PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY 1

Principles of Sociology
Lecturer: Olga E. Kuzina
Class teachers: Olga E. Kuzina, Elena N. Danilova

Course description
Principles of Sociology is a two-semester course for the second year students
designed to prepare students for the external examination of UoL. Through-
out first semester, students will deal with questions relating to the nature of
sociology; the methods which sociologists use; methodology and the major so-
ciological perspectives. The key aspects in relation to individuals and society
are examined through the concepts of role, socialisation and identity. Second
semester material builds on and reinforces the knowledge received in the first
semester. Two main topics will be covered in second semester are ‘Power in
society’ and ‘Globalisation and social change’. The assessment of the students
will be by the University of London (UoL) examinations at the end of the forth
semester or by internal examination (ICEF). Principles of Sociology is a supple-
mentary discipline under world standards. It forms the basis of further studies
in disciplines such as: economic sociology of popular finance, management,
political science, etc. The course is taught in English.

Prerequisites
Students are supposed to be familiar with Principles of Statistics, Intellectual
history of Europe, and English for academic writing.

Teaching objectives
This course helps students to be critical of the information they receive and
encourages them to think logically and consistently. By the end of the unit
students will have gained knowledge and learnt some important skills:

• to be critical of any data and theories that they read or hear about and,
of course, to be critical of their own work

• to be creative and able to link ideas from this unit and the other disciplines
they are studying to create new ways of thinking about social phenomena

• to be challenged. This is not an easy subject and it requires students to

think deeply about the materials and be able to deal with more than one
way of thinking about the social world.
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• to be co-operative and share ideas and materials. It is a good idea to

study with other students and friends, and to discuss ideas with them.
This is an important skill for the world of work where people are often
required to work in teams.
As a result, students must be able to read sociological papers, discuss differ-
ent sociological topics and their treatment by classical and modern sociologists
in a written form of argumentative essays. It is important to learn the basic
material, presented in class, and then, enhance this knowledge with applicable
examples of the Russian society.

Teaching methods
In addition to the lectures, there are seminars. Participation in both is obliga-
tory. During the seminars, it is expected that students come prepared to discuss
a particular topic. Reading of the required material should be completed before
the seminar. Short written assignments will be given on every seminar.
The main purpose of the seminars is the discussion of the reading material.
Self study will be the main method of work in this course. Students must
conduct one and a half hours of self study per each hour of lecture. Required
readings are indicated below. However, student will be expected to read at least
one major Russian newspaper (such as Izvestia, Kommersant, Vedomosti, etc)
as well as a weekly journal (Itogi, Expert, etc.) and develop their sociological
imagination by looking at current social problems.

Assessment
This syllabus is designed based on the belief that far from being divorced from
each other, testing and teaching are closely interrelated. A test is seen as a
natural extension of classroom work, providing teacher and student with useful
information that can serve as a basis for improvement.
During both semesters, students will be tested 4 times:
• MOCK (November) Exam — 90 min

• Term Exam — 90 min

• MOCK (April) Exam — 45 min

• Final Exam — 180 min

Term — a diagnostic test used to identify students strengths and weaknesses,
intended to ascertain what further teaching is necessary.
Final — an achievement/attainment test — designed to show mastery of the
syllabus.
PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY 3

University of London requirements

In the end of the second semester, students will take a University of London
External Program Exam. University of London graders will grade this exam.
In order to pass this exam successfully, students must receive 34% of points. It
must be remembered that this course in sociology is considered one of the most
difficult, with 40% failure rate worldwide.
Higher School of Economics requirements
For those students who will not take a University of London External Pro-
gram Exam a Final ICEF Exam will be provided.

Grade determination
Final grade for the Russian curriculum will be composed of three parts:
• University of London External Program Exam or Final ICEF Exam —
50%
• First semester final — 35%
– 20% — Seminars
– 30% — MOCK
– 50% — Term
• Second semester final — 15%
– 10% — Seminars
– 90% — MOCK

Main reading
1. Fulcher, J and J. Scott Sociology. (Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2003) second edition
2. Giddens, A. Sociology. (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2001) fourth edition
3. Macionis, J. and K. Plummer Sociology: a Global Introduction. (Harlow:
Prentice Hall, 2005)
4. Cuff, E., W.W. Sharrock and D.W. Francis Perspectives in Sociology.
(London: Routledge, 1998) fourth edition
5. Lee, D. and H. Newby The Problem of Sociology. (London: Routledge,
2000)
6. Waters, M. Globalization. (London: Routledge, 2001) second edition
4

