ClassInfo

This course provides a broad overview of the major paradigms of social thought. While we will initially focus on classical theory and the "Big Three"
of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, the emphasis of this course will be on how contemporary thinkers draw upon and modify the classics for modern contexts. With the help of such thinkers, we will tackle such core sociological questions as: What is social theory? How does it differ from the theories applied in "hard" sciences such as physics and biology? What holds society together? How do social networks and institutions endure over time? What is the relationship between the individual and society? How is human thought and behavior shaped by social interaction? What is power, who holds it, and how is it exercised? What are the primary axes of social change? What defines the modernity? Are we living in a post-modern era? Over the course of the semester our goal will be to not only understand a diverse range of theories and thinkers, but to apply them to our own lives and social contexts. In addition to lectures and in-class activities, students will engage in weekly online discussions to hone their own critical sensibilities by identifying and interrogating the key arguments and assumptions of the texts.