Political sociology

Teacher(s)

Mulayi Marie-Laure (compensates Vanderborght Yannick); Vanderborght Yannick;

Language

French

Prerequisites

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

This introductory course aims at providing the students with a good overview of contemporary political sociology, of its main issues and currents of thought. The great authors and paradigms of this sub-discipline of sociology, which is closely connected to political science, will be dealt with. For each sub-field of political sociology, classic works and contemporary studies will be presented and analysed in some detail.

Content

After a general introduction to the characteristics that make political sociology a hybrid discipline that aims to apply sociological methods to the study of political phenomena, the course is divided into sections that address the diversity of classics and contemporary works. Among the topics to be covered (subject to change) are: the formation of states, nationalism, Marxist political sociology, elitism, the political socialization of children, voting, deliberative democracy, social movements, and social change...

Teaching methods

Lectures take the form of presentations by the professor, supported by PowerPoint presentations and various audiovisual materials (e.g., videos or podcasts). Active student participation is encouraged, especially when contemporary authors are discussed. Attendance at class sessions is strongly recommended. Students may also be required to view audiovisual material related to the topics covered. Where applicable, required readings and the content of audiovisual materials can be part of the exam material.

Evaluation methods

The exam is written and involves drawing on material covered in class (authors, theories, historical facts, etc.), as well as various audiovisual materials and, where applicable, the content of any required readings. Questions may take the form of multiple-choice questions and/or more open-ended questions. For detailed information on exam procedures and sample questions, students should check the exam procedures as posted on Moodle.

Faculty or entity

> ESPB