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50677-01 - Seminar: The Sociology of the USA (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2024 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers |
Manfred Max Bergman (max.bergman@unibas.ch, Assessor)
Zinette Bergman (zinette.bergman@unibas.ch) |
| Content | In 1992, the US American political scientist Francis Fukuyama wrote: “What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period of post-war history, but the end of history as such: that is, the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.” (The end of history?, The National Interest, 16, 3-18). Just three decades later, things have changed considerably. The global power shifts in the beginning of the 21st century are leading to a renegotiation of national positions in a new geopolitical order. While much of the past century could be described as the American century, the future will see great changes, not only because of the reemergence of the nation state, but, with it, also changes in political, economic, social, and cultural terms. In this seminar, we will explore sociologically the changes in the US from the 1950s to the present in order to better understand how the US has experienced destabilizing social problems and how it is negotiating its position in relation to a changing world and global order. The topics will be negotiated with seminar participants and may include US American norms and values, the 2024 election, wealth and poverty, Wall Street, education, science and technology, health care, race and ethnicity, critical race theory, home schooling, migration, religion, crime, pollution, US-China relations, 6 January, changes in the media landscape, the influence of billionaires, the changing legal and judicial system; voting rights; climate change; and anti-Americanism. |
| Learning objectives | Students - understand some of the strengths of, and some of the main social problems in, the USA, - are aware of the continued influence of the US on Europe and on global affairs, and - are aware of the current geopolitical and geoeconomic shifts. |
| Bibliography | Preparatory Background Materials: Global Trends 2040 (https://www.dni.gov/index.php/gt2040-home) https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/03/21/america-in-2050/ Readings will be prepared by the seminar participants and made available throughout the seminar. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 29.02.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 07.03.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 14.03.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 21.03.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 28.03.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Ostern |
| Thursday 04.04.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 11.04.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 18.04.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 25.04.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 02.05.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 09.05.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Auffahrt |
| Thursday 16.05.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 23.05.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Thursday 30.05.2024 | 16.15-18.00 | Soziologie, Hörsaal 215 |
| Modules |
Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Politik, Entwicklung und soziale Ungleichheit (Bachelor's degree subject: Sociology) Modul: Transfer: Europa interdisziplinär (Master's degree program: European History in Global Perspective) Modul: Ungleichheit, Konflikt, Kultur (Master's degree subject: Sociology) Modul: Wirtschaft, Wissen und Kultur (Bachelor's degree subject: Sociology) Module: Europeanization and Globalization (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) Module: Migration, Mobility and Transnationalism (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Preparation of a seminar in collaboration with the seminar convener and a seminar presentation. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Soziologie |