Institut für Soziologie

• Sozialstruktur und soziale Ungleichheit europäischer Gesellschaften im Vergleich

  0181bB1.1
  • 30201 Vertiefungsvorlesung
    Social Structure of European Societies (Martin Ehlert)
    Zeit: Do 12:00-14:00, zusätzliche Termine siehe LV-Details (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/A Hörsaal (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    This lecture is designed to present an overview of the main aspects of the social structures of contemporary societies within the European Union. The lecture focuses on contemporary national societies, but it will address long-lasting social cleavages and transnational developments as well. The lecture has three major parts: The introductory block starts with an intense discussion and recap of major concepts of social stratification. A selection of classical and modern approaches will be presented and discussed in class. The second block focuses on selected dimensions of the social structure, such as demographic structures, household and family structures, educational systems, labor market structures and welfare state regimes. The third block presents empirical evidence of the most salient forms of social inequality within and between European societies, such as poverty, material deprivation, gender and ethnic inequalities. The lecture closes with the question whether we experience a trend towards more or less common characteristics in European societies.

    Literaturhinweise

    Steffen Mau/Roland Verwiebe (2010): European Societies. Mapping Structure and Change. Bristol: The Policy Press.

  • 30202 Hauptseminar
    Welfare state and its applications (Katharina Bluhm)
    Zeit: Di 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    The existence of large welfare states as a result of industrialization and class struggle is a prominent feature of Europe to this day. This explains why welfare state chauvinism is a specific feature of European right-wing populism. Different types of regimes have emerged that have created path dependency. Despite European integration, social policy remains a core task of national states and plays a crucial role in the legitimation of democracy. The seminar will explore the drivers of the diversity of welfare state development in Europe and the main triggers of change. We will start with Xaver Kaufmann's concept of welfare production and Esping-Andersen's typology, its critics, adaptations and extensions (e.g. the role of religion and gender and the debate on a South European model, Central Eastern Europe, the role of housing policy). We will then examine the main trends of change and their conceptualization. The seminar will conclude with a debate on the pros and cons of a basic income.

  • 30203 Hauptseminar
    Measuring Social Constructs (Vivien Fabry)
    Zeit: Mi 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Hinweise für Studierende

    It is advised to bring and use your own laptops.
    Exam: 3.000 word term paper.

    Kommentar

    This course aims to familiarize students with the quantitative measurement of diverse social constructs (for example racism, sexism and social class) in European social science research. It introduces students to relevant literature measuring social constructs and inequalities in Europe. The course encourages students to explore surveys and the associated research methods to analyze the data. Additionally, students not only gain theoretical knowledge but also practical experience in implementing various measurement techniques for different constructs using R.

  • 30204 Hauptseminar
    Social Movement Studies: An Introduction (Jonas Gunzelmann)
    Zeit: Do 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    This seminar introduces students to the field of social movement studies. Divided into two parts, we will first explore key concepts and theories such as resource mobilization, political opportunity structures, and framing. These theoretical approaches provide frameworks for analyzing various aspects of social movements, including their emergence, organization, tactics, and impact on society. For this part of the seminar, we will mainly read a textbook, supplemented by some classic articles. In the second part, we will delve into recently published articles from the leading journals in the field, Mobilization and Social Movement Studies. Through discussion and analysis, students will gain insights into current research trends and deepen their understanding of the study of social movements and contentious politics.

  • 30205 Hauptseminar
    Applying Social Network Analysis: Social Cohesion and Civil Society (Jonas Gunzelmann)
    Zeit: Do 16:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    Civil society plays a key role in the production of social cohesion. However, recent research on (affective) polarization casts doubt on the integrative power of civil society. Deepening political cleavages and declining social capital put pressure on associations, volunteers, and entire fields of civic action, which appear increasingly fragmented. This seminar focuses on the analysis of social cohesion and polarization in civil society. The first part of the seminar introduces students to key concepts in civil society research and relational sociology such as social capital and affective polarization. The second part of the seminar teaches the fundamentals of social network analysis and their application to the study of social cohesion in civil society. In several hands-on sessions, students learn to design a qualitative or quantitative network study, collect network data from documents, and analyze them using various software (Discourse Network Analyzer, R, Visone).

  • 30206 Hauptseminar
    Labor market returns to education (Heike Solga & Alessandro Ferrara)
    Zeit: Do 16:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    The seminar explores answers to the question "Why and to what extent is education rewarded in labor markets? Through the seminar readings and our discussion, we will address several issues: the question of selection processes into different educational groups, the relationship between different dimensions of education (e.g., educational credentials and skills), and how this relationship varies across educational systems. We will reflect on the normative foundations of the role of "education" in modern societies. Insights into these issues provide important information for better understanding the eventual labor market returns to education and their variation across institutional contexts. The seminar will pay particular attention to theoretical frameworks. A major goal of the readings and discussions is to improve students' academic skills in theoretical and analytical reasoning about labor market inequalities by education.

  • 30207 Hauptseminar
    European integration: differences between European regions (Justyna Okrucinska)
    Zeit: Mi 16:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    The seminar ‘European Integration: Differences Between European Regions’ is going to focus on the critical comparison of the application and results of the integration processes. The goal is to present the inequalities coming from the way in which the European Union is constructed, but also the differences in which the goal of the European Union is perceived. The comparison will concern Western, Eastern and Southern Europe. The question on which the seminar is based is ‘Can we talk about the existence of the sub-peripheries in the European Union?’. In the class, there will be discussed topics like the process of the accession to the European Union; the narrative on the European Union in membership countries; perception of the European regions among the societies. On the other hand, the seminar will also cover topics on the specific areas of the policies: economy, migration, rule of law, social cohesion.

  • 30208 Hauptseminar
    Mixed Methods Approaches to Migration and Health Inequalities (Emily Frank)
    Zeit: Mi 14-16 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: Ihnestr.22/UG 2 Seminarraum (Ihnestr. 22)
    

    Kommentar

    This course takes a sociological perspective on the complex relationship between migration and health, with a focus on immigrants living in Europe. What factors contribute to disparities in health among various immigrant groups? Are immigrants healthier than non-migrants (the “healthy immigrant effect”), or do the challenges they face lead them to be less healthy? What are the implications of structural factors, such as immigration policies, for health inequalities in immigrant populations? In what ways do ethnic and racial identities influence healthcare access and health outcomes? These are some of the many questions we will address. Students will critically assess health and mental health measurement among migrants, familiarize themselves with various methodological approaches and the rationale behind their selection, and enhance their theoretical understanding of migration-related health research.
    
