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SOCA1310 - The Sociology of Collective Action
[2 Q. • 30 Th. • 3 ECTS - credits]
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Franssen Abraham |
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| Language of instruction :
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French
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| Learning outcomes :
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The course aims to give students the ability to apply theories and concepts developed by the field of collective action sociology. Specifically, to be able to characterise, understand, and explain mobilisation (and demobilisation) historical and contemporary phenomena.
Specific Objectives:
a) Give students the ability to apply the principal theories and concepts developed within the field of collective action sociology and by its contributing scholars, including from French sociology (Alain Touraine and ‘sociology of action' school, Guy Bajoit, etc.) and Anglo-Saxon sociology (Edward Thompson, Mancur Olson, Doug Mac Adam, etc.).
b) Stimulate inquiry and discussion on the theme of the characteristics and metamorphoses of collective action (past and present social movements), in particular aiming to analyse the forms, conditions, and significance of contemporary mobilisations, including both local (NIMBY phenomenon) or global (altermondialist movement), questions of redistribution questions and recognition, union action and “citizen” movements).
c) In regard to the methods of sociology, the course introduces students to the principles and methods for the sociological analysis of collective action phenomena (the course studyies social phenomena in a historical perspective, links and clarifies the different levels of analysis, aims to understand the complexity of social movements, etc.), by presenting emblematic research in the field.
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| Prerequisites :
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Year 1 and 2 general sociology and political sciences.
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| Course contents :
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1 - Summary overview of collective action paradigms and theories (historical and comparative approach)
2- Relationships based on solidarity and exchange (typology of forms of collective action)
3- The phases of collective action: mobilisation and demobilisation theory (factors explaining the transition from indifference to protest and mobilisation, the role of leaders, etc.)
4- Alain Touraine's concepts of action-centred sociology (historicity; class, institutional, and organisational conflicts: social movements; and typology of forms of collective action; etc.)
5 - Resource mobilisation theory (the contexts of micro social mobilisations (MacAdam, MacCarthy and Zald)
6- Methodologies for studying collective action phenomena:
In addition to examining illustrations and case studies from the national context the course also examines local movements and uses international comparison (especially on the basis of the characteristics of political systems). The selection of which collective actions to be studied is determined on the basis of student interests.
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| Mode of delivery :
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- Lecture
- Time is set aside for debate and discussion, including on the basis of video material and course texts.
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| Assessment methods and criteria :
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Assessment is based on a written examination, which evaluates:
1) Knowledge of theoretical frameworks and concepts
2) The analyse of a collective action based on an case in the news
With the lecturer's agreement, students may submit, for the purposes of assessment, a personal piece of written work based on their own original research on a collective mobilisation phenomenon.
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| Recommended or required reading :
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A syllabus including a portfolio of reference material covering course material.
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