SOC 203Y1Y History of Social Theory Instructors: Paul Armstrong (Term 1: May and June), Matt Patterson (Term 2: July and August) Session: Summer 2010 Time: Location: Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-8pm SS 2117 (Sidney Smith Hall), 100 St. George Street Course Website: http://portal.utoronto.ca Course Description: There is general agreement that students of sociology should not only study the latest research and current debates within the discipline, but also understand the social origins of the discipline itself. This course is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction into the history of social theory and the major works of classical sociology. In particular, we will cover the theories of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, Georg Simmel, George Herbert Mead, and Karl Mannheim. Required Texts: A course package is available from the Canadian Scholars Press, 180 Bloor Street West, Suite 801. Evaluation: Evaluations are made up of two in-class tests and two position papers. Test/Due Date % of Final Grade Position Paper #1 Wednesday, June 9 th 25% Test #1 Wednesday, June 16 th 25% Position Paper #2 Wednesday, August 4 th 25% Test #2 Wednesday, August 11 th 25% -1-
Tests: The tests will be written during class time and will consist of multiple choice and true/false questions. Test #1 will cover all of the lectures and readings from May and June, and test #2 will cover all of the lectures and readings from July and August. Make-up Tests: Students MUST contact course staff within one week of missing a term test. Please provide appropriate documentation, such as a signed University of Toronto student medical certificate (available on your college registrar s website), on the day of the make-up test. Make-up tests are scheduled to take place one week after the missed exam. Please note that vacation is not an acceptable excuse. Regrading Policy: It is within a student s rights to request to have course material regraded. Students wishing to enact this right should contact the course instructor who will then make arrangements with the course TAs. Please note the following conditions: 1) Students requesting to have material graded may only do so following 24 hours after work is handed back. Any requests submitted within 24 hours of the distribution of marks will not be accepted. 2) Students must submit written justification explaining why their mark should be reviewed. Such justifications should be substantive and include references to their work. 3) The grade assigned to regraded work is the final grade for that assignment and may be higher or lower than the original grade. E-Mail Policy: It is expected that students will exercise care in the content and wording of their e-mail correspondence. Please note that course staff reserves the right to reply to: 1) e-mails that he considers rude, impolite, or generally lacking appropriate etiquette. 2) e-mails that do not originate from a utoronto.ca e-mail account. 3) e-mails whose content can be retrieved from the course syllabus or course website. -2-
Position Papers: Position papers provide an opportunity to apply critical thinking and analysis to the course material. Students will be expected present arguments in response to the theories discussed in class and support these arguments with evidence from both course material and outside sources. Papers should be no more than four double-spaced pages in length. Our specific expectations for these papers will be discussed in more detail during lecture. Students may choose to respond to one of the following questions in each of their position papers. Alternatively, students have the option to make an argument that does not respond to one of the listed questions provided the argument still incorporates class material and is approved by a TA. Position Paper #1 Topics: 1. The division of labour permeated Durkheim s understanding of the physical and social world. 2. Marx s political economy differed from the philosophy of his predecessors. 3. Social theory must be understood in light of the historical context in which it was written. Position Paper #2 Topics: 1. What are social norms and how do they influence social action? 2. How has modern rationality impacted social life? Do you agree with the views of Weber and Simmel? 3. Why is studying ideas and culture important (or not important) to understanding capitalism? Plagiarism: Cheating and misrepresentation will not be tolerated. Students who commit an academic offence face serious penalties. Avoid plagiarism by citing properly: practices accepted by teachers in high school may prove unacceptable at university. Know where you stand by reading the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters in the Calendar of the Faculty of Arts and Science. Deadlines: Late work will not be accepted unless submitted with proper documentation from a student s physician or college registrar. Late work with documentation may be submitted in class or during office hours. -3-
Lecture Topics and Reading Assignments: TERM 1 Monday, May 10 th Wednesday, May 12 th Monday, May 17 th Wednesday, May 19 th Monday, May 24 th Wednesday, May 26 th Monday, May 31 st Wednesday, June 2 nd Monday, June 7 th Wednesday, June 9 th Monday, June 14 th Introduction The Enlightenment and the Romantic Conservative Reaction Reading: The Enlightenment: Philosophical Foundations Reading: The Romantic Conservative Reaction The Transition to Modernity Reading: The Wealth of Nations Karl Marx #1: Critical Beginnings Reading: Theses on Feuerbach VICTORIA DAY NO CLASS Karl Marx #2: Methodology and Philosophy Reading: The German Ideology Karl Marx #3: Political Economy of Capitalism Reading: Das Kapital Karl Marx #4: Future Society Reading: Manifesto of the Communist Party Emile Durkheim #1: Durkheim and Religion Reading: The Elementary Forms of Social Life Emile Durkheim #2: The Division of Labour in Society Reading: Mechanical and Organic Solidarity Emile Durkheim #3: Suicide Reading: Practical Consequences Wednesday, June 16 th Test #1 June 21 st July 2 nd BREAK FOR EXAMS -4-
TERM 2 Monday, July 5 th Wednesday, July 7 th Monday July 12 th Wednesday July 14 th Monday, July 19 th Wednesday, July 21 st Monday, July 26 th Wednesday, July 28 th Monday, August 2 nd Wednesday, August 4 th Monday, August 9 th Max Weber #1: Religion and the Origins of Capitalism Reading: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism Max Weber #2: Objectivity, Ideal Types and Methodology Reading: Objectivity Max Weber #3: Social Action Reading: Basic Sociological Terms Max Weber #4: Power, Domination, and Inequality Reading: The Distribution of Power Within the Political Community: Class, Status, Party Georg Simmel #1: Social Life in Modern Society Reading: The Metropolis and Mental Life Georg Simmel #2: Domination and Inequality Readings: Fashion and Introduction to Superordination and Subordination George Herbert Mead: American Pragmatism and the Self Reading: The Self Karl Mannheim: Ideology Reading: Ideology and Utopia CIVIC HOLIDAY NO CLASS Major Debates in Social Theory Reading: Sociological Theory Today (by J. H. Turner) Due: Position Paper #2 Major Debates in Social Theory (continued) No Readings Wednesday, August 11 th Test #2-5-