Historical Sociology I

The course provides students with basic knowledge of the development of power institutions, as seen from the perspective of historical sociology. These issues will be presented on the background of broader modernization and social development processes, and interpreted by reading the classical works of the historical sociology. The reading reflects the theoretical development of the discipline, from the modernization theory to Neo-Weberianism.

Using the classical notions, concepts and theories, the class deals with the concept of political modernization, the influence of political traditions, as well as the relation between political centers and peripheries and the East-West divide. Another discussed issue is the diversity of democratic vs authoritarian development paths. The relation between nationalism and the state-building will be discussed too. Last but not least, the course deals with the oversights of the classical, historical-sociological reflection, such as Eurocentrism.

The course provides students with basic knowledge of the development of power institutions, as seen from the perspective of the historical sociology. These issues will be presented on the background of broader modernization and social development processes, and interpreted by the means of reading the classical works of historical sociology. The selection of readings enables the student to ascertain the theoretical development of the discipline, from the supposedly universal political modernization theory, through British Marxism to Neo-Weberianism with its systematic historical-comparative approach.

Using the classical notions, concepts and theories of that social science branch, the class deals with the concept of political modernization, the influence of local political traditions, as well as the relation between political centers and peripheries. It also touches upon the variety of political development paths, which led to the formation of modern forms of social and political organization, including nation-states. It deals with the East-West divide, with its supposed historical origins, possibly related already to the end of Antiquity and the beginning of European Feudalism, and definitely instituted by the development of capitalist economy in Western Europe. Another discussed issue is the diversity of despotic vs liberal state development paths, as well as the various routes leading to modern, liberal democracy – and its authoritarian, Fascist or Communist alternatives. The variety of regional types and roles of nationalisms and their relation to the state-building process in the various parts of Europe will be discussed too. Last but not least, the course deals with the significant oversights of the classical, historical-sociological reflection, which has been marked by the Western-Centrism (or even Eurocentrism), which led to the omission of certain peripheral areas, such as Balkans.

All these issues will be presented and discussed by reading the classical works and using concepts developed by Seymour M. Lipset, Barrington Moore, Perry Anderson, Reinhard Bendix and Charles Tilly.

The course has classical form of a teacher-guided discussion on selected topics (and readings).

Perry Anderson, Passages from Antiquity to Feudalism, London: NLB 1978; Perry Anderson, The Lineages of the Absolutist State, London: NLB 1974; Reinhard Bendix, Kings or People, University Of California Press 1978; Norbert Elias, The Civilizing Process, Oxford – Cambridge: Blackwell 1995; Miroslav Hroch, European Nations: Explaining Their Formation, London: Verso 2015; Samuel Huntington, Political Order in Changing Societies, New Haven -London: Yale University Press 2006; Seymour M. Lipset, Political Man, New York: Anchor Books 1960; Seymour M. Lipset, Stein Rokkan (eds), Party systems and voter alignments, New York: Free Press 1967; Michael Mann, Sources of Social Power, vol. I-IV,: Cambridge University Press 1986, 1993, 2012, 2013; Michael Mann, States, War and Capitalism, Blackwell, Oxford–Cambridge 1992; Barrington Moore, Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy, Harmondsworth: Penguin University Books 1974; Wim van Meurs, Alina Mungiu-Pippidi (eds.), Ottomans Into Europeans, London: Hurst 2010; Theda Skocpol (ed.) Vision and Method in Historical Sociology, Cambridge University Press 1984; Charles Tilly, Coercion, Capital, and European States, AD 990-1990, Blackwell, Oxford–Cambridge 1992; Peter Wagner, A Sociology of Modernity. Liberty and Discipline, London – New York: Routledge 1994.

K_W01 Knows and understands basic concepts of various sub-domains of sociology (e.g. sociology of family, health, work, religion, economy, education, etc)

K_W03 Is aware of ongoing theoretical and methodological disputes conducted in modern sociology; is reflective and critical of various positions

K_W05 Has in-depth knowledge about regional, domestic and international institutions and the problem of European integration

K_W16 Has in-depth knowledge about major international and domestic sociological research pertaining to selected areas of social reality or sub-domains of sociology

K_W27 Has in-depth knowledge of the 19th, 20th and 21st ideas and social processes which have shaped the face of the modern world

K_U04 Can critically select information and materials for academic work, using various sources in Polish and a foreign language as well as modern technologies

K_U16 Knows how to interpret the role of culture in the life of the individual and society

K_U17 Can relate an academic text to the problems of social life and its empirical studies

K_U18 Can identify the kinds of research in which the scientific texts read can be applicable

K_U19 Can prepare a presentation of a selected problem or study in Polish and in a foreign language

K_K01 Can initiate, plan, organize and manage work of a task team

K_K02 Can propose a solution to a problem that requires an interdisciplinary research approach

K_K05 Can gather, find, synthesize and critically assess information about social sciences

K_K07 Can justify the choice of sources

K_K10 Independently sets directions of personal development and further learning

K_K14 Takes responsibility for planned and performed tasks

Assessment of each participant’s individual activity during the classes (carried out by the teacher together with the students at the final meeting) – 55% of the final grade, final oral exam – 45% of the final grade.

Up to two absences are allowed. Those students who have been absent more than twice (but with no more that 45% absences) are expected to prepare and send the teacher short resumes of the main readings they missed. The type and form of second term exam are identical with the first one.