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Lecturer(s)
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Sýkorová Dana, doc. PhDr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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Seminar content I.Positivism and interpretivism: References to the Founders of Sociology, Durkheim and Weber. (1)Durkheim's concept of sociology developed according to the model of natural science, i.e. applying positivist methods. (2)The hermeneutic interpretative approach in Sociology. II.The development of positivist focused sociology: Lazarsfeld's empirical (quantitative) methodology. Popper's critical rationalism. (1)Positivism and the development of empirical (quantitative) methodology: P. F. Lazarsfeld. (2)Critical rationalism: K. R. Popper. III.Phenomenological approaches and interpretive sociology. (1)A. Schutz's phenomenological sociology. (2)H. Garfinkel's ethnomethodology. (3)G.H. Mead's symbolic interactionism. IV.The theory of truth (scientific objectivity, the objectivity of scientific knowledge) (1)T. Kuhn as a representative of the consensus theory of truth: Kuhn's concept of scientific paradigms, the concept of the "scientific community". (2)Feyerabend's pluralistic methodology and methodological "anarchism". (3)The cultural-sociological theory of epistemology for the production of truth: J. Alexander, I. Reed, S. Seidman.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming)
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Learning outcomes
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During the course classic works of philosophy, logic and methodology of the social sciences and sociology will be discussed. The aim is to improve the students' orientation in theoretical approaches or "paradigms" of scientific methodology in general. For the social sciences and sociology this means understanding the relationship between sociological theories and quantitative and qualitative research approaches. Discussions in the seminars will follow two main lines or theoretic different directions: positivism and interpretivism, i.e. the distinction between "explanation - understanding" and 'cause - meaning ".
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Prerequisites
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The course follows the seminar texts of Sociological Theory 1 and 2 and is theoretical preparation for the following courses Qualitative methodology and Practice of sociological research. Seminar organisation: The course is in the form of four seminars during the summer term (ac. year 2013/2014).
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Seminar Work
Preconditions for successful completion of the course are: (a) participation in seminars and active participation in discussions; (b) a presentation of the required reading and discussion in the specific seminar (submission of a written report in the range of 4 pages); (c) a paper on the other topics discussed in the seminars ranging between of 2-3 pages. Reading I. Durkheim,E.1982. The Rules of Sociological Method. New York: Macmillan Press. Weber, M. 1903-1917/1949.The Methodology of the Social Sciences.(E. Shils, H. Finch, Eds.,E.Shills, & H. Finch, Trans.) New York: Free Press. II. Lazarsfeld, P.F. 1993. On Social Research and Its Language. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Chapters: 11. The Relevance of Methodology. Methodological Problems in Empirical Social Research, 12. Sociology of Social Research. The Sociology of Empirical Social Research. Popper, K. R. 1992. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. London: Routledge. III. Schutz, A.1953. Common-sense and Scientific Interpretation in Human Action.Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 14: 138. Schutz, A.1954. Concept and Theory Formation in the Social Sciences. Journal of Philosophy, 51: 257-272. Garfinkel, H. 1967. Studies in Ethnometodology. New Jersey: Engelwood Cliffs. Available on: http://ebookbrowsee.net/gdoc.php?id=329641210&url=5bb89954812863a0a2b131dd3f7a1f01. Mead, H. G. (Morris, W. ed.). 1934. Mind, Self and Society from the Standpoint of a Social Behaviorist. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. IV. Kuhn, T. S. 2012. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Feyerabend, P. K. 2010. Against Method. London: Verso. Reed, I., Alexander, J. 2009. Social Science as Reading and Performance. A Cultural-Sociological Understanding of Epistemology. European Journal of Social Theory 12(1): 21-41. Available on: http://ccs.research.yale.edu//alexander/articles/
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Recommended literature
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Alijevová, D., Tížik, M., Hanzel, I., Nemcová, R., & Schutz, A. (2012). Príspevok Alfreda Schütza k sociologickej teórii. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství.
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Durkheim, É., & Hutar, M. (1969). Pravidla sociologické metody [Durkheim, 1969]. Praha: Vysoká škola politická ÚV KSČ.
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Feyerabend, P. K., & Fiala, J. (2001). Rozprava proti metodě. Praha: Aurora.
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Garfinkel, H. (1967). Studies in ethnomethodology. Cambridge: Polity.
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Kuhn, T. S., & Jeníček, T. (1997). Struktura vědeckých revolucí. Praha: OIKOYMENH.
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Lazarsfeld, P.F. (1993). On Social Research and Its Language.. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
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Mead, G. H. (1967). Mind, Self and Society. From the Standpoint of Social Behaviorist. London.
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Popper, K. R., & Fiala, J. (1997). Logika vědeckého bádání. Praha: OIKOYMENH.
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Reed, I., Alexander, J. (2009). Social Science as Reading and Performance. A Cultural-Sociological Understanding of Epistemology..
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Weber, M., & Havelka, M. (1998). Metodologie, sociologie a politika. Praha: OIKOYMENH.
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