Face-to-face , first term, 30 hours of theory.

First term
Thursday from 10:45 to 12:45 at 43 Botanique 1
Monday from 17:45 to 19:45

French only.

The course is an in-depth introduction to sociology. Rather than surveying the field, it explores some of the field's classics and key-authors. In so doing, it aims at raising the students' awareness about the stakes at play in each sociological undertaking. These stakes are theoretical, practical, but also political and even existential. Debates and divergences amongst sociologists will thus be emphasized. More generally, the course aims at giving students the necessary reference points and overall understanding of sociology for their future orientation in the social and human sciences.

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The course is divided into two parts. The first part is the introduction to the field taught by the lecturer throughout the Fall Term (13 weeks, from September to December). The second part is a series of applied sessions where the assistant confronts the theoretical contents with current affairs and where students will be assessed.

During the introduction, the lecturer presents the founders of the discipline i.e. those that are referred to today (Emile Durkheim, Max Weber and the Chicago School). Next, she presents more recent theoretical endeavors that shape the field: critical sociology (Pierre Bourdieu, Loïc Wacquant, and others), symbolic interactionism (Howard Becker, Goffman, and others) and actor-network-theory (Antoine Hennion, Bruno Latour, and others). Each time, the lecturer points at the paradigmatic as well as the conceptual choices made by the authors that are being discussed.

During the applied sessions, current affairs and /or documentaries on societal phenomena will be presented so as to enable a continuous assessment of the students. Overall, an effort is made to open up the discussion to recent events and debates so as to show the relevance of all theories, investigations and authors involved.

Lectures on the on the hand, during which students must take note and extra developments will be made by the lecturer in order to tackle issues and questions raised by the students. Continued assessment on the other hand, i.e. four tests in which students must apply the social theory on current affairs (news and documentaries).

Continued assessment. This assessment will be introduced and thereafter take place in sessions in which tests will be taken from October (end) to December.
The final mark of the continued assessment will be officially registered in January, during the exam session. In other words, for this course, there will be no exam in January. However, for those who failed the continued assessment and will want to register for the sessions of June and/or September, an exam worth 20 points will be available.

Students must purchase the résumé of the course at the Reprography. Otherwise, except for video excerpts and media articles used for assessment or presented during the course, one other book must be read and can be chosen from the following list:
Virginie Despentes, King Kong Théorie, Paris, Grasset, 2006 (ou réédition) ; Silvia Federici, Le capitalisme patriarcal, Paris, La Fabrique éditions, 2019 ; Amandine Gay, Une poupée en chocolat, Paris, éditions La Découverte, 2021 ; Donna Haraway, Manifeste des espèces compagnes, Paris, Flammarion, 2019 (or. en anglais, 2003) ; Andreas Malm, Comment saboter un pipeline, Paris, La Fabrique éditions, 2020 ; Françoise Vergès, Un féminisme décolonial, Paris, Fabrique éditions, 2019.