Universität Wien
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400017 SE Power, (Dis)advantages and Inequalities (2021S)

SE Theory for Doctoral Candidates

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 40 - Doktoratsstudium Sozialwissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 15 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Friday 14.05. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Friday 04.06. 15:00 - 18:15 Digital
  • Friday 11.06. 15:00 - 18:15 Digital
  • Friday 18.06. 15:00 - 18:15 Digital

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Many studies in social sciences directly or indirectly engage with questions about power, disadvantages and advantages, and inequality. However, the theoretical debates scholars participate in vary – for understandable reasons – significantly. Some may focus on the consequences of racism in educational systems, others on structural disadvantages of a working-class background, while again others look at postcolonial realities.

In this course we will discuss the diversity of theoretical debates that guide your doctoral researches, and how these serve to obtain a better understanding of power, (dis)advantages, and inequality in (global) society.

Course aims:
1. To learn about the variety of theoretical debates in social sciences that are (directly or indirectly) concerned with questions about power, disadvantages and advantages, and/or inequality.
2. To gain an understanding about how particular theoretical debates you participate in are part of wider societal concerns about a just society.
3. To define and disseminate the academic and societal relevance of the respective theories your work aims to contribute to.

Content:
After an introductory session, we will discuss the theoretical foundations of the research projects of the PhD candidates enrolled in the course. Each candidate will present her/his project and explain how the theory involved (indirectly) relates to questions about power, disadvantages and advantages, and/or inequality. To facilitate discussion, participants will select a key (20-page max.) theoretical text that especially inspired their thinking. The group will read these texts in advance to the respective presentations.

Methods:
Reading literature, presentations, discussions, and individual papers.

Assessment and permitted materials

1. Each participant will present the theoretical foundation of her/his doctoral research, followed by a discussion. This will count towards 40 points of the final mark.

2. Each participant will be key discussant after a presentation of another participant. This will count towards 10 points of the final mark.

3. The writing of a 6,500 to 8,000 words paper at the end of the course. This will count towards 50 points of the final mark.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

1. Presence and active participation in the seminar.

2. Participants preferably have extensively thought about the theoretical framework of their doctoral projects – and potentially already started writing about it, too.

Examination topics

Reading list

Various articles and chapters.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Fr 12.05.2023 00:26