Sociology Folders located at the issue desk. Where copyright allows, readings
will be placed on Blackboard in the relevant folder ‘Introduction to Sociology’ as
the course progresses. The TAs will let you know what readings to prepare for
the tutorials.
The PowerPoints for this module will be available on Blackboard on a weekly
basis. However, I strongly advise you to attend the weekly lectures instead
of relying on books for your annual examination. Some of the questions will
be on specific topics discussed in the lecture or tutorials and might not
necessarily be covered in textbooks or PowerPoint slides.
Recommended Readings
All of the readings marked *** and ** in each section must be read in order to
ensure a successful examination at the end of the year. Readings marked * are
additional readings, which you will find useful if you aim to do well in the exam.
Assessment
Your examination paper in May 2014 is divided into two sections that correspond
to Part I and Part II of the course. You must answer one question from Part I and
two from Part II. This examination accounts for 70% of your total mark. More
information about the exam will be given during the revision week in Hilary Term.
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Module Content
Week 1 Thinking Sociologically (14 and 16 January)
Note: there are no tutorials during this week – all tutorials start week beginning
20 January 2014.
***J. Macionis and K. Plummer. 2012 Chapter 1, ‘The Sociological Imagination’,
pp. 1-27.
***C. Wright Mills. 1959. The Sociological Imagination, Chapter 1 ‘The Promise’,
pp. 3-24.
Also available online http://www.lclark.edu/~goldman/socimagination.html
**Z. Bauman. 2001. Thinking Sociologically, introduction ‘Sociology: what for’, pp.
1-19
*E. Durkheim. 1966 (orig. 1897) Suicide, Chapter 1 ‘The Social Element of
Suicide’, pp. 297-325
Week 2 Theorising Social Change (21 and 23 January)
***J. Macionis and K. Plummer. 2012 Chapter 2, ‘Thinking Sociologically,
Thinking Globally’, pp. 32-57.
***R.J. Holton. 2005. Making Globalisation, ’Introduction’. UK: Palgrave, pp. 2852.
**E. Schlosser. 2002. Fast Food Nation: What the All American Meal is Doing to
the World. London: Penguin.
*Z. Bauman. 2001. Thinking Sociologically, Chapter 6, ‘Power and Choice’, pp.
107-124
Week 3 A Sociology of Societies: A Sociology of Ireland (28 and
30 January)
***J. Macionis and K. Plummer. 2012. Chapter 4, ‘Societies’, pp. 104-138
***P. Share, M. Corcoran and B. Conway. 2012. Chapter 3, ‘The Dynamics of
Irish Development’, pp. 38-90.
**P. Kirby. 2008. ‘Explaining Ireland’s Development: Economic Growth with
Weakening Welfare’. Social Policy and Development Programme Paper No. 37,
United Nations Institute for Social Development.
**K. Allen. 2007. ‘Globalisation, the state and Ireland’s miracle recovery. In S.
O’Sullivan Contemporary Ireland: A Sociological Map. Dublin: UCD Press.
*S. O’Riain. 2010. ‘Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory: Ireland
Rediscovers Crisis’ in P. Share and M Corcoran (eds) Ireland of the Illusions: A
Sociological Chronicle 2007-8. Dublin: IPA, pp. 23-36
Week 4 Groups, Organisations and Bureaucracy (4 and 6 February)
***J. Macionis and K. Plummer 2012. Chapter 6 ‘Groups, Organisations and the
rise of the Network Society’, pp. 174-194
***G. Ritzer. 2010. The McDonaldisation of Society: An Investigation into the
Changing Character of Contemporary Social Life (6th Ed), Chapter 1 “An
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Introduction to McDonaldization” and Chapter 2 “McDonaldization and its
Precursors”
**M. Weber. “Bureaucracy.” In From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology edited and
translated by H.H. Gerth and C. Wright Mills (eds).
**E. Goffman. 1990 (1961). Asylums: Essays on the social situation of mental
patients and other inmates. NY: Doubleday
*P. Zimbardo. 2007. The Lucifer Effect: How Good People turn evil. New York:
Random House.
