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| Semester | fall semester 2023 |
| Course frequency | Every fall sem. |
| Lecturers |
Basil Bornemann (basil.bornemann@unibas.ch, Assessor)
Jamie Pring (jamie.pring@unibas.ch) Katrin Sontag (katrin.sontag@unibas.ch) |
| Content | The two courses, “Understanding Changing Societies” and “Analyzing Changing Societies,” provide an overview of different processes, forms, causes and consequences of changing societies, and deepen several aspects from different disciplinary perspectives. While “Understanding Changing Societies” focuses on theory and discourse, “Analyzing Changing Societies” focuses on methodology, methods, cases, and applied research. As the courses build on each other, students are encouraged to take both courses (TUCS and MACS) in the same semester. TUCS/MACS 2 (the courses in autumn) are designed as more basic courses, TUCS/MACS 1 build on these fundamental courses in the spring term. However, it is possible to take them in the reverse order and start in spring. Societies are subject to constant change, which takes place across scales and in relation to the movement of people, ways of knowing, practices, concepts, technologies and objects. They shape and are shaped by the fundamental values and norms of societies, the identities and self-understandings of social actors, the relationship and interaction between individuals and collectives, forms of social conflict, governmental strategies and tactical approaches, practices of regulating collective affairs, among other concepts and processes. The nature of such changes can range from the personal, individual level to the level of organizations and networks, that is, large aggregated, social structures such as the state or global markets. Social changes can take the form of disruptive turnarounds, immediate transitions and continuous transformative change. They have numerous exogenous and endogenous causes, interdependent with environmental conditions and technological developments, and the culturally specific interpretations thereof. Finally, societal changes have a variety of consequences and drive or dampen other processes of change from efforts of targeted reflexive design to everyday practices of resilience and contest with a focus on inclusive, sustainable forms of change. |
| Learning objectives | The overall aim of the two courses is to create a common ground for students of the MA program Changing Societies. This basis should serve students to develop various theoretical perspectives on the study of different phenomena of societal change across time and space, To this end, the courses offer an introduction into key topics in these processes, as well as theories of “Changing Societies” from different inter/trans/disciplinary perspectives. By the end of the course “Analyzing Changing Societies”, the participants will 1. have acquired an overview of different methodologies and methods for the analysis of societal change at different levels and in different contexts; 2. have extended and deepened their competences in reading and analyzing texts and in actively taking part in methodologically oriented social scientific discussions and explored into a variety of methods. 3. be able to reflect on and assess the prospects and limitations of different methodologies and methods for the analysis of particular phenomena of societal change and have tried out a method (autumn term). 4. Will be familiar with research processes and research proposal writing and have written an individual research proposal, e.g. to prepare for their MA thesis (spring term). |
| Comments | It is highly recommended that students of this class also take the Seminar 58992 "Methods for Analyzing Changing Societies" |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 14.15-15.45 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Modules |
Module: Theories for Understanding Changing Societies (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Departement Gesellschaftswissenschaften |