    In an introductory session, we will discuss the relationship between race, ethnicity, migration, and the relevance of these terms for the sociological study of health. We will then spend the remainder of the course mainly looking to empirical papers as examples of research on migration and health. Section 1 will focus on the relationship between migration and health and how migration experiences affect health in destination countries. Concepts discussed in this section will include the main theories predicting immigrants’ health, the measurement of intersectional health inequalities in immigrants, and the pathologization of immigration. Section 2 will explore the structural factors affecting immigrants’ physical and mental health, including immigration policies and the social and labor market contexts of destination countries. Section 3 will focus on healthcare access and provision for immigrants. A final session will allow students to present on several topics of choice not covered in the course.

  • 30209 Hauptseminar
    Social Structures and Inequalities in Comparative Perspective: Using Data Infrastructures of Comparative Empirical Social Research (Claudia Traini)
    Zeit: Di 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/204 PC-Pool (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    In order to be able to formulate empirically verified statements about current social changes and their implications, the social sciences depend on quality-tested research data. There are now a number of survey programs that can be used to investigate many of the currently burning social problems, such as the European Social Survey (ESS) or the International Social Survey Program (ISSP). These survey programs are not only characterized by the fact that they allow social change to be traced over time, but also allow this to be done from a comparative perspective. The aim of this seminar is to (1) introduce the currently most important data sets for empirical social research and (2) to convey initial experiences in using these data sets to answer specific research questions. This is intended to provide key skills in the practical use of the prominent survey programs in the social sciences. The seminar program mainly includes "hands-on sessions" in the PC pool, in which the use of the data sets with the statistical program STATA is practiced on the basis of simple re-search questions.

  • 31501a Vertiefungsseminar
    Civil Society and Mobilization (Mihai Varga)
    Zeit: Mi 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    The seminar combines theoretical texts on civil society and social movements with examples of collective action in post-communist Europe. In the social sciences, “civil society” is expected to play an important role in strengthening democracies (A. de Toqueville, A. Gramsci) or in limiting the negative effects of markets (M. Castells, K. Polanyi). But research casts a negative light on civil society in the post-communist area: civil society is generally seen as weak, except for the so-called “uncivil” society, mobilizing against the values of liberal democracies. Seeing civil society from the perspective of social movement theories on mobilization, the seminar helps contextualize and explain the rise of the “uncivil” society and the weakness of civil society’s liberal component. Cases to be discussed in class include the NGO sector and the international “democratization industry”, the role of intellectual dissidents, civil society at times of Russia’s war against Ukraine (in Russia and in Ukraine), cultural movements – both conservative (in Poland) and anarchist (Voina, in Russia), far-right movements in Russia and Poland, Otpor in Serbia and its global model for peaceful revolutions, Ukraine’s Euromaidan and its aftermath.

• Werte und Kultur in europäisch vergleichender Perspektive

  0181bB1.2
  • 30210 Vertiefungsvorlesung
    Cultural Differences and Similarities (Eylem Kanol/Céline Teney)
    Zeit: Mo 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/A Hörsaal (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    What are the major cultural differences between the Member States of the European Union? How can one explain these differences? Are the cultural differences diminishing so that one can speak of a unified European culture? These are the three systematic research questions which underlie the structure of the lecture. The course will apply these questions to the different dimensions of culture. Apart from factual information, the course presents an overview of the different sociological concepts of culture and how different authors have used their concept to analyse cultural differences between European countries. The lecture is also composed of group exercises, in which students will conduct their own cross-national comparison by analysing data from the European Social Survey.

  • 30211 Hauptseminar
    Populism: How to Study a Contested Concept (Bruno de Castanho Silva)
    Zeit: Do 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    “Populism” is a buzzword in Europe today. Across the continent, parties and politicians labeled as such make it into parliaments and governments, claiming to speak for marginalized social groups. At the same time, radical parties (especially the radical right) and nationalists have been a common phenomenon for decades, and there is much conceptual muddiness when using these terms. In this course we will discuss populism and how to study it in a social scientific way. We start from definitions, on what is populist discourse and how it differs from other types of group-based appeals. We then move to measurement, on how to capture populism both from the elites, through text analysis and expert surveys, but also as attitudes among the public with mass surveys, and finally study how to understand the appeal of populism in contemporary Europe, and what social forces are behind such movements and parties. At the end, students will have a good understanding of one of the most pressing challenges to contemporary liberal democracies. This course will combine different approaches of empirical analysis to the substantive question of populism in Europe today. Participants are expected to have a basic understanding of statistics and statistical analysis, as part of the class will involve hands-on activities with examples and data.

  • 30212 Hauptseminar
    Nationalism, religion and gender (Katharina Bluhm)
    Zeit: Di 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    The recent rise of nationalism brings the intersection of gender, state, and nation into focus. Often, but not always, it is combined with an illiberal-conservative turn in family policy and the naturalization of gender roles, criticizing "postmodern" and "totalitarian liberalism" after 1968, including liberal feminism. This movement is more comprehensive than in Eastern Europe and Russia, but finds specific conditions here. Within this global trend, Central and Eastern Europe and Russia are not unique. However, with the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the fall of the Soviet empire in the early 1990s, nationalism (and religion) became the basis for nation (re)building. The seminar will explore similarities and differences in the intersection of nationalism, religion, and gender in selected countries. In the first part, students will learn theoretical insights into the social construction of nationalism and types of nationalism as an ideology in relation to citizenship and religion. We will then focus on the intersection of nationalism and gender. In the second part, we will deepen our knowledge through selected topics and country-specific cases.
    
    The course focuses on the post-socialist space, but the theories and conceptualizations can be applied to other cases as well.

  • 30213 Hauptseminar
    The Sociology of Emotions: Cross-Cultural Perspectives (Irina Christiani)
    Zeit: Do 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/302a Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    Emotions are an integral part of human social life. They are inseparable from thinking and acting and are central to social interactions and relationships. Although the capacity to experience emotions is a human universal, emotions are substantially shaped by cultural and social structural forces. This is manifest in the many ways in which emotions are experienced, expressed, communicated, valued, regulated, and represented. In this course, we will explore these cultural differences in emotion, in particular from a cross-national perspective. First, we will discuss what emotions are, how they can be understood at social and cultural levels, and how they impact individual and social life. Second, you will learn how culture, in a broad understanding, shapes the experience and expression of emotion and the meanings that are attached to specific emotions. This includes, for example, discussions of the role of social norms, values, gender, identity, or social status. Third, we will focus on cross-national differences in emotional experience and emotional behavior. This includes comparative studies of different countries and cultures as well as issues related to migration, ethnicity, and transnationalization. The seminar consists of regular class meetings.