7. Haugaard, M. (ed.) Power: A Reader. (Manchester: Manchester Univer-

sity Press, 2002)
8. Held, D. Models of Democracy. (Cambridge: Polity Press, 1987)
9. Dunleavy, P. and B. O’Leary Theories of the State. (Basingstoke: Macmil-
lan Education, 1987)
10. Lukes, S. Power: A Radical View. (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1974)
Library contains enough copies of the main textbook (Macionis and Plum-
mer, Sociology: A Global Introduction). However, there is a very limited sup-
ply of all other books. However, all obligatory and additional readings in your
syllabus are available in the ICEF information system http://mief.hse.ru

Internet resources and databases

• Subject guide for the LSE course Principles of Sociology
http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/current_students/programme_resources/
lse/subject_guides/prin_soc.shtml
• Reading list for the LSE course Principles of Sociology
http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/current_students/programme_resources/
lse/lse_pdf/read_lists_08/21_principles_sociology.pdf
• University of London Exam papers and Examiners reports for the last
three years
http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/current_students/programme_resources/
lse/exams.shtml
• Current course materials in the ICEF information system
http://mief.hse.ru

Course outline
Sociological Research and Methodology
1. What this unit is about
What skills students will learn from studying this unit. The structure of
the unit. Reading advice and other resources. Hours of study and use of the
subject guide. The examination and examination advice.
2. Introduction to sociology
What is Sociology? In what respect sociology is different from other social
disciplines? Is sociology a science or a commonsense?
Subject guide, pp. 14–23; Fulcher&Scott Ch. 1; Sociology: Issues and
Debates, pp. 2–5
PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY 5

3. Social and Sociological Problems

What are sociological problems? How the order of social life is possible?
How do societies change? How are our lives as individuals shaped by the soci-
eties in which we live?
Subject guide pp. 24–39; Macionis&Plummer (M&P) 2d edition (2002), pp.
4–7 or 3d edition (2005) pp. 4–7; Sociology: Issues and debates, pp. 2–5

4. Socialisation and Identity

What is socialisation? Self and identity: personal and social identities,
identities and roles. Theories of socialisation: role-taking (Parsons) versus
role-making (Mead) theories. The role of others. Labelling theory.
Subject guide pp. 28–39, Fulcher&Scott, Ch. 4, pp. 121–139; Macionis, J.
and K. Plummer (2005), Sociology: a Global Introduction. Ch. 7, pp. 156–187

5. Key principles of Sociological Research

Key terms. Objective and subjective knowledge. Standartisation. Reliabil-
ity. Transparency. Validity. Authenticity.
Subject guide pp. 45–50; McNeill P. Research methods, pp. 14–15; Bryman,
A. Social Research Methods pp. 28–33; Wallace, W. The Logic of science in
sociology, pp. 11–25

6. Research designs in Sociology

What is a research design? Concepts and conceptual thinking. Operational-
isation and indicators. Descriptive and explanatory research designs. Quanti-
tative and Qualitative.
Subject guide, pp. 50–63; McNeill P. Research methods, pp. 24–25; Fulcher&Scott,
Ch. 3

7. Major research designs I

Surveys: sampling, longitudinal approaches. Research example: Townsend
on measuring poverty.
Experimental and evaluative research: causality, independent and depen-
dent variables. Natural experiments in sociological research. Experiments and
ethics.
Subject guide, pp. 56–61; Fulcher&Scott, Ch. 3, pp. 78–79; McNeill P.
Research methods, pp. 17–23; Bryman, A. Social Research Methods, pp. 34–
48

8. Major research designs II

Comparative research. Research examples: Durkheim on suicide rates. So-
cial meanings and suicide (Douglas). The social organisation of suicide (Atkin-
son).
Ethnography. ‘Verstehen’: to understand the world from the insider’s per-
spective. Research example: Taylor (1982) on suicidal behaviour.
6

Subject guide, pp. 61–62; Fulcher&Scott, Ch. 3, pp. 88–90; Bryman, A.

Social Research Methods, pp. 53–55

9. Research Methods I
Primary and secondary data. Questionnaires. Interviews: structured and
unstructured.
Subject guide pp. 63–74; Marsh, I (ed.) Theory and Practice in Sociology,
pp. 48–54; pp. 54–58

10. Research Methods II

Observations: structured and participant.
Marsh, I (ed.) Theory and Practice in Sociology, pp. 41–47; P. McNeill,
Research methods, pp. 64–93

11. Research Methods III

Social statistics. Documents.
Selection of methods. Research designs and research methods.
P. McNeill, Research methods, pp. 99–114

12. Methodology
What is methodology? Epistemology. Positivism. Interpretivism. Realism.
Subject guide, pp. 73–90; Fulcher&Scott, pp. 14–17, 24–25; Macionis and
Plummer (2005) pp. 44–50.
Bryman, A. Social Research Methods. Part 1; Marsh, I. (ed.) Theory and
Practice in Sociology. Chapter 1. pp. 9–25.