Week 5 Social Interactions and Everyday Life (11 and 13 February)
***J. Macionis and K. Plummer. 2012. Chapter 7, ‘Micro-Sociology: The Social
Construction of Every Day Life’, pp. 206-237
**E. Goffman. 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Chapter 1
‘Performances’ New York: Anchor
**H. Garfinkel. Studies in Ethnomethodology. Chapter 2, ‘Studies of the Routine
Grounds of Everyday Activities’
**A. Hochschild. 1983. The Managed Heart. Chapter 4, ‘Feeling Rules’ Berkeley:
University of California Press.
Week 6 Who are the Irish? (18 and 20 February)
***CSO (Central Statistics Office). 2011. Population and migration estimates.
http://www.cso.ie/en/search/index.html?q=population%20and%20migration%20e
stimates
Ireland: Key Demographic Features section in the Pearson supplement, pp. 2-6
***P. Share, M. Corcoran and B. Conway. 2012. Chapter 11, ‘Irish Identities’, pp.
265-288
**T. Inglis. 2008. Chapter 1, ‘The Global as Local and Personal’, pp. 1-36,
Chapter 2, ‘Same Difference’, pp. 37-84’ in Global Ireland. UK: Routledge
**E. Moriarty. 2005. ‘Telling Identity Stories’, Sociological Research Online,
Volume 10, Issue 3, http://www.socresonline.org.uk/10/3/moriarty.html
Week 7 Study Week
Week 8 Social Stratification, Class and Gender in Ireland (4 and 6
March)
***J. Macionis and K. Plummer. 2012. Chapter 8, ‘Inequality, Social Divisions and
Social Stratification’, pp. 250-276
Social class section in the Pearson supplement, pp. 13-17
***P. Share, H. Tovey and M. Corcoran. 2007. A Sociology of Ireland (3rd ed).
Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, Chapter 7 ‘Inequality, poverty and class’.
***J. Macionis and K Plummer. 2012. Gender section of Chapter 12, ‘The Gender
Order and Sexualities’, pp. 391-405
**A.Hochschild with A. Machung. 2012. The Second Shift: Working Parents and
the Revolution at Home. New York: Penguin, Chapter 2, ‘Marriage in the Stalled
Revolution’
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Week 9 Community, Networks and Belonging in Ireland (11 and 13
March)
***J. Macionis and K. Plummer 2012. Chapter 6 ‘Groups, Organisations and the
rise of the Network Society’, pp. 194-203
***P. Share, M. Corcoran and B. Conway. 2012. Chapter 4, ‘Associational Life:
Community and Civil Society’, pp. 64-90
**T. Inglis. 2010. ‘Local Belonging, Identities and Sense of Place in
Contemporary Ireland’, IBIS Discussion paper no 4. Dublin: UCD
**M. Granovetter. 1973. ‘The strength of weak ties’, American Journal of
Sociology, Vol. 78, No. 6, pp. 1360-80.
*M. Gladwell. 2000. The Tipping Point, Chapter 1 and 2. New York: Little Brown
*R. Putnam. 2001. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American
Community. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Week 10 Power, Control and Institutional practices in Ireland (18
and 20 March)
***D. Brennan. 2012. Chapter 14, ‘A Theoretical Exploration of Institution-based
Mental Health Care in Ireland’, pp. 287-315
**E. O’Sullivan, E. and I. O’Donnell. 2011. ‘Coercive Confinement in the Republic
of Ireland: The waning of a culture of control’. Punishment and Society 9(1), pp.
27-48
**F. Finnegan. 2001. Do Penance or Perish: A Study of Magdalene Asylums in
Ireland. Kilkenny: Congrave Press.
*M. Foucault. 2001. Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of
Reason. London: Routledge
Week 11 Power, Resistance and Protest in Ireland (25 and 27
March)
***J. Macionis and K. Plummer 2012. Chapter 16 ‘Power, governance and social
movements’, pp. 550-552, 563-567
J. Gaventa 1980 Power and Powerlessness: Quiescence and Rebellion in an
Appalachian Valley Urbana: University of Illinois Press, pp.3-44
Case study: Corrib Gas Project, Co Mayo Ireland
http://www.shelltosea.com/content/pipe-down-new-documentary-corrib-gasproject
Week 12 Exam Revision (1 and 3 April)
Revision of Module Materials and Preparation for Exam
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