  • 30214 Hauptseminar
    Contested Intimacies: Understanding (Non-)Monogamy (Irina Christiani)
    Zeit: Mi 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/302a Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    Until recently a niche phenomenon in research and everyday life, consensual non-monogamous (CNM) relationship concepts and practices such as polyamory and open relationships are gaining popularity, especially among young adults. Recent national samples have found that approximately 20-30% of Germans under the age of 30 can imagine having an open relationship (Marktforschungsinstitut Fittkau und Maaß, 2023), one in six Americans would like to engage in CNM (Moors et al., 2021), and 4% are practicing some form of CNM (Levine et al., 2018). These findings, among others, suggest a shift in the cultural meaning and practice of intimate relationships. In this seminar we will explore (1) why CNM is currently gaining popularity, and (2) how and to what extent CNM as a social institution and set of practices is emerging and being adopted by individuals as a (more or less) radical counter-schema to monogamy in modern societies.
    Our inquiry starts at the macro-level of sociological observation. As a first step, we will apply a social constructivist lens to mononormativity: the system of cultural beliefs and norms that propagate, reinforce, and perpetuate the notion that monogamous practice is the only morally acceptable and natural form of sexual and romantic intimacy. We will discuss its historical and cultural contingency as well as its intersections and potential symbiosis with the cultural belief systems of patriarchy, capitalism, and heteronormativity.
    Once sensitized to mononormativity, we will turn to CNM as (a set of) counterculture(s), identifying the factors and actors that have promoted its emergence as a social institution and its diffusion into mainstream culture. At the meso-level, we will focus on organized attempts and strategies to establish CNM as a counterculture.
    We will then approach the micro-level of CNM practices and identities, focusing on the processes of individual reconstruction that CNM "pioneers" undergo as they turn their backs on monogamy and are confronted with the task of navigating a field of tension between their mononormative socialization and social environment on the one hand, and their aspirations to practice CNM on the other. Specifically, we will examine how CNM people act as agents in (re)constructing their identities, paying particular attention to the role of intrapersonal emotional conflicts that arise as a result of internalized mononormativity.
    Finally, we will discuss the limits and future of such (self-)transformations and synthesize our findings by exploring the extent to which CNM represents a real departure from and rival to mononormativity. To what extent is CNM still "covertly" aligned with mononormativity in structure, thought, and practice? Is it a fleeting trend that will soon be forgotten and reabsorbed by mononormativity? Or will it undermine mononormativity and perhaps even spell the end of monogamous practice?

  • 30215 Hauptseminar
    Throwback: Cultural Shifts Towards Regression, Nostalgia and Deceleration (Elgen Sauerborn)
    Zeit: Mi 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/302b Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Hinweise für Studierende

    In recent years, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic, several sociocultural movements, trends and phenomena have emerged that involve backward movements or the appeal to stand still and resist the pressure of constant growth and optimization. These developments often include elements of regression, nostalgia, and deceleration. Such cultural shifts celebrate past lifestyles and constraints and express a yearning for times perceived as simpler and less overwhelming. Examples include the rejection of advanced technologies and reviving traditional roles and lifestyles, as seen in the growing popularity of 'trad wives' or 'homesteaders'. As a counterbalance to the pursuit of growth and progress, movements such as digital minimalism and slow living are gaining traction and emphasizing retreat, simplicity, and reduction. This trend also reflects a rejection of the culture of constant (self-)optimization that has dominated recent decades. It is evident in workplace changes, such as debates on a four-day workweek, the rise of 'quiet quitting', and adopting a 'good enough' mindset. These changes are accompanied by a reappraisal of values such as adaptability, frugality, mindfulness, and self-restraint, which are not only embraced but also redefined in contemporary cultural contexts.
    This course aims to analyze and understand these phenomena of looking back and standing still from a sociological perspective. The course is structured in two parts. In the first part, we will explore theoretical and conceptual frameworks in the social sciences that address these processes of regression, nostalgia, and deceleration and situate them within their broader social context. In the second and primary phase, we will conduct an exploratory analysis of case studies to gain deeper insights into these phenomena and their significance in contemporary Western societies.

  • 30216 Hauptseminar
    Emotions and Social Class (Elgen Sauerborn)
    Zeit: Di 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/302a Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    Emotions are deeply embedded in social structures and shape the way people experience and transcend class affiliation and boundaries. They play a crucial role in reinforcing, contesting and transforming social hierarchies and class structures.
    This course addresses the relationship between social inequality, class and emotions and examines how structural inequalities both shape and are shaped by emotions. Drawing on theoretical and empirical insights, primarily from the sociology of emotions, we will explore how class and emotions interact. The course is structured in two parts. In the first part, we will discuss classical and contemporary perspectives from the sociology of emotions, with a focus on the emotional dimensions of social inequality and class. Topics include emotional labor, the socialization of emotions across class boundaries, class-specific emotional norms and rules, and the political economy of emotions. The second part examines recent empirical studies that shed light on the role of emotions in various social contexts, such as class resentment, poverty, precarious work, social mobility, and the emotional dynamics within groups such as economic elites.
    Through these discussions, students develop a nuanced understanding of the interplay between class and emotions. The course provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing how emotions influence and are influenced by broader social structures.
    This is a joint seminar co-taught with Marci Cottingham, PhD, from Kenyon College, Ohio

  • 30217 Hauptseminar
    Trust in European Societies (Elgen Sauerborn)
    Zeit: Do 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    Trust is a fundamental element of social life and shapes social interactions, institutions and systems. However, late modern societies are characterized by a profound crisis of trust. Global conflicts and wars, political populism, economic instability and environmental crises all contribute to the erosion of trust in institutions, experts and in each other.
    This course is structured in two parts. In the first part, we will discuss different sociological definitions and approaches to trust and examine its dimensions on an interpersonal, institutional and systemic level. We will explore classical sociological theories alongside contemporary perspectives, including relational and behavioral approaches, as well as the concept of social capital. The second part deals with the current “crisis of trust”, which is characterized by widespread mistrust in democratic institutions, science, the media, experts and other people. Based on current literature and empirical studies, we will examine the dynamics and consequences of the erosion of trust in European societies. We will critically analyze where and in what way trust is eroding and how it manifests across social, political and economic spheres. Special attention will be given to the methodological challenges of studying trust to provide students with tools for empirical research and conceptual analysis.

