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SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical...

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SO3523 Overview SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the ‘Greats’: Relevance of the ‘Greats’: Marx: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Theory; Bourdieu Bourdieu Weber: Weber: Foucault; Elias Foucault; Elias Durkheim: Durkheim: Postmodernism(!); Postmodernism(!); Giddens Giddens Simmel: Simmel: Social Phenomenology Social Phenomenology
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Page 1: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

SO3523 OverviewSO3523 Overview

Strategy (re social theory)Strategy (re social theory)

Relevance of the ‘Greats’: Relevance of the ‘Greats’:

Marx: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Bourdieu

Weber: Weber: Foucault; EliasFoucault; Elias

Durkheim: Durkheim: Postmodernism(!); GiddensPostmodernism(!); Giddens

Simmel: Simmel: Social PhenomenologySocial Phenomenology

Page 2: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

SO3523 OverviewSO3523 Overview

Issues (re modernity)Issues (re modernity)

Order and ComplexityOrder and Complexity

Control and ChoiceControl and Choice

Persistence and ChangePersistence and Change

Structure and AgencyStructure and Agency

Page 3: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

MarxMarx Modern Social OrderModern Social Order

ClassClass The economic base (substructure) of The economic base (substructure) of society. society. Class membership = relationship to the Class membership = relationship to the ownership of the means of production. In ownership of the means of production. In capitalist societies the means of production capitalist societies the means of production are privately owned. are privately owned. Through controlling influence over the Through controlling influence over the social superstructure (media, education, social superstructure (media, education, politics, religion) class interests shape social politics, religion) class interests shape social reality.reality.

Page 4: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

MarxMarx Modern Social ExperienceModern Social Experience

AlienationAlienation The estrangement of human The estrangement of human beings from the products of their labour, beings from the products of their labour, themselves and others, which is the outcome themselves and others, which is the outcome of of forced labourforced labour

Page 5: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Post-Marx 1Post-Marx 1:: Modernity = Mass SocietyModernity = Mass Society

The Frankfurt School & GramsciThe Frankfurt School & Gramsci

1.1. The ‘Cultural turn’The ‘Cultural turn’ – – what happened to what happened to Materialism?Materialism?

2.2. Ideology and HegemonyIdeology and Hegemony – – the constructed the constructed nature of knowledgenature of knowledge

3.3. Mass Society or Class SocietyMass Society or Class Society – – passivity or passivity or conflictconflict

Page 6: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Post-Marx 2Post-Marx 2 Habermas and late capitalismHabermas and late capitalism

Defending Enlightenment and social progressDefending Enlightenment and social progress

1.1. CommunicationCommunication – – power and knowledgepower and knowledge

2.2. Rational and forced consensusRational and forced consensus – – persuasion and powerpersuasion and power

3.3. Gaps in the systemGaps in the system - g - glimpses of a possible limpses of a possible futurefuture

4.4. From critical theory to critical sociologyFrom critical theory to critical sociology – – revolution and reformrevolution and reform

Page 7: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

WeberWeber Modern Social OrderModern Social Order

The Iron CageThe Iron Cage In Baxter’s view the care for the external world In Baxter’s view the care for the external world should lie on the shoulders of the saint like a light should lie on the shoulders of the saint like a light cloak that can be thrown aside at any moment. But cloak that can be thrown aside at any moment. But fate decreed that the cloak should become an iron fate decreed that the cloak should become an iron cage…the spirit of religious asceticism has escaped cage…the spirit of religious asceticism has escaped the cage. But victorious capitalism, since it rests on the cage. But victorious capitalism, since it rests on mechanical foundations, needs its support no mechanical foundations, needs its support no longer….No-one knows who will live in this cage in longer….No-one knows who will live in this cage in the future, or whether at the end of this tremendous the future, or whether at the end of this tremendous development entirely new prophets will arise, or development entirely new prophets will arise, or there will be a rebirth of old ideas or ideals, or, if there will be a rebirth of old ideas or ideals, or, if neither, mechanized petrifaction.neither, mechanized petrifaction.Weber, M Weber, M The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of CapitalismThe Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism pp.81-182 pp.81-182

Page 8: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Post-Weber 1 Post-Weber 1 Foucault:Foucault: The Disciplinary SocietyThe Disciplinary Society

PanopticismPanopticism

1.1. Power and ModernityPower and Modernity - expertise - expertise

2.2. Self and SocietySelf and Society - norms of normality - norms of normality

3.3. Surveillance SocietySurveillance Society - - self-scrutiny and self-scrutiny and self-condemnationself-condemnation

4.4. Possible futuresPossible futures – – discourse and discoursesdiscourse and discourses

Page 9: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

WeberWeber Modern Social ExperienceModern Social Experience

RationalizationRationalization

‘‘The master concept of M. Weber’s analysis The master concept of M. Weber’s analysis of modern capitalism, referring to a variety of modern capitalism, referring to a variety of related processes by which every aspect of related processes by which every aspect of human action became subject to of human action became subject to calculation, measurement and control’.calculation, measurement and control’.