13. Theories in Sociology

Origins of Sociology. The Enlightment. What is a theory. Ontological
assumptions.
Subject guide, pp. 93–97; Swingewood A., A short history of sociological
thought, 2000, pp. 3–10; Cuff, Sharrock and Francis (1990), Perspectives in
Sociology, pp. 1–12

14. Marx
Marx’s influences: Georg Hegel, Ludwig Feuerbach. A Materialist Social
Ontology. Historical Materialism.The Critique of Capitalism. Class as a Social
Relation. The State and Politics.
Subject guide, pp. 102–108; Fulcher&Scott, pp. 28–32

15. Durkheim
Biological analogy. Explanation of reality. Scientific methodology. The
relationship between the Individual and Society. Functionalist method of ex-
planation. Three Studies of Social Solidarity.
Subject guide, pp. 109–113; Fulcher&Scott, pp. 33–39; Giddens (2001)
Chapter 1; Macionis and Plummer (2002: p.84) (2005: p. 92)
PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY 7

16. Weber
Action approach in sociology. Social action. Methodological individualism.
Objectivity in social sciences. Ideal types. The relationship between religion
and economy. The disenchantment of the world and the rationalisation of life.
Suject guide, pp. 113–120; Fulcher&Scott, pp. 39–43; Macionis and Plum-
mer (2002: pp. 80–83) (2005: pp. 88–91)
17. Structural functionalism and Parsons
Functional approach in sociology. ‘Functional prerequisites’. ‘Soft’ ver-
sus ‘hard’ (normative) versions of structural functionalism. Parsons’ sociology:
Social action and social system, moving equilibrium, status roles, social insti-
tutions, pattern variables. Merton’s ideas: “middle range theories”, manifest
and latent functions: intended and unintended outcomes, positively functional
/dysfunctional / non-functional levels of society, structural alternatives.
Subject guide pp. 120–129; Fulcher&Scott, pp. 45–52; Cuff, Sharrock and
Francis (1998), Perspectives in Sociology, pp. 87–114; Lee and Newby (2000),
pp. 238–245
18. Bringing the individual back in
Social interactionism, symbolic interactionism and ethnomethodology. Thomas
Theorem. Taking the role of the other. The self is a process. Phenomenological
approach. Labelling theory. A self-fulfilling prophecy. The Social Construc-
tion of Reality. ‘Breaching experiments’. Structure or action? Structuration
threories.
Subject guide pp. 129–139; Fulcher&Scott, pp. 52–57, 133–36
19. Postmodernity and Sociology
Modernity versus postmodernity. Information Society. Knowledge class.
Consumerism. Postmodern sociological theory. The Enlightenment as Modern
Project. The reconstruction of the image of natural sciences in postmodern
theory. ‘Grand naratives’. Cultural analysis.
Subject guide pp. 139–146; Fulcher&Scott, pp. 65–67, 387–88; or Giddens
(2001) pp. 674–75; or Macionis and Plummer (2002 edition) pp. 31–32 and
662–63;
Macionis and Plummer (2005 edition) pp. 33–34, 686–88; Cuff, E., W.
Sharrock and D. Francis Perspectives in Sociology. (1998) pp. 291–305

Power in Society
20. Introduction: power, modernity and sociology
Different understandings of this term. Power as coercion. Power as domi-
nation. Power as influence. The problem of ‘power’.
Subject guide, pp. 285–291; Held D. Democracy: From City-States to a
Cosmopolitan Order, pp. 13–15
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21. Marxist account of power

Humanist versus structuralist (or ‘scientific’) Marxism. Two models of the
State. Theorising of transition theory (Lenin, radical democracy). Gramsci’s
theory of hegemony. The role of intellectuals. The distinction between ideolo-
gies and ideology (Althusser).
Subject guide pp. 291–295; Lee and Newby, 2000, pp. 115–136; or Swinge-
wood, A Short History of Sociological Thought, 2000, Chapter 2; Held, Models
of democracy, 1996, pp. 129–136, or Dunleavy and O’Leary, 1987 pp. 204–15,
pp. 237–43; Lee and Newby, The Problem of Sociology, 2000, pp. 161–64

