Advanced Sociological Theory

SOC 502                                                  Spring 2000

Dr. Gonzalo Santos

Office: DDH - AA205

Office Hrs:2:00 - 4:00 pm, Tu.Th., or by appointment 

Phone: (661) 664-2191 

Web site & Email:

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http://www.csub.edu/~gsantos/

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santos_class@csub.edu

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Textbooks

Course Content

This course provides the student with a advanced entry-point into the theoretical perspectives and world debates that have shaped the way sociologists and other social scientists think today.

In the first half of the course, using the Lemert anthology, we review some of the Classic Sociological Thinkers of Modernity. We then attempt a U.S. multicultural and global overview of thinkers, doers & shakers of the Twentieth Century - social scientists, revolutionaries, cultural critics, policy makers: those that analyzed or engaged in world conflict during the world wars; those that embraced the promise or fought the establishment of Pax Americana between 1945 and 1980; and, finally, those that have theorized how we have gone ,or seek to go, beyond modernity in the last 20 years.

In the second half of the course, we attempt a panoramic but critical "mapping" of the key formal currents of social theory. Using the Budgen anthology for this purpose, we will assesses the historical and sociological theories of the more recent schools of thought such as critical theory, world-systems theory, neo-Weberianism, structuration theory and postmodernism. We will combine the theoretical insights of individual thinkers, such as Ulrich Beck, Pierre Bourdieu, Jon Elster, Michel Foucault, Ernest Gellner, Anthony Giddens, Jrgen Habermas, Michael Mann, Carl Schmitt, Theda Skocpol, Richard Rorty, Roberto Unger, with synthetic considerations of themes such as essentialism, structure and agency, individualism and modernism.

Course Structure

Class Presentations: The course will be run as a seminar. Given the size of the seminar, each time the seminar meets each student will present and critique a selection from a different thinker drawn from the assigned pool of readings for the day. This will be followed by Dr. Santos comments and a period of open class discussion. Dr. Santos will therefore expect everyone to come to class prepared to discuss all the readings assigned for each session, besides the one they will present respectively. Each student should bring to class an outline (1-2 pages long) for his/her presentation, with enough copies to distribute in the class. The outlines should typically consist of four parts:
 

I What the selection is all about: maintopic, theoretical claims, and key insightsmade by the author;

II The student's positive assessment of the selection,

III The student's negative assessment of the selection,

IV Questions for further discussion


Research papers: There will be two research papers assigned, consisting each of an in-depth overview and critical analysis of the work of a major social theorist or school of sociological thinking. Students must discuss with Dr. Santos their choice of scholar or school of thought, and seek his approval in a timely fashion. The first paper is due on May 11 in class; the second on June 8, before 4:00 pm at Dr. Santos' office.

Each individual paper must be no less than 20 pages in length (excluding bibliography, etc.), double-spaced, font 10 or 12, one-inch margins. For the specific citation and other guidelines to follow in the papers, please consult Dr. Santos' information placed on his web site at http://www.csub.edu/~gsantos/Guide-Paper.html.

Grading: The class presentations are worth 50% of the grade, as a whole. The two research papers are worth 25% each.

Office Hours/E-Mail to Dr. Santos: All students are encouraged to visit the instructor regularly during posted office hours (see above), or by appointment, especially to ensure their individual presentations and research papers are well organized, or to discuss any question they may have from the seminar or the textbooks. Private but brief and to the point e-mail messages to Dr. Santos (NOT a substitute for office visits, please) may be sent to: santos_class@csub.edu.
 
 

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Schedule of Reading & Presentation Assignments


Week & Days
Assigned Readings
Your selection to present
1

March 28
 
 

March 30

Introduction to the Course

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Lemert: K. Marx & F. Engels

Dr. Santos
2

April 4 

April 6

Lemert: Part I

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Lemert: Part I

_________________________ 

_________________________ 

3

April 11

April 13

Lemert: Part II

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Lemert: Part II

_________________________ 

_________________________ 

4

April 18

April 20

Lemert: Part III

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Lemert: Part III

_________________________ 

_________________________ 
 

5

April 25

April 27

Lemert: Part IV

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Lemert: Part IV

_________________________ 
 

_________________________ 

6

May 2

May 4

Lemert: Part VI

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Lemert: Part VI


_________________________ 
 

_________________________ 

 

7

May 9
 

May 11 

[1st. paper due]

Budgen: Part I

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Budgen: Part II

_________________________ 
 

_________________________ 

8

May 16
 

May 18

Budgen: Part III

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Budgen: Part IV


_________________________ 
 

_________________________ 
 

9

May 23
 

May 25 

Budgen: Part V

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Budgen: Part VI

_________________________ 
 

_________________________ 

10 

May 30
 

June 1

No class today due to holiday on Monday

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Budgen: Part VII

No presentations




_________________________ 

11 

June 6 

[last day]

Budgen: Part VIII
_________________________ 
June 8
2nd. Research Term Paper due before
4:00 pm at Dr. Santos' office

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