Abercrombie et al Abercrombie et al Penguin Dictionary of SociologyPenguin Dictionary of Sociology

Page 10: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Post-Weber 2 Post-Weber 2 Elias Elias The Self-Disciplinary SocietyThe Self-Disciplinary Society

Civilising ProcessCivilising Process

1.1. Power and self-controlPower and self-control - - reason and reason and emotionemotion

2.2. Power, Status and MannersPower, Status and Manners – court society – court society

3.3. Civilisation and BarbarityCivilisation and Barbarity – two-steps – two-steps forward and one step back?forward and one step back?

4.4. Modernity and OrderModernity and Order – – ‘pacific’ or ‘pacific’ or ‘pacified’ society‘pacified’ society

Page 11: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

SimmelSimmel Social OrderSocial Order

Sociation.Sociation.

The web of interactions among people The web of interactions among people through which social reality is constructed. through which social reality is constructed. Social structures are the crystallization, the Social structures are the crystallization, the embedding, of interactions among embedding, of interactions among individualsindividuals

(adapted from) Abercrombie et al (adapted from) Abercrombie et al Penguin Dictionary of Penguin Dictionary of

SociologySociology

Page 12: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Post-Simmel:Post-Simmel: Modernity = Multiple RealitiesModernity = Multiple Realities

1.1. Social PhenomenologySocial Phenomenology - - the social the social construction of shared narrativesconstruction of shared narratives

2.2. Time and MeaningTime and Meaning – – predecessors, predecessors, contemporaries and successorscontemporaries and successors

3.3. Social RealitySocial Reality – objective – objective and and subjectivesubjective

4.4. Self and ModernitySelf and Modernity - multiphrenia - multiphrenia

Page 13: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

DurkheimDurkheim Modern Social ExperienceModern Social Experience

AnomieAnomie

a social condition characterised by the a social condition characterised by the breakdown of norms governing social breakdown of norms governing social interactioninteraction

Abercrombie et al Abercrombie et al Penguin Dictionary of SociologyPenguin Dictionary of Sociology

Page 14: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Post-Durkheim 1Post-Durkheim 1 Post Modernity = Anomic Division of Post Modernity = Anomic Division of LabourLabour

Post-ModernismPost-Modernism1.1. Modernity and OrderModernity and Order – – categories and categories and

classificationsclassifications2.2. From productionFrom production to consumption-to consumption-

consumer cultureconsumer culture3.3. ConsumerismConsumerism- - images and thingsimages and things4.4. Time and SocietyTime and Society – nostalgia and – nostalgia and

uncertaintyuncertainty5.5. Self and SocietySelf and Society – – the playful self, the the playful self, the

experimental selfexperimental self

Page 15: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

DurkheimDurkheim Modern Social OrderModern Social Order

Social Division of LabourSocial Division of Labour

The division of a workforce so that people The division of a workforce so that people specialise in particular task and the deliberate specialise in particular task and the deliberate specialisation of complex tasks into their specialisation of complex tasks into their component parts.component parts.

Bruce and Yearley, The Sage dictionary of SociologyBruce and Yearley, The Sage dictionary of Sociology

it is it is the sole process which enables the necessities of the sole process which enables the necessities of social cohesion to be reconciled with the principle social cohesion to be reconciled with the principle of individuationof individuation

Durkheim The Division of Labour p.173Durkheim The Division of Labour p.173

Page 16: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Post-Durkheim 2Post-Durkheim 2 (high)Modernity = Risk Society(high)Modernity = Risk Society

Giddens & reflexive modernityGiddens & reflexive modernity

1.1. Social reality Social reality – – endless interchange between endless interchange between structure and agencystructure and agency

2.2. Modern structuresModern structures – – compression and extension compression and extension of time and spaceof time and space

3.3. Modern agency Modern agency – – (organic)(organic) complexity leads to de-complexity leads to de-traditionalisation and reflexivitytraditionalisation and reflexivity

4.4. High Modernity High Modernity – – uncertain and open outcomes; uncertain and open outcomes; risk assessment; risk management; risk-shiftingrisk assessment; risk management; risk-shifting

Page 17: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

MarxMarx Modern Social OrderModern Social Order

CapitalCapitalAny asset, financial or otherwise, that si Any asset, financial or otherwise, that si itself a source of income or can be used to itself a source of income or can be used to produce incomeproduce income

CapitalismCapitalismAn economic system in which goods are An economic system in which goods are produced for profit and sold in a free produced for profit and sold in a free market. The means of production (including market. The means of production (including labour) are privately ownedlabour) are privately owned

Bruce & Yearly The Sage dictionary of sociologyBruce & Yearly The Sage dictionary of sociology

Page 18: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Post-Marx2Post-Marx2 Modernity = circulation of multiple capitalsModernity = circulation of multiple capitals

BourdieuBourdieu

1.1. Economic capital Economic capital - - powerpower

2.2. Social capital Social capital -- influence influence

3.3. Cultural capital Cultural capital – – prestigeprestige

Page 19: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Modernity = Global SocietyModernity = Global Society

