Description
What are the great transformations that gave rise to our global society? How did the emergence of industrialisation and imperial capitalism change the world around us and our thinking about power, injustice and global inequalities? How have the big revolutions of the 18th-20th centuries re-shaped the way we think about modernity, democracy and the nation state? This module offers a critical introduction to the historical antecedents of sociological theory. The module moves beyond conventional Eurocentric and chronological accounts of key historical events, processes and structures of the modern era. The module explores the ways in which 20th century sociological thinking developed as a way to understand these changes and the advent of modern ideologies such as liberalism, socialism and fascism. In doing so it illuminates the historic dimensions of a globalizing present, preparing students to engage with ideas around today’s interconnected yet greatly unequal global society. The module’s seminars interrogate further these topics, debating de-centred perspectives on historical turning points that drove global change, and encouraging rigorous criticism of the continuing global effects of colonialism, imperialism, and racism today.
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 19th August 2024.
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