  • 30218 Hauptseminar
    Religiosity in European Societies (Dieter Ohr)
    Zeit: Mo 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/302b Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Hinweise für Studierende

    Requirements:
    

    • Regular participation
    • One oral presentation
    • Exam: Seminar paper (3,000 words) or oral exam

    Kommentar

    Church attendance in most European societies has dropped to a very low level. More generally, in Europe religious institutions seem to have lost much of their former significance. From the perspective of secularization theories this is what one would expect in modern, highly individualized societies: the demand for religion will decline, individuals will no longer feel a need for faith in the supernatural. By contrast, religious market theories focus not on an alleged decline of religious demand but rather on the suppliers of religion. These theories claim that in Europe regulated and even monopolistic religious markets have resulted in inefficiency and hence much lower religious vitality than in the United States or in other regions of the world.
    In the first part of the seminar, theories of religious change will be discussed, such as secularization theories and religious market theories. In the second part, empirical findings regarding religious change in Europe will be analyzed. Two aspects of religion will be distinguished: organized religious behavior on one hand and subjective religious beliefs and attitudes on the other hand. A special emphasis in the seminar will be on the development and on the characteristics of small religious movements (‘sects’) that often show rapid rates of growth (e.g., Jehova’s Witnesses).

    Literaturhinweise

    • Fox, Jonathan, 2013: An Introduction to Religion and Politics. Theory and Practice. London.
    • Norris, Pippa/Inglehart, Ronald, 2004: Sacred and Secular. Religion and Politics Worldwide. Cambridge.
    • Stark, Rodney/Bainbridge, William Sims, 1985: The Future of Religion. Secularization, Revival and Cult Formation. Berkeley.
    • Stark, Rodney/Iannaccone, Laurence R., 1994: A Supply-Side Reinterpretation of the ‘Secularization’ of Europe, in: Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 33: 230-252.

• Globalisierung und regionale Entwicklung

  0181bB1.3
  • 30219 Vertiefungsvorlesung
    Current Terms of Global Political Sociology (Jan Boesten)
    Zeit: Di 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/A Hörsaal (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    This lecture course is an introduction to current terms of global political sociology. Specifically, we will address the effects of inequality on various political systems in the Global South with a focus on Latin America. Beginning with an elaboration of how dependence was historically structured in the Southern Cone, the course will explore how inequality structured the state, political and economic inequities were reflected in citizenship regimes, as well as how economic and political institutions interact with various types of regimes. The course will explore how the political sociology, often but not always with origin in the “Old World”, has taken on sui generis meaning in Latin America, and therefore also made sui generis contributions. The terminology will be explored in detail with examples from Latin America and beyond and the design of the course combines theoretical as well as empirical examination. Some of the key terms and trajectories that will be explored: democracy vs. authoritarianism, oligarchic rule vs. populist rule, elitism vs. popular politics, modernization and post-modern citizenship.

  • 30220 Hauptseminar
    Globalization of Science: A Gender Perspective (Kathrin Zippel)
    Zeit: Mo 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/302b Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    Globalization of science has increased international collaboration and mobility, while also reconfiguring inequalities within academia. We ask from an intersectional gender perspective: what does internationalization of science mean for gender & diversity in science? For example, despite some progress toward gender equity, women remain underrepresented in international collaboration & mobility. This seminar explores social science theories to explain the underrepresentation of women in academic leadership positions and among scientists, particularly in STEM fields, in the context of global reconfigurations. Finally, we will explore policy instruments that seek to challenge gendered power in science and academia.

  • 30221 Hauptseminar
    Mobility, Migrations and Globalization (Yasemin Soysal)
    Zeit: Mo 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Hinweise für Studierende

    Regular participation, completion of assigned readings, and participation in class discussions are required. Each student is expected to organize and lead at least one session of the discussion. For the written assignment, students must submit a term paper that develops from the seminar’s themes and addresses the issues and questions discussed.

    Kommentar

    This course critically examines global migration, one of the most pressing and polarizing issues of the current era. It introduces key academic debates within sociology, exploring the relationship between globalization and diverse forms of migration and mobilities. Through a comparative lens, the course analyzes the complex drivers and impacts of contemporary population movements, fostering a deeper understanding of their role in shaping societies and global politics.

  • 30222 Hauptseminar
    Sociology of the EU (Justyna Okrucinska)
    Zeit: Di 16:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    The aim of the seminar ‘Sociology of the European Union’ is to discuss the influence of the EU on the European, as well as non-European societies. The seminar firstly will introduce the scope of the field and the self-presentation of the EU in terms of its impact on society. Topics of the second part will cover the most popular fields of the Sociology of the EU: identity, spatial mobility, European demos. Finally, the impact of the European Union on the societies would be presented in the specific fields of policies: gender and queer rights, human rights, ecology, international relations. The outcome of the policies is going to be discussed not only in the context of the European societies, but also non-European ones, to present the broader spectrum of the EU’s activity. Positioning of the European Union, like for example in the case of the ‘Green Europe’ will be critically contrasted with the particular outcome of this policies.

  • 30237 Hauptseminar
    Islamist extremism and radicalization (Eylem Kanol)
    Zeit: Mo 16-18 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/302a Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    In this course, we will discuss various theoretical and empirical approaches to Islamist radicalization and extremism. Our main objective is to deal with the following questions: What are the prominent explanations for the support of radical Islamist attitudes? Which factors contribute to the involvement in radical Islamist behavior? For the purposes of this course, I have categorized the available literature into three broad categories: (1) Psychological, social-psychological explanations, and grievance-based explanations; (2) Social Movement Theories; and (3) religion-based explanations. In each session, we will review theoretical concepts from one line of literature and engage with the relevant empirical perspectives. We will focus on Islamist radicalization both in Muslim-majority countries and among Muslims in the Western European context.