GlobalisationGlobalisation1.1. Global Economy Global Economy – – TNCs; free flow of TNCs; free flow of

resourcesresources2.2. Global Politics Global Politics – – end of history?; end of end of history?; end of

nation-states?nation-states?3.3. Global Culture Global Culture – – internet; media; internet; media;

consumer imagesconsumer images4.4. Global Citizens Global Citizens - NSMs- NSMs5.5. Global Resistance Global Resistance –– multiple globalisms; multiple globalisms;

glocalisationglocalisation

Page 20: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Revision ClassesRevision Classes

Thursday May 17Thursday May 17thth 11-12, NK3 11-12, NK3

Friday May 18Friday May 18thth 11-12, NK3 11-12, NK3

Page 21: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Past Exam paperPast Exam paper

1.1. Can modern societies be adequately thought of, as Parsons suggested, Can modern societies be adequately thought of, as Parsons suggested, as complex structures composed of functionally interdependent parts?as complex structures composed of functionally interdependent parts?

2.2. Was Elias right to suggest that modern society is becoming Was Elias right to suggest that modern society is becoming increasingly civilised?increasingly civilised?

3.3. Assess the view that Western Marxist thinkers overemphasise the Assess the view that Western Marxist thinkers overemphasise the power of ruling class ideology over the working classes.power of ruling class ideology over the working classes.

4.4. Assess the argument that Foucault’s representation of modern society Assess the argument that Foucault’s representation of modern society as a system of Panopticons is simplisticas a system of Panopticons is simplistic

5.5. With reference to phenomenological perspectives discuss the argument With reference to phenomenological perspectives discuss the argument that we typically view our social reality as 'natural'? that we typically view our social reality as 'natural'? Bourdieu's account of class reproduction oversimplifies the nature of Bourdieu's account of class reproduction oversimplifies the nature of modern culture and society. Discuss.modern culture and society. Discuss.

6.6. Why might it be difficult to identify significant forms of Habermas’s Why might it be difficult to identify significant forms of Habermas’s Ideal Speech Community in modern society?Ideal Speech Community in modern society?

7.7. A truly postmodern society would be chaotic. Discuss.A truly postmodern society would be chaotic. Discuss.8.8. Assess the adequacy of the argument, associated with Giddens and Assess the adequacy of the argument, associated with Giddens and

Beck, that the development of modernity leads to the creation of a ‘risk Beck, that the development of modernity leads to the creation of a ‘risk society’society’

9.9. Is globalization the same thing as the world-wide spread of capitalism?Is globalization the same thing as the world-wide spread of capitalism?

Page 22: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

SO3523Exam - Handy HintsSO3523Exam - Handy Hints

QuestionsQuestions1.1. Ten-ishTen-ish questions (this does not mean there is a specific questions (this does not mean there is a specific

question for each weekly topic)- question for each weekly topic)- three three answers; answers; threethree hours = hours = 60 60 minutes per answer. If you can answer three minutes per answer. If you can answer three questions (roughly) equally well it makes sense to spend questions (roughly) equally well it makes sense to spend a roughly equal amount of time on eacha roughly equal amount of time on each

2.2. Most questions refer to a specific topic – Most questions refer to a specific topic – but this should but this should not prevent you from discussing wider, relevant issuesnot prevent you from discussing wider, relevant issues

3.3. No question demands a purely descriptive/ informative No question demands a purely descriptive/ informative answer. answer. There is always a problem for you to think There is always a problem for you to think aboutabout

4.4. You are not required to give a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to the You are not required to give a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to the questionquestion. It is perfectly permissible to reach the . It is perfectly permissible to reach the conclusion that none of the arguments considered is conclusion that none of the arguments considered is wholly persuasive but some have greater strengths than wholly persuasive but some have greater strengths than othersothers

Page 23: SO3523 Overview Strategy (re social theory) Relevance of the Greats: Marx: Western Marxism; Critical Theory; Bourdieu Weber: Foucault; Elias Durkheim:

Response to Exam QuestionsResponse to Exam Questions

1.1. Read the questions carefully. Do what it says on the tin.Read the questions carefully. Do what it says on the tin.2.2. Plan your answers carefully. Make your plan evident to Plan your answers carefully. Make your plan evident to

the readerthe reader3.3. Focus on the opportunity to discuss continuing themes in Focus on the opportunity to discuss continuing themes in

the course e.g. structure agency debate, the nature of the course e.g. structure agency debate, the nature of modernity etc. If appropriate discuss these issues in more modernity etc. If appropriate discuss these issues in more than one answer but avoid repetition.than one answer but avoid repetition.

4.4. Be wiling to think outside the ‘box’. If you are answering a Be wiling to think outside the ‘box’. If you are answering a question on e.g. Foucault you can refer to e.g. Bourdieu, question on e.g. Foucault you can refer to e.g. Bourdieu, Habermas etc to make a relevant point. That is, be willing Habermas etc to make a relevant point. That is, be willing to make connections within the course and with other to make connections within the course and with other coursescourses

5.5. Ensure that you don’t repeat chunks of your essay in the Ensure that you don’t repeat chunks of your essay in the exam; its usually a sign you have wandered off the set exam; its usually a sign you have wandered off the set questionquestion

6.6. Refer to the literature.Refer to the literature.7.7. We need you to do well.We need you to do well.


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