Modernity and Beyond: Introduction to Postmodernism(SOC 523)
| Course Code | Course Name | Semester | Theory | Practice | Lab | Credit | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOC 523 | Modernity and Beyond: Introduction to Postmodernism | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7,5 |
| Prerequisites | |
| Admission Requirements |
| Language of Instruction | Turkish |
| Course Type | Elective |
| Course Level | Masters Degree |
| Course Instructor(s) | Olivier GAJAC ogajac@gsu.edu.tr (Email) |
| Assistant | |
| Objective | This course is conceived as an initiation to the key-notions of modernism and postmodernism. We will discuss these notions in the European and North American contexts, and then we would eventually question the validity of such a distinction in the Turkish context. |
| Content | Modernity constitutes an essential figure to which one usually refers to define our present time. But how can we categorize it ? Starting from when, from which period, from which society can we delimit it ? At the same time, theories of Postmodernity evoke a social and cultural transition that would be situated beyond Modernity. To what extent can these theories sociologically enlighten the mutations of our contemporary world ? |
| Course Learning Outcomes |
- Give a historical, political and sociological definition of modernity - Understand the debates engendered by postmodernity about modernization, rationality and progress - Reflect on the critical dimension of historical temporality - Differentiate the comprehensive and normative aspects of the modern/postmodern debate. |
| Teaching and Learning Methods | Seminar, Readings, debates and participation. |
| References |
Documents available online and in PDF version (intranet network). Printed articles at disposal of students. |
Theory Topics
| Week | Weekly Contents |
|---|---|
| 1 | Modern/Postmodern : Semantics of historical times |
| 2 | Modernity, philosophical and political aspects |
| 3 | Modernity, sociological aspects |
| 4 | Architecture and the city : « passages ». |
| 5 | The emergence of postmodern current of thought |
| 6 | Postmodern epistemologies |
| 7 | Postmodernity ? Sociological aspects |
| 8 | Postmodernity ? Political aspects |
| 9 | From the feminist and postcolonial affinities to scientist enmities |
| 10 | What postmodernism does to sociology |
| 11 | On some forms and debates of postmodernity |
| 12 | Modernity (and postmodernism) in Turkey |
| 13 | Transversal reflections |
| 14 | Preparation to exams |
Practice Topics
| Week | Weekly Contents |
|---|
Contribution to Overall Grade
| Number | Contribution | |
|---|---|---|
| Contribution of in-term studies to overall grade | 1 | 40 |
| Contribution of final exam to overall grade | 1 | 60 |
| Toplam | 2 | 100 |
In-Term Studies
| Number | Contribution | |
|---|---|---|
| Assignments | 1 | 20 |
| Presentation | 0 | 0 |
| Midterm Examinations (including preparation) | 0 | 0 |
| Project | 0 | 0 |
| Laboratory | 0 | 0 |
| Other Applications | 0 | 0 |
| Quiz | 0 | 0 |
| Term Paper/ Project | 1 | 20 |
| Portfolio Study | 0 | 0 |
| Reports | 0 | 0 |
| Learning Diary | 0 | 0 |
| Thesis/ Project | 0 | 0 |
| Seminar | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 |
| Toplam | 2 | 40 |
| No | Program Learning Outcomes | Contribution | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 1 | The student will be able to develop a critical perspective towards fundamental sociological theories. | X | ||||
| 2 | The student will acquire the necessary qualifications that will allow her / him to contribute to the theoretical and empirical accumulation of knowledge in the sociological domain. | X | ||||
| 3 | The student will be capable of applying different research techniques to different sociological issues. | X | ||||
| 4 | The student will be able to contribute to the invention of new methods of research by developing a critical point of view towards empirical research methods and techniques. | X | ||||
| 5 | The student will develop an intersocietal and intercultural viewpoint. | X | ||||
| 6 | The student will be able to develop her/his capacity of reflecting on the ethical problems of sociological research and of finding solutions to overcome them. | X | ||||
| 7 | The student will be able to identify the relation between the research objectives and the research design in order to propose and conduct a research proposal. | X | ||||
| 8 | The student will be able to evaluate the research data and to report the research results as well as will acquire the capacity of drawing theoretical and macro conclusions from these results. | X | ||||
| 9 | The student will acquire the ability to reason qualitatively departing from qualitative data. | X | ||||
| 10 | The student will acquire the capacity of producing knowledge with fundamental concepts belonging to the subfields of sociology. | X | ||||
| 11 | The student will be capable of analysing everyday life practices relating them to the sociological theories. | X | ||||
| Activities | Number | Period | Total Workload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class Hours | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Working Hours out of Class | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Midterm Examinations (including preparation) | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| Final Examinations (including preparation) | 1 | 22 | 22 |
| Term Paper/ Project | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Total Workload | 122 | ||
| Total Workload / 25 | 4,88 | ||
| Credits ECTS | 5 | ||