  • 30238 Hauptseminar
    Religion and Migration (Eylem Kanol)
    Zeit: Di 16-18 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    In recent years, migration research has documented a major shift in discourses surrounding immigration and immigrants towards discourses on religion and Muslims. Accordingly, not only was there a change in public perceptions, but also a (re-)entry of religion-related topics into migration research. This seminar provides an overview of current research in the sociology of migration and in the sociology of religion in this thematic field. An important research question is how religion and religiosity influence the integration and positioning of immigrants and their descendants in the host society: Do religion and religiosity provide immigrants in Europe and North America with an impetus for or against integration? Under what conditions do (ascribed) religion and religiosity lead to exclusion or discrimination by non-immigrants? Do immigrants respond to experiences of discrimination with increased religiosity? Furthermore, the seminar deals with international differences and changes in the institutional integration of immigrant religious minorities. For instance, we will discuss what demands immigrant religious minorities make, what rights they receive from the state, and how these rights (or the lack thereof) affect the social integration and religiosity of immigrant religious minorities. Finally, questions from the sociology of religion, which conceptualize migration primarily as a factor for religious change in the modern age, will also be addressed.

  • 30240 Hauptseminar
    Globalization and De-Globalization: How Societies Change (Jochen Roose)
    Zeit: Do 16:00-18:00, zusätzliche Termine siehe LV-Details (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/302b Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    Globalization has been a major change for societies around the globe during the last decades. However, in the last years the counter process of de-globalization has intensified. The seminar systematically analyzes the processes of globalization and de-globalization as processes of social change. We first develop a definition of globalization. Then we understand the driving forces of social change. Equipped with these theoretical tools, we will analyze the globalization and de-globalization processes in various societal fields.

    Literaturhinweise

    Therborn, Göran 2000: Globalizations: Dimensions, Historical Waves, Regional Effects, Normative Governance. In: International Sociology 15(2), 151-179.

  • 30241 Hauptseminar
    Studying the Globalization Cleavage - Conceptual and Empirical Challenges (Alexander Pries)
    Zeit: Di 16-18 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/C Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    The weakening social base of established parties, new political issues such as immigration, climate change, and European integration, and the rise of new party families such as the New Left and Radical Right have reshaped party systems across Western Europe. One prominent explanation is the emergence of a new political cleavage between the "winners" and "losers" of globalization. However, some argue that these transformations result from more individualized voting behaviour rather than a fundamental restructuring of society. Adding to the complexity, definitions of political cleavages can vary significantly. This raises a critical issue: If we lack conceptual clarity, how can we confidently assess whether globalization has created a new political cleavage?
    
    Thus, this seminar is structured into three main parts. We begin by dissecting the concept of political cleavages: What are their key components? What mechanisms drive their formation? What are their political consequences? We explore how scholars identify cleavages empirically in different Regions (Western, Eastern Europe, and Latin America) and why different definitions may lead to different findings. Next, we examine globalization as a potential driver of political division: How is globalization defined in this debate, and what are its effects on cleavages? In the final part of the course, we ask: Have scholars successfully identified a globalization cleavage, or are there weaknesses in the argument when we apply a "thicker" definition? By the end of this course, students will gain a clearer understanding of these debates and develop skills in conceptual clarity, empirical analysis, and critical assessment of social research.

  • 31502a Seminar
    Sociology of deviance. An introduction with applications to categories of marginalization in Eastern Europe (Mihai Varga)
    Zeit: Mi 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    Using theoretical reflections based on the work of Ian Hacking, Michel Foucault, and Howard Becker, we will discuss the interplay between Enlightenment and (post-)communist/Soviet conceptions of science and "proper" social behavior in labeling various people as deviant. We will focus on examples of "deviant" people drawn from research on Eastern Europe and examine cases of how state representatives (from social workers to police) deal with ethnicized & racialized poor, with people living with HIV, with disabilities, people who use drugs, etc.

  • 32611 Hauptseminar
    Colonialism, Hereditary Racial Slavery, Patriarchal Economic Organization - The Roots of Transatlantic Capitalism? (Robin Jaspert)
    Zeit: Termine siehe LV-Details (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: 201 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Hinweise für Studierende

    block seminar in June with two additional online sessions

    Kommentar

    Colonialism, Hereditary Racial Slavery, Patriarchal Economic Organization: The Roots of Transatlantic Capitalism?

    The scope with which we choose to analyse socio-economic systems is based on our understanding of how these constellations came into being. Same holds true for capitalism, whose origins have been fiercely debated for as long as the system has prevailed. And there are various schools of thought competing about the correct interpretation of this history. Many liberal and critical traditions share an understanding of the emergence of capitalism as rooted in the intertwined developments of the rise of the enlightenment tradition, the development and industrialisation of the European systems of production, early state formation and land enclosures in 18^th century Great Britain. Among historians and historical materialists, it is mostly unchallenged that these developments were indeed central for the emergence of capitalism and still shape its logics of accumulation, production, reproduction and ideology until today. However, there is more to the story of the rise of capitalism than that. It is a limited and thus analytically potentially limiting perspective to conceive of the fundament of capitalism as just the class struggle between the bourgeoisie and the workers in early industrializing Great Britain.  -----

    To unravel which other conditions and systems have been foundational to the rise of capitalism we adopt a longue durée historical perspective focusing on historical literature. Starting in the mid-14^th century, we engage with the intertwined histories of the emergence of capitalism, hereditary racial slavery, colonialisms and patriarchal economic systems. We critically discuss the workings of these systems of systematic, racialized, patriarchal, exploitation, domination and oppression seeking to understand the role they played for the rise of capitalism. Based on this historical perspective we engage with theoretical and empirical analyses of contemporary capitalism. The aim of this course is to jointly establish a critical understanding of the emergence of these systems as well as their shadows and continuities in today’s capitalism.  ------
    
    Central questions:

    -          What were the inner logics of colonialism, hereditary racial slavery and patriarchal economic organization when they emerged?

    -          Were they necessary preconditions for the rise of capitalism?

    -          What are their continuities?

