Course

Published 4.4.2025

(Updated 30.4.2025)

Helsingin yliopisto

Sociological Imagination

26.3.2025 - 31.8.2025

5 cr

Registration open

Online

Intermediate studies

This course shows students how to think about social issues sociologically. Sociological thinking involves a blend of theoretical, methodological and empirical elements. Good sociological research involves coherent theorizing and sound data collection. Many different theoretical and methodological positions exist in sociology today. The course examines some of the major ones. We consider the strengths and weaknesses of each. Emphasis is put on how to read major pieces of sociological theory and research with an eye to understanding what is more or less convincing in their approach to their object of study.

Additional information

Sociological Imagination, summer

How will you study

Additional information and registration

Price and registration period

Check on the university's website

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Additional information:

Dates

26.3.2025 - 31.8.2025

Fields

Social sciences

Scope

5 cr

1 component

Code

SOSK-SL212

What you need to know before the course

What you will learn

After completing the course, students will know the key research questions and approaches typical of sociology. They will understand how social phenomena are analysed sociologically and know how to consider sociological studies in relation to various theoretical traditions and their typical approaches. Students will also be trained in reading original research and in communicating it.

Aims:
To understand how the overall sociological approach to understanding the world works.
To understand a range of different, but related, types of sociological thinking and ‘imagination’.
To evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of specific types of sociological imagination, including in relation to each other.
To consider the relevance of sociological thinking for understanding and analysing real-world situations.
To reflect on whether particular types of sociological imagination, created in the past, are still relevant today.
To become familiar with the work of major sociological writers.
Objectives:
By the end of the course, a student should be able successfully to carry out the following tasks.
Identify, present, and explain the main features of a specific form of sociological imagination.
Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of types of sociological imagination.
Apply types of sociological imagination to real-world situations, and to understand the limits of that application.
Consider how relevant various types of sociological imagination are to society today.

Learning material

Additional information

Kohderyhmä

Jos opintojaksosta järjestetään useampi kuin yksi toteutus lukuvuoden aikana, osa toteutuksista voidaan varata vain sosiaalitieteiden kandiohjelman opiskelijoille. Tällaisissa tapauksissa toteutusten kohderyhmät tarkennetaan vuosittaisessa opetusohjelmassa.

1. Sosiaalitieteiden kandiohjelma, sosiologian opintosuunta

2. Sosiaalitieteiden kandiohjelma

3. Muut opiskelijat

Ajoitus

Periodi 2. Muiden mahdollisten toteutusten ajankohdat määritellään opetusohjelmassa.

Sosiaalitieteiden kandiohjelman tutkinto-opiskelijoiden suositusajoitus 3 opintovuosi.

Toteutus

Suoritustavat: Osallistuminen opetukseen, Tentti, Itsenäinen työskentely

Suoritustavat tarkennetaan vuosittain opetusohjelman yhteydessä.

Arviointimenetelmät ja -kriteerit

The final grade is 100% from the essay grade.

The essay is assessed in terms of how well it uses relevant literature to answer the question.

Oppimista tukevat aktiviteetit ja menetelmät

Group discussion, following a lecture component.

Organiser

Helsingin yliopisto

Contact details

avoin-student@helsinki.fi

Belongs to themes:

Society and interaction