(in Polish) Socjologia kulturowa. Nowe orientacje

general courses

Classroom

Cultural sociology, as opposed to the narrow subdiscipline known as sociology of culture, proposes a new perspective in researching the

phenomena of collective life. It reverses the direction of analyses in relations between culture and society, orienting them along a track that

runs from culture to society, in order to show the interrelations of cultural phenomena and social phenomena. The concept of cultural integration is

criticized. A relative autonomy of culture as systems of meanings and symbolic forms is assumed, and factors contributing to the duration and

change of sociocultural phenomena are sought in this sphere. New analytical categories, such as: symbolism, narration, discourse, rhetorics,

performative actions, transform the analyses of the transformations of valuation orders, convictions (beliefs), norms, axionormative orders and

ideologies.

Cultural sociology, as opposed to the narrow subdiscipline known as

sociology of culture, proposes a new perspective in researching the broadly

understood phenomena of collective life. It reverses the direction of

analyses in relations between culture and society, orienting them along a

track that runs from culture to society, in order to show the interrelations of

cultural phenomena and social phenomena. The concept of cultural

integration is criticized. A relative autonomy of culture as systems of

meanings and symbolic forms is assumed, and factors contributing to the

duration and change of sociocultural phenomena are sought in this sphere.

New analytical categories, such as: symbolism, narration, discourse,

rhetorics, performative actions, transform the analyses of the

transformations of valuation orders, convictions (beliefs), norms,

axionormative orders and ideologies. The lecture presents new orientations

in contemporary cultural sociology, including the so-called strong program

of cultural sociology, with reference to classical cultural sociology. An

analysis of cultural code construction is presented, together with cultural

pragmatics, as well as narrations, discourses and rhetorics in networks of

social relations. The lecture also shows how conceptions of cultural

sociology can be utilized when researching modern sociocultural

transformations. Problems of culture and power, the cultural dimension of

the public sphere, the cultural discourse of a civil society, cultural trauma

and cultural memory will be analyzed.

Various ways of conceptualizing culture will be shown, together with the

analytical frames of sociological research of cultural phenomena. When

modern cultural processes are analyzed, culture ought to be understood

not as a way of life, but as the meanings generated, transformed, passed

on and codified in symbolic forms through social interactions and relations.

Culture is not the property of groups or a superior sphere of lasting values;

rather, it consists in the processes of creating meanings and valuations.

The semiotic foundations of thus understood cultural phenomena will be

analyzed.

The conception of culture as a repertoire that makes it possible to construct

actions, identity and control will be discussed. Modern analyses of cultural

practices and discourses assume the existence of symbolic interactions, a

multitude of meanings, their negotiation and explanation by social actors.

The symbolic foundations of cultural processes will be presented. Modern

cultural sociology reevaluates the integrational conception of culture in

order to focus on cultural becoming. The lecture will discuss the

conceptions of cultural sociologists, the cultural variant of network theory,

conceptions created on the basis of symbolic anthropology and on the

basis of semiotics of culture. The conception of cultural memory will be

analyzed, as well as trauma as a cultural phenomenon. Issues of culture

and power, of symbolic boundaries and symbolic politics will be discussed.

The analyzed theoretical categories will be applied to research dealing with

modern cultural changes. From the perspective of cultural sociology as

symbolic sociology, the lecture will present selected processes: the

formation of cultural communities and subcultures, the cultural dimension

of national identities and European integration, as well as cultural

globalization, including the impact of the Internet on culture. The

significance of cultural knowledge in the processes of cultural change will

be discussed.

Alexander Jeffrey C., Znaczenia społeczne. Studia z socjologii

kulturowej, Kraków 2011: Nomos. a - s. 99-116; b – s. 195-221;

c – s. 307-322; d – s. 437-446.


2. Archer Margaret S., Kultura i sprawczość. Miejsce kultury w

teorii społecznej, Warszawa 2019: Narodowe Centrum Kultury

(rodział I).

3. Bauman, Zygmunt, Kultura jako praxis, Warszawa 2012;

Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, s. 89-163.

4. Bourdieu Pierre, Szkic teorii praktyki, Kętyt 2007,

Wydawnictwo Marek Derewiecki, s. 265-286.

5. Griswold, Wendy, Socjologia kultury. Kultury i społeczeństwa

w zmieniającym się świecie, Warszawa 2013, Wydawnictwo

Naukowe PWN, a – s. 31-51; b – s. 193-218.

6. Hałas Elżbieta, Przez pryzmat kultury. Dylematy badań nad

współczesnością, Warszawa 2015, Wydawnictwa

Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego s. 161-171.

7. Joas Hans, Klaus Wiegandt (red.), Kulturowe wartości Europy,

Warszawa 2012, Wydawnictwo IFiS PAN, s. 11-33.


8. White, Harrison C., Tożsamość i kontrola. Jak wyłaniają się

formacje społeczne, Kraków 2011, Zakład Wydawniczy Nomos,

s. 79-124.

9. Znaniecki F., Nauki o kulturze. Narodziny i rozwój, Warszawa

1971, Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, s. 453-468.

K_W01 knows and understands basic concepts of cultural sociology

K_W03 is aware of ongoing theoretical and methodological disputes

conducted in modern sociology; is reflective and critical of various

positions

K_W10 has in-depth knowledge about cultural diversity and its

transformations, cultural identity, and intercultural interaction and

communication

K_W22 has in-depth knowledge about the processes underlying social

stability and change and is reflective and critical of their interpretation

K_W25 has in-depth knowledge about the history of sociology as an

academic discipline and its founders, including broad knowledge of the

conceptions of Polish sociologists

K_W26 has in-depth knowledge of assumptions and claims of selected

historical and contemporary sociological theories

K_U16 knows how to interpret the role of culture in the life of the

individual and society

K_K13 is open to various theoretical and methodological perspectives of

social research

Written examination (set of 3 questions) – the list of topics for the

examination will be made available earlier. Attending lectures and

knowledge of the reading material are required.