Course Code and Title: SOS 424-Postmodern Debates in Sociological Theory

Course Type: Elective
Course Level: Undergraduate
Year and Semester: Fourth year, Spring
Course Length: One semester, 3 hours lectures per week
Prerequisite(s): None
Language of Instruction: Turkish
Course Credits: 3 0 3
ECTS Credits: 6
Lecturer: Dr. Abdulkerim Sönmez
Course Contents: The course is organized in two parts. The first part reviews how postmodernist arguments position themselves in general with regard to matters concerning structure, agency, culture, body, self and nature-culture dichotomy in social theory. The second part is concerned with an examination of postmodernist and modernist responses to and the interpretations of major issues of the contemporary social world through a close textual examination and discussion of the writings of prominent thinkers, including Foucault, Baudrillard, Giddens, Walby and Wallerstein. 
Course Objectives: On successful completion of this course, the students develop a basic and yet critical understanding of the major themes and relevance of debates on and responses to postmodernity in social-sociological theory.
Teaching Method: Lectures, classroom discussions and student presentations.  
Assessment Method: Written midterm (20 %), student presentations/assignment (30 %) and written final exam (50 %)
Reading List:
Best, Steven and Kellner, Douglas. (1998/1991) Postmodern teori. Eleştirel    Soruşturmalar, (trans.by Mehmet Küçük) İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları.
Çiğdem, Ahmet. (1997) Bir İmkan Olarak Modernite. Weber ve Habermas,  İstanbul:           İletişim Yayıncılık.
Eagleton, Terry. (1999) Postmodernizmin yanılsamaları, (trans.by Mehmet Küçük)    İstanbul: Ayrıntı Yayınları.
Harvey, David. (1996) Postmodernliğin Durumu. Kültürel Değişimin Kökenleri, (trans.by       Sungur Savran) İstanbul: Metis Yayınları.
Şaylan, Gencay. (1999) Postmodernizm, Ankara: İmge Kitabevi.
Thomas, Helen and Walsh, David F. (1988) “Modernity/Postmodernity” in Core         Sociological Dichotomies, (ed. Chris Jenks) Sage Publications.
The Polity Reader in Social Theory, (1994) Polity Press.
Turner, Bryan S. (ed.) (1990) Theories of Modernity and Postmodernity, Sage         Publications.
Lecture notes