Social Theories of Modern Cultures 3002-2STK1CE
The programme is predicated on the assumption that existence has a logical priority over the symbolic. The adjective "social" in the title of the course therefore has a dual meaning. It not only points to the specific dimension of the reality described, but also to the conditions of the possibility of knowledge of the world of people. From this perspective, every theory, every form of knowledge, including self-knowledge, has a social character, because it emerges and is practised in a particular social context. Theories are therefore not tools for an objective description of reality. This is fundamentally impossible because reality is always entangled in the social and historical contingency of the subject. Any description of human reality must take into account the social character of its genesis. This implies that such a description is a particular exercise of the sociological imagination, which is equipped with a suspicion of claims to objectivity. Two introductory classes will provide an overview of the social foundations of cognition, including scientific cognition, by discussing the concepts of Karl Marx and Pierre Bourdieu.
The term "modernity," as used in the course title, is distinct from the concept of modernity or 20th-century culture. The focus is on phenomena and processes that are of interest not so much as a completion, culmination, or consequence of the history of culture, but above all as the beginnings of what is leaning towards the future. This future is not closed with a historical conclusion. The objective of this course is not to engage in futurology, but rather to examine how individuals anticipate the future and the strategies they employ to cope with it.
In this context, modernity is understood to have its symbolic beginning at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, when a series of events of fundamental importance for the dynamics and character of Polish culture coincided. The end of the Cold War, the economic transformations initiated in the societies of the former Eastern Bloc, new forms of communication (internet, mobile telephony), the facilitation of free movement across state borders, the collapse of the traditional institutions of state censorship in Central Europe – these are just some of the momentous phenomena that created the new framework of the world we live in. Despite our location, we are now more than ever before participants in global phenomena.
The increased social mobility and communication facilitated by new media has led to a reversal of traditional social science questions. Rather than focusing on the structure of society and how it can be changed, contemporary social science is interested in the movement of people, goods, ideas, information and emotions and the reproduction of social order in this context. In an unstructured yet constantly restructuring world, even such classic concepts as 'domination' or 'capital' are undergoing a process of re-evaluation. Furthermore, the advent of new communication media has reinforced the recognition made in the 1980s that, in the context of evolving forms of human association, it is no longer possible to continue the narrative of modernisation as the progressive individualisation of individuals.
In order to gain insight into the present, it is necessary to engage with texts that were not necessarily written in recent years. These texts offer concepts that facilitate a more nuanced understanding of the present.
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will gain an understanding of the peculiarities of the cultural and social sciences in the broadest sense. This will include an appreciation of the divisions into fields, disciplines and sub-disciplines, as well as an awareness of the practices encountered in contemporary science of crossing them. They will also be able to distinguish between anthropological and sociocentric perspectives. They possess a comprehensive understanding of the principal developmental trends in the cultural sciences within the country and internationally, as well as the most significant theories in the field of modernity, styles of thought, and related methods of interpreting phenomena and social criticism.
Upon completion of the course, participants are able to engage in critical thinking about theoretical concepts. They are able to apply the knowledge gained from compulsory readings and discussions in class, which prioritize the development of an academic discourse and exchange of ideas, to understand various phenomena of contemporary culture independently, taking into account the historical, social, and political context. Additionally, they are aware of the specificity of various politically determined viewpoints and inclinations.
Upon completion of the course, participants are prepared to engage in creative public debate, conduct socio-cultural-political analyses, and formulate hypotheses, including those pertaining to the anticipated future.
Assessment criteria
It is a fundamental requirement of the course that students attend all classes. Any absences must be approved by the instructor. Each semester, students are permitted two excused or unexcused absences. Students who miss more than five classes in a semester must make up the absences in a manner determined by the instructor. Absences (even if excused) for more than five classes (30%) in a semester will result in the student being unable to pass that semester and consequently failing the entire class. Only those with an Individual Study Arrangement granted on the basis of the BON's opinion may have their absence limit increased, but not more than 50% in any semester.
The final grade is the grade from the oral exam covering the entire curriculum. The final grade may be increased due to high activity during classes (taking part in discussions, asking questions, demonstrating very good knowledge of the readings) throughout the year.
The use of artificial intelligence tools in written assignments and credit presentations is determined by the provisions of § 3 and 4 of Resolution No. 98 of the University Learning Council of 8 December 2023. In view of the fact that one of the fundamental skills acquired in the fields of study organised at the Faculty of Polish Studies is the effective and professional use of written Polish, in particular the scientific style, it is prohibited to utilise artificial intelligence systems for the preparation, proofreading and editing of texts and the development of presentations.
Bibliography
The readings for the classes will be made available to those attending them in electronic files (using Google Classroom or another common electronic tool).
The subject blocks and recommended literature can be found in the box to the left. Please be advised that the course is taught in Polish, and as such, the compulsory reading is also given in Polish, mostly in translation.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: