Learning outcomes:

In the course

- students are introduced to theoretical and methodological points of departure of relationalist social analysis as it is conceived in different social sciences and humanities;
- empirical examples are discussed in order to help the students to model their own analysis from the relationalist perspective as well as to strike a reasonable balance between relationalist and substantialist approaches.

General description:

One of the crucial dilemmas in social analysis is whether to conceive the social world as consisting primarily in substances or relations, in static “things” or dynamic unfolding processes. Various major paradigms (rational choice, structuralism, functionalism, variable- centered analysis) in sociology, anthropology, political science or communication studies presume more or less the former position about social reality, which we could call “substantialism”. However, the “relationalist” perspective (characteristic to semiotic, discourse-theoretical, pragmatist approaches) outlined in the course adopts the latter position. During the two-day course both advantages and shortcomings of relationalist approaches compared to different forms of substantialisms are discussed; in addition, the methodological choices involved in combining or reconciling relationalist and substantialist research strategies are reflected upon.

Completion:

Passing the course requires active participation in the seminars. The students are required to write a 3 page written presentation where the dilemma of relationalist and substantialist approaches to research is connected with the student’s own research topic. In addition they are required to give a presentation (up to 10 minutes) about his/her research topic and its relation to the dilemma of substantialism/relationalism followed by a 10 minute general discussion

Place: Seminar room Atalpa 143

Programme:

May 8, 2014

LECTURE (10.00-12.00): Relationalism vs substantialism: a general outline.

Lunch break (12.00-13.00)

LECTURE (13.00 – 15.00): Relationalism vs substantialism: methodological issues

Coffee break (15.00-15.15)

SEMINAR (15.15-17.15): Interactive discussion of examples provided by the lecturer


May 15, 2014
SEMINAR (10.00-12.00): Interactive discussions of examples provided by the lecturer or (in case of more than 12 participants) discussion of students’ presentations

Lunch break (12.00-13.00)

SEMINAR (13.00-15.00): Interactive discussion of students’ presentations.

Coffee break (15.00-15.15)

SEMINAR (15.15-17.15): Interactive discussion of students’ presentations.

Number of participants: up to 15. Students are selected in enrolment order.

Enrolment in NettiOpsu 17.3.-7.4.2014. The student has to check the selection from NettiOpsu after the enrolment period.