22. Weber: power, stratification and domination

Power versus domination. Legitimacy. Three types of authority. Bureau-
cracy. Weber’s definition of the State.
Subject guide pp. 295–298; Swingewood, A Short History of Sociological
Thought, 2000, pp. 107–111; Lee, D. and H. Newby (2000) The Problem of
Sociology, Part 7, pp. 178–182

23. The power of elites

The key ideas of classical elitist theories: Mosca, Pareto, Michels. Neo-elitist
theory of C. Wright Mills.
Subject guide, pp. 298–331; Lee, D. and H. Newby (2000) The Problem of
Sociology, pp. 198–200; Scott, J, (1996) Stratification and Power: Structures
of Class, Status and Command, pp. 127–157

24. The pluralist model of power and its critics

One, two and three dimensional view of power (Lukes). Power and compet-
ing epistemologies. The problem of ‘real interests’.
Subject guide, pp. 301–304; Bilton, T. et al. (2002) Introductory Sociology,
pp. 201–214; Scott, J. (2006) Pressure and polity formation in Power, pp.
51–62

25. Power to and power over

Zero-sum conception of power versus variable sum conception of power.
Parsons’s conception of power: as ‘power to’.
Subject guide, pp. 304–305; Haugaard, M. (ed.) (2002) Power: A Reader,
pp. 67–70

26. Foucault view on power

Modernist vs. non-modernist perspectives on power. Foucault’s concept
of power. Disciplinary power vs. Sovereign power. The social constitution of
actors . Foucault’s concept of discourse. Knowledge as a form of power.
Subject guide, pp. 305–306; Haugaard, M. (ed.) (2002) Power: A Reader,
pp. 181–204; Scott J. Discipline and expertise in Power: Key Concepts, Polity
Press 2006, pp. 92–109
PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY 9

27. Theories of the State

Clyde Barrow, Critical Theories of the State, Chapter Two; Bob Jessop,
(1990) State Theory: putting capitalist states in their place, pp. 338–369

Globalisation and Social Change

28. Global sociology and classical theories of social change
Sociological theories of social change: Marxist theory, Evolutionary theory,
Structural functionalism, Modernisation theory. Convergence theory , Webe-
rian theory, Dependency theory
Subject guide pp. 153–158; Waters, M. Globalization, 2001, Routledge, Ch.
2

29. Understanding globalization

Defining globalization. Hyperglobalisers, skeptics, transformationalists (Held).
Waters, M. Globalization, 2001, Routledge, Ch. 1; Hirst, P., Thompson G.
Globalisation in Question. (Cambridge: Polity Press, 1999) Introduction, pp.
1–10

30. Aspects of globalization

Globalising technology. Economic globalization. Political globalization.
Cultural globalization.
Subject guide Chapter 7, Waters, M. Globalization, 2001, Ch. 3-4

31. Theorising and researching globalization

World-Systems theory. Global capitalist theory. Global society theory.
Global culture theory.
Waters, M. Globalization, 2001, Ch. 5–8

Distribution of hours

# Topic Total Contact hours Self

hours Lectures Seminars study
Sociological approach to studying human behavior
1. Introduction of sociology 12 4 4 4
2. Social and sociological prob- 10 2 2 4
lems
3. Socialisation and identity 8 2 2 4
Sociological research methodology
4. Key principles of sociological 8 2 2 4
research
5. Research designs in sociology 16 6 6 4
10

# Topic Total Contact hours Self

hours Lectures Seminars study
6. Research methods 16 6 6 4
7. Three epistemological ap- 12 4 4 4
proaches in sociology
Sociological theories
8. Ontological assumptions of so- 8 2 2 4
ciological theories
9. Marx 8 2 2 4
10. Durkheim 8 2 2 4
11. Weber 10 2 2 6
12. Parsons and structural func- 10 2 2 6
tionalism
13. Bringing individual back in 10 2 2 6
14. Post-modernism and sociology 10 2 2 6
Power in society
15. Introduction: power, moder- 10 2 2 6
nity and sociology
16. Marxist accounts of power 10 2 2 6
17. Weber: power, stratification 10 2 2 6
and domination
18. Power of elites 10 2 2 6
19. The pluralist model of power 10 2 2 6
and its critics
20. Power to and power over 10 2 2 6
21. Foucault’s theory of power 10 2 2 6
22. Sociological theories of the 10 2 2 6
state
Globalisation and social change
23. Global sociology and classical 14 4 4 6
theories of social change
24. Understanding globalisation 10 2 2 6
25. Aspects of globalization 10 2 2 6
26. Theorising and researching 14 4 4 6
globalisation
Total: 270 68 68 134