Cultural foundations of European societies

elective courses

Classroom

The main goal of the course is to introduce students to basic themes of social sciences, especially these enhancing understanding of contemporary Europe in a global context. The course is designed for first year students, who are beginning to get acquainted with the field.

The seminar will introduce students to the problems of contemporary Europe. Among subjects discussed in the class students can find historical explanations of: tradition, modernity and postmodernity, globalization and its impact on collective cultural identities, processes of shaping national-territorial identities on various levels, problems of European civil society (just raising at present). The course will introduce students to the contemporary literature of the fields of humanities and social sciences (especially this of cultural anthropology). It should also help to improve their skills of reading, understanding and discussing academic literature, necessary for those who intend to conduct their own research in the future.

Student's workload:

seminar - 30 h

preparation to the classes - 30 h

total - 60 h

• Kroeber Alfred Louis, Naukowe pojęcie kultury w: tegoż, Istota kultury, Warszawa 1989, s. 276-321.

• Benedict Ruth, Nauka o zwyczajach, Różnorodność kultur, Integracja kultur [rozdz. 1-3] w: tejże, Wzory kultury, Warszawa 2002, s.74-138.

• Tönnies Ferdinand, Teoria wspólnoty, Teoria stowarzyszenia [rozdz. 1 i 2: fragmenty] w: tegoż, Wspólnota i stowarzyszenie, PWN, Warszawa 1988, s. 27-46 i 66-77.

• Ossowski Stanisław, Społeczna rola mitów etnicznych, w: tegoż, Więź społeczna i dziedzictwo krwi, Warszawa 1966, s.110-139.

• Eliade Mircea, Czas święty i mity, w: Sacrum, mit, historia: wybór esejów, Warszawa 1993, s.89-123.

• Anderson Benedict, Korzenie kulturowe, Źródła świadomości narodowej [rozdz. 1 i 2] w: tegoż, Wspólnoty wyobrażone: rozważania o źródłach i rozprzestrzenianiu się nacjonalizmu, Kraków 1997, s.15-57.

• Berlin Isaiah, Nacjonalizm zlekceważona potęga, w: tegoż, Dwie koncepcje wolności i inne eseje, Warszawa 1991, s.193-231.

• Ritzer George, Wprowadzenie do MacDonaldyzacji, MacDonaldyzacja i jej poprzedniki [rozdz. 1 i 2], w: tegoż, MacDonaldyzacja społeczeństwa, Warszawa 1997, s. 16-73.

• Mills Charles Wright, Społeczeństwo mas, w: tegoż, Elita władzy, Warszawa 1991, s.391-426.

• Bauman Zygmunt, Czas i klasa, Co będzie po państwie narodowym? [wstęp i rozdz. 1-3] w: tegoż, Globalizacja, Warszawa 2000, s. 5-91.

• Buruma Ian, Margalit Avishai, Gniew Boży w: tychże, Okcydentalizm – Zachód w oczach wrogów, Kraków 2005, s. 103-138.

At the end of a teaching process a student will:

1. knowledge

• have a basic knowledge of social and cultural problems of the formation of contemporary Europe as well as the world,

• be able to think about contemporary Europe using civilizational and cultural categories applying both global and historical perspectives,

• know and understand fundamental concepts referring to civilizational problems of Europe, such as: postindustrial society, modernity and postmodernity,

• know and understand basic concepts concerning cultural dimension of globalization, such as: homogenization and creolisation,

• understand identity development processes in Europe, especially on the national level,

2. skills:

• be able to observe and analyze contemporary social problems in a framework of postindustrial society, modernity and postmodernity,

• be able to observe and analyze contemporary problems of Europe connected with processes of cultural globalisation,

• be able to observe and analyze nationalisms in contemporary European politics,

• be able to read and interpret readings in social studies by oneself,

• be able to discuss assigned readings,

• be able to illustrate discussed issues with examples from everyday life in Europe.

3. attitudes:

• be aware of stereotypes and simplifications that can be observed in contemporary European social life and politics, especially in discussions concerning broadly defined culture,

• be able to apply her/his theoretical knowledge to analyze current phenomena concerning social and cultural problems in Europe,

• become more diligent and honest thanks to the necessity of meeting strict course requirements.

Grading on the basis of class attendance and participation. Students are obliged to attend classes (absence in 2 classes is acceptable, in case of 3-6 missed classes some extra tasks will be assigned), read assigned texts and take part in class discussion. Students who miss more than 6 classes will fail the course.