    -           How can critical scholarship be mobilized to build a nuanced analysis of these systems in contemporary capitalism? -----

    Recommended Readings:

    Folbre, Nancy (2020): The Rise and Decline of Patriarchal Systems. An Intersectional Political Economy. London: Verso. -----

    Morgan, Jennifer L. (2021): Reckoning with Slavery. Gender, Kinship and Capitalism in the Early Black Atlantic. Durham: Duke University Press. -----

    Williams, Eric (2022): Capitalism and Slavery. London: Penguin Classics. -----

    Proof of Participation & Examination

    Next to regular engagements with the literature provided, every participant will have to take on two particularly active roles in order to get their active participation certified. Every participant will have to take the role as a Text Expert and as a Discussant once – but for two separate sessions. You will never always be a team of at least two participants. -----

    Text Expert: For one chosen session you will act as a text expert. This job entails that you have profoundly engaged with the primary literature of the session and are knowledgeable abouts its content. This does explicitly not imply that you have to understand everything and give a PowerPoint Input (please refrain from doing so), but I expect that you have seriously engaged with the text and taken notes on its central thesis, its relation to other topics covered in the course and are able to share and discuss questions and critical remarks that came to your mind during the reading. It is particularly fruitful also to note questions that you have to the text. Furthermore, you are expected to have engaged with the additional reading and bring some of the debates covered into the general discussion. -----

    Discussant: For one chosen session you will act as a team of discussants. This job entails that you have profoundly engaged the primary literature and prepared a discussion paper of approx. 1.000 words if alone or 1.500 words if you write with two persons (+/- 10%). The discussion papers have to be uploaded at latest until 6 o’clock PM the day before the session. The papers should go beyond the text and not reproduce its contents. You can think of the discussion paper as an exercise to engage with aspects / debates / questions touched in the primary literature more freely and i.e. discuss them critically / in relation to other scholarship. You are free to choose which aspects, hypotheses, or connections with other course contents or exterior theoretical and empirical debates you want to focus on within your discussion paper.  The papers are intended to kickstart a discussion in the group that you are expected to actively participate in. The discussion papers will be made available to the other course participants, and you will have maximum five minutes to briefly introduce your argument (approx. after half of the session) and start the discussion.   -----

     

    In case you need a proof of examination and full credit for the module you are expected to write a term paper of 5.000-6.000 words. Please do only hand in papers via mail and in PDF format in an easily readable format (i.e., Times New Roman, 12, formatted in justified text, line spacing of 1.5 cm) with coherent referencing (style choice is yours). While you can freely choose a topic, as long as it has some connections to the debates and the literature covered in the course, shortly introducing the topic via mail, and considering the feedback from the instructor is mandatory. If you are not sure what to write about, or if your ideas need a short discussion or feedback: please feel always free to get in touch – also with early-stage ideas. -----

    General Remarks:

    Unfortunately, the university is a space where systems of domination such as patriarchy, racism, class, able, and others influence the way we interact with each other. To counter these potential dynamics and make this class a space where everyone wants to and can participate, I call upon a collective as well as an individual sense of awareness and responsibility. Furthermore, I will use quoted lists of speakers if needed and provide the following systems for feedback in case you feel unfairly treated by the instructor, or observe racist, sexist, classist or ableist (or really any other discriminatory) behaviour and dynamics in the course:

    A.     You can always write me a non-anonymous mail from your FU-address.

    B.      At the end of each session there will be an opportunity to speak out (time is rather limited though).

    C.      You can always write me an anonymous mail (simply use any mail provider and a nickname not connected to your real name)

    D.     I will share a pad in the online learning environment that is visible to all participants of the class. You can either use it anonymously or non-anonymously. I will have a look at it before every session. Please use responsibly.

    I made the experience that these mechanisms are able to improve the learning environment. If you feel anything else is necessary or useful in order to feel safe and sound in the seminar, please do let me know (in some of the ways mentioned above). Furthermore, please have a look at the Code of Conduct released by the institute:

    https://www.jfki.fu-berlin.de/information/code_of_conduct/index.html

• Vertiefung

  0181bC1.2
  • 30223 Vertiefungsseminar
    Morality and War: An "Eichmann in Jerusalem" Seminar (Jan Boesten)
    Zeit: Mi 12-14 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/C Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    This course builds on teachings completed at the Stanford House at the University of Oxford and explores the meaning of Arendt’s famous concept of the Banality of Evil in light of her political philosophy. The aim is not merely to examine that statement and Arendt’s book but to understand her conceptualization of the political (including how it differs from others’) and what makes Eichmann’s evil banal in that context.

  • 30224 Vertiefungsseminar
    Sociology of Insurance (Sebastian Kohl)
    Zeit: Do 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: 319 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    Despite a few calls from classics like Tönnies or Luhmann for a sociology of insurance, it has never fully developed when compared to the sociology of banks or public welfare. This is surprising given the size of the private insurance sector in modern economies and its many links to social institutions such as the family, property or general welfare. This seminar offers both a historical introduction into the rise of modern insurance as a social phenomenon and into ways of thinking about insurance sociologically. Themes covered in the seminar include: religion and insurance, race and insurance, public welfare and private insurance, climate change and insurance. Methodologically, the seminar often follows a historical-comparative approach.

  • 30225 Vertiefungsseminar
    Intermediate Data Analysis and Visualization in R (Vivien Fabry)
    Zeit: Do 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr. 55/302b
    

    Kommentar

    This course aims to advance your understanding beyond the basics of R, concentrating on best practices in data wrangling, analysis, and visualization. It is recommended for students seeking to either refresh or improve their existing knowledge of R. For data wrangling, students will delve into the tidyverse packages and learn how to use them to clean, merge, and prepare datasets for analysis. The course also introduces students to various strategies to enhance their workflow while working with R. Additionally, the course will explore the art of crafting visualizations for data exploration and presentation, ranging from barplots to heatmaps. Furthermore, this course will teach and utilize Rmarkdown — a document format that allows the integration of code, enabling the creation of reproducible data reports that consolidate all aspects of the analysis.

  • 30226 Vertiefungsseminar
    An International Comparison of Empirical Social Research in Germany and the USA from its Beginning until the 1950s (Irmela Gorges)
    Zeit: Di 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    This course compares and analyses the most important empirical social research studies in Germany and the USA conducted from the middle of the 19th century until the mid 1950s. We will discuss if the possible differences in the choices of research themes, the development of new research methods, and the intended use for research results could be caused by the different societal development in both countries. We will check our hypotheses that the differences in empirical research resulted from the researchers reaction on the respective political, economic and social situation in both countries.
    This hypothesis is supported by looking at the breaks of government forms in Germany: From a height of social empirical research during the time of the German Empire (1872 to 1918) empirical social research was disrupted during the Weimar Republic (1919 - 1933) mainly because of economic reasons but also by political struggles. Empirical social research then nearly was terminated in Germany during the Nazi Regime (1933 -1945) because only National Socialistic research themes were allowed to be conducted and promoted. In the USA, in contrast, empirical social research started to develop since the consolidation of the federation of states around the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, and from then developed steadily and with increasing acceleration: Empirical social research was used to stabilize the democratic state. After World War II the USA heavily supported empirical social research in the three, by the USA, Great Britain and France ruled democratic ´Zones´ of Germany, the newly founded Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) (1949), which may be interpreted as a ´reimport´ of parts of basics of empirical social research developed earlier in Germany. New initiatives of empirical social research developed in the FRG did not find the same acceptance.

