Sociology of Politics 2102-ANG-L-D3SOPO

seminaria licencjackie

(po angielsku) This course examines how power operates in contemporary societies by integrating classic theories with comparative, empirically grounded research, with special attention to Central and Eastern Europe. It equips students to connect concepts such as power, legitimacy, the state, class, identity, participation, and communication to real-world cases, debates, and policy dilemmas. Learning objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to: • Define and compare core concepts in the sociology of politics (power, legitimacy, state, inequality, identity, representation, exclusion, globalization, migration, communication) and apply them to contemporary cases. • Critically evaluate empirical research designs, measures, and causal claims in political sociology, identifying strengths, limitations, and alternative explanations. • Use theoretical frameworks (e.g., Weber, Lukes, Foucault, Tilly, Mills) to interpret empirical findings and adjudicate debates about institutions, participation, and collective action. • Analyze how political socialization, media ecosystems, and organizational incentives shape legitimacy, compliance, and contentious politics in established and newer democracies. • Compare welfare and state-capacity trajectories across regions, with an emphasis on post-communist transformations in Central and Eastern Europe. • Communicate arguments clearly in short analytical writing, lead focused discussions, and engage constructively with counterarguments grounded in evidence. Learning process • Weekly prep centers on core readings plus selective “Food for thought” to keep workload calibrated while enabling rich discussion. Students arrive ready to explain concepts, interpret figures/tables, and connect cases across weeks.