  • 30227 Vertiefungsseminar
    Inequality beliefs. Individuals and contextual determinants in contemporary societies (Claudia Traini)
    Zeit: Mo 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/323 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Hinweise für Studierende

    Apart from active participation (defined during the first session and potentially involving discussions or brief presentations), students may need to write one seminar paper or 3 essays (not graded).

    Kommentar

    Why do some individuals see inequality as a result of effort, while others attribute it to systemic structures? This specialisation seminar explores these questions by examining perceptions of inequality inspecting their individual and contextual determinants. In the first sections, we will discuss the existence of a conceptual spectrum from meritocracy to structural inequality. In the following sessions, we will focus on research articles that look at how individual level variables as well as contextual macro-level factors shape inequality beliefs.

    Literaturhinweise

    • Castillo, J. C., Iturra, J., Maldonado, L., Atria, J., & Meneses, F. (2023). A Multidimensional Approach for Measuring Meritocratic Beliefs: Advantages, Limitations and Alternatives to the ISSP Social Inequality Survey. International Journal of Sociology, 53(6), 448–472.
    • Wetter, R., & Finger, C. (2023). Do Experiences of Success and Failure Influence Beliefs about Inequality? Evidence from Selective University Admission. Social Psychology Quarterly, 86(2), 170-194.
    • Mijs, J. B. (2019). The Paradox of Inequality: Income Inequality and Belief in Meritocracy Go Hand in Hand. Socio-Economic Review, 19(1), 7–35.
    Additional readings will include recent empirical studies and will be tailored to the topics of discussion, ensuring that students engage with cutting-edge research in the field.

  • 30236 Vertiefungsseminar Abgesagt
    New dividing lines in the social structure - The metamorphoses of the social question: Robert Castel (Rolf-Dieter Hepp)
    Zeit: Di 14-16 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Ihnestr.21/F Seminarraum (Ihnestr. 21)
    

    Kommentar

    According to Robert Castel, the right to work could not be adequately anchored in society in the wake of the French Revolution. It was only through the right to work that the danger of impoverishment and social insecurity could be averted.
    In the 19th century, according to Ewald (The birth of solidarity), the first ideas for a private sector-oriented social insurance system developed at the same time. According to Durkheim, insurance creates social relationships within the framework of organic solidarity between the insured. As soon as social insurances exist, they not only create the appearance of security and lack of freedom, but also spaces of order in which social developments and conflicts manifest themselves. As soon as social insurances emerge, as in Germany and France, statutory insurances are intended to create security, but they also produce inequality, lack of freedom and spaces of order. For Foucault, the individual is produced through subjugation and sanctions; its subjectivity is based on biopolitical power of disposition.

  • 30239 Vertiefungsseminar
    Introduction to social and religious movements (Eylem Kanol)
    Zeit: Di 10-12 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/121 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    In this course, we will discuss various theoretical and empirical approaches to social and religious movements. A social movement is a more or less organized effort by a group of people to bring about social or political change. Our main objective in this seminar is to deal with the following questions that have long dominated the sociological study of social movements: How can we explain the emergence of social and religious movements? Under what conditions do they form? Who participates in them? What kinds of social movements are there? Finally, what empirical strategies do sociologists employ to understand and explain social movements? We will review social movement theories and use them to better understand a variety of social movements, particularly religious movements. Although special attention will be paid to religious movements, we will not be limited to that.

  • 31503a Seminar
    Survey Approaches to Studying Corruption (Tetiana Kostiuchenko)
    Zeit: 24.04., 12-18; ;15.05. 12-18; 16.05., 14-18; 26.06., 14-18; 03.07., 12-18. (Erster Termin: 24.04.2025)
    Ort: Ihnestr.22/UG 5 Seminarraum (Ihnestr. 22)
    

    Hinweise für Studierende

    Block Seminar

    Kommentar

    The seminar aims to provide practical skills in developing research design and tools in studying corruption. The comparison of various approaches in measuring corruption reveals the differences in the focus of each approach (for instance, applied by Transparency International in a range of countries and the approaches developed ad hoc in specific countries considering the context and the need of anti-corruption authorities for the evaluation of anti-corruption reforms or legislation). Empirical data from surveys on corruption in Ukraine (during 2008-2024) and other countries (as measured in multi-country survey projects) will be included in the seminar.

  • 31504a Vertiefungsseminar
    Russische Eliten (Katharina Bluhm)
    Zeit: Mo 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    Kapitalismus und Marktwirtschaft wurden in Osteuropa als Reformen von „oben“ (wieder-) eingeführt und haben neue Pfade der institutionellen und sozio-ökonomischen Entwicklung begründet. In der Forschung zu diesem Thema spielen daher Eliten und Elitekonstellation eine zentrale Rolle. Freilich standen diese Konstellationen und Entscheidungen nicht in einem luftleeren Raum, agierten Eliten nicht in einer „tabula rasa“, sondern abhängig von gesellschaftlichen und institutionellen Kontexten, internationalen Einflüssen und sozio-ökonomischen Bedingungen. Der Zerfall der Sowjetunion, die Elitekonkurrenz der 1990er-Jahre und das Wiedererstarken eines sich konservativ gebenden Autoritarismus seit den 2000er-Jahren ist vor diesem Hintergrund zu sehen. In letzter Zeit wurde viel über Putin und den Putinismus geschrieben. Ziel des Seminares ist es, den Blick zu weiten, das heißt den Zusammenhang von Transformationspfad und Elitendynamik in Russland genauer nachzugehen und theoretische Erklärungen dieser Dynamik zu analysieren. Dabei wird von dem soziologischen Begriff der Positionseliten und systematischen Erkenntnissen über den Zusammenhang von Eliteformation, Reproduktion und Zirkulation, Kooptierung und Ausschluss ausgegangen. Ein Schwerpunkt bilden die politischen Eliten und Wirtschafts-Eliten in ihrer wechselnden Beziehung zueinander, einbezogen werden aber auch Medien, Akteure der Zivilgesellschaft, die zum Teil in die Elite kooptiert wurden, und die Rolle der Russisch-Orthodoxen Kirche. Abschließend wird nach potentiellen Gegeneliten gefragt.

  • 31506a Übung
    From Interviews to Inference.How to explore social structures & processes by doing qualitative research (Mihai Varga)
    Zeit: Do 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    This seminar discusses research strategies for exploring broader social processes and structures through interviews, (non-)participant observation, and fieldwork. We will begin by discussing how to develop research questions, (hypo)theses, and case selection (research design). Then, we will look more closely at how to plan, conduct, and analyze interviews and fieldwork to answer research questions. Students are expected to conduct and analyse own interviews and also code and analyze already collected interview material.

  • 33152a Hauptseminar
    Desire, Discourse, Deconstruction: A sociology of the post-structural field in Latin America (Myriam Sauer)
    Zeit: Termine siehe LV-Details (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: K02 Seminarraum (Rüdesheimer Str. 54 / 56)
    

    Zusätzl. Angaben / Voraussetzungen

    No language skills beyond English are required, but students who speak Spanish or Portuguese are encouraged to read texts, contribute and take their examination in these languages

    Kommentar

    This course delves into the impact and development of post-structuralist theory in Latin America, with a focus on how desire, discourse, and deconstruction have influenced contemporary sociological thought in the region. We will explore the intersections of these themes with social, political, and cultural contexts, examining how in particular Brazilian theorists have engaged with and expanded upon post-structuralist ideas. Brazil will be the key site of investigation, alongside Argentina and Chile. The course provides an introduction to post-structural thinking. No prior knowledge is required.

    Literaturhinweise

    Lélia Gonzalez, Suely Rolnik, Nestor Canclini, uvm.

• Abschlusskolloquium

  0181bE1.2
  • 30228 Colloquium
    Colloquium (Kathrin Zippel)
    Zeit: Mi 16:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 16.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    This research colloquium and thesis course explores theoretical and methodological issues in social scientific gender research. Participants will present and provide feedback to others on ongoing research projects, MA-thesis, dissertations, and guest lectures.

  • 30229 Colloquium
    Colloquium (Dieter Ohr)
    Zeit: Di 16:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/101 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    This is a research colloquium where mainly MA theses (it is also possible for political science students to present their BA theses) are discussed. The focus is on the methodological perspective: given a certain research question, which research designs, data collection approaches, data types, approaches to analyze data should be considered and, eventually, used?

  • 30230 Colloquium
    Colloquium (Stefan Liebig)
    Zeit: Mo 16:00-18:00 (Erster Termin: 14.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/301 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    In this colloquium, students have the opportunity of presenting their beginning and ongoing master’s thesis projects conducted on topics relating to social stratification and survey data. The discussions will focus on how to find an adequate research question, literature, and data. Furthermore, feedback on students’ thesis progress will be offered by peers and supervisors. In addition, there will be room for discussions on common challenges faced when writing a master’s thesis.

  • 30231 Colloquium
    Colloquium (Elgen Sauerborn)
    Zeit: Di 12:00-14:00 (Erster Termin: 15.04.2025)
    Ort: Garystr.55/101 Seminarraum (Garystr. 55)
    

    Kommentar

    This colloquium provides a platform for students conducting empirical research using qualitative methods to present, discuss, and refine their work. Students can present their projects at any stage of development, from initial ideas and conceptual sketches to fully developed drafts. The course fosters a collaborative environment in which qualitative research designs and methods are explored and specific challenges in data collection, analysis and writing are addressed. Students will receive feedback, improve the clarity and coherence of their projects, and develop strategies for overcoming obstacles in their research or writing process. The focus of the colloquium is on critical discussion, peer feedback, and collaborative problem solving to help students advance their qualitative research.

  • 30232 Colloquium
    Colloquium Sociology (Sebastian Kohl)
    Zeit: Do 14:00-16:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: 201 Seminarraum (Lansstr. 7 / 9)
    

    Kommentar

    The colloquium addresses students who are preparing their master thesis and equips them with some basic knowledge on questions of research design. Students will learn how to write a research proposal and will mainly be given a forum to present and discuss their work in progress in order to receive feedback.

  • 30242 Colloquium
    Colloquium (Yasemin Nuhoglu Soysal / Elgen Sauerborn)
    Zeit: Do 10:00-12:00 (Erster Termin: 17.04.2025)
    Ort: Raum 211B (Vant-Hoff-Str. 6)
    

    Kommentar

    This colloquium provides students with a platform to present, discuss, and refine their work at every stage of development – from initial ideas and conceptual sketches to fully fleshed-out drafts. It fosters a collaborative environment in which both theoretical and empirical (qualitative and quantitative) research is explored. We will particularly address possible challenges in data collection, analysis, and preparation.
    
    Through critical discussions, feedback from fellow students, and joint problem-solving, students improve the clarity and coherence of their projects, receive constructive suggestions, and develop effective strategies for overcoming obstacles in research and writing. The colloquium is ultimately designed to help students advance their projects or their master's thesis.

  • 33752a Kolloquium
    Research Colloquium Sociology with special focus on Latin America (Jan Boesten)
    Zeit: Termine siehe LV-Details (Erster Termin: 25.04.2025)
    Ort: Boltzmannstr.1 / 003 (Seminarraum) (Boltzmannstr. 1)
    

    Kommentar

    In this colloquium, participants present and discuss their master theses and dissertation projects. The main colloquium language is English, however texts and presentations can also be delivered in Spanish or German. We will organize the sessions according to the language. The programme also includes guest lectures and the discussion of recent relevant publications according to the interest of the participants.

• Module ohne Lehrangebot in diesem Semester

  5 Module
  • Der politische Einigungsprozess Europas und die Entwicklung europäischer Gesellschaften seit 1945 0181bA1.1
  • Soziologische Theorien des gesellschaftlichen Wandels und der gesellschaftlichen Integration 0181bA1.2
  • Methoden vergleichender Gesellschaftsforschung 0181bA1.3
  • Forschungspraktikum 0181bC1.1
  • zusätzliche Veranstaltungen MA Soziologie 0181bD1.1