Sociology 15

W. L. Goldfrank
Office Hours: TBA, 305 Coll. III
TTh or MW
459-4461
[email protected]

WORLD SOCIETY: Introduction to Comparative and Historical Sociology

This course aims to introduce students to macro-sociology, the study of large-scale, long-term social change. We shall try to strike a balance between three levels of discourse: facts and information, ideas and interpretations, theories and models. We shall explore the historical development of the modern world, focussing on institutional transformations, global interdependence, cultural tensions, and struggles against the dislocations and inequalities these processes entail. We shall examine the ways in which the role different countries play in the world economy largely determines the average citizen's quality of life. We shall pay particular attention to the phenomena of (1) social revolution, a hallmark of the twentieth century, and (2) "globalization," the organizing principle of the twenty-first century.

Requirements:

  1. (1) Class attendance.
  2. (2) Readings: J. Goldstone, ed., Revolutions (1986) P. McMichael, Development & Social Change (2nd ed. 2000) to be purchased at Bay Tree Books Sociology 15 Reader to be downloaded from E-res or purchased from the instructor
  3. (3) Papers: two typed, double-spaced papers, each 5-7 pages long and based on the classes and readings, are due on the following dates:
    mid 2nd week---Compare and contrast Marx and Weber's approaches to social change; how does Wallerstein combine elements of both?
    end 4th week---Compare two cases of revolution on
    at least two of the following dimensions: village organization,class struggle, economic change, state breakdown, international competition.
  4. (4) Final exam: In-class final exam, possible questions to be distributed at penultimate class, and will consist of ten identifications and two essays.
  5. (5) Grades and evaluations will be based on class participation as well as the quality of written work. Readings should be completed before each class. There will be no incompletes, except in cases of authenticated medical or family emergencies.

    6. Syllabus

    PART I: Theories, methods, units of analysis

    July 23 Introduction
    July 25 Marx and Weber
    Read: Selections from Marx, Marx &
    Engels, Baran & Hobsbawm, Sweezy,
    pp. 50-71 and 106-115 in Edwards,
    Reich, & Weisskopf, The Capitalist System
    Read: Selections from Weber, pp. 60-
    85 in Giddens & Held, Classes,
    Power, and Conflict; and pp. 626- 632 in Parsons, et al., Theories of Society
    July 30 Wallerstein
    Read: Selections from Wallerstein,
    pp. 152-164 and 66-94 in The Capitalist World-Economy;
    five items from Wallerstein's web page: www.fbc.binghamton.edu/commentr.htm

    PART II: Revolutions and the modern world

    Aug. 1 Approaches to revolution; England & France

    Read: Goldstone, pp. 1-65 (selections from Marx & Engels, Tocqueville, Weber, Huntington); pp.68-103 (selections from Skocpol, Goldstone)

    FIRST PAPER DUE

    Aug. 6 Russia and China Read: Goldstone, pp. 218-247 (selections from Skocpol, Edeen) Chirot, "What Happened in 1989," in Chirot, ed., The Crisis of Leninism and the Decline of the Left Read Goldstone, pp. 182-194, 248-267 (selectons from Stacey, Whyte) and review prior Skocpol selections

    Aug. 8 Latin America Read: Goldstone, pp. 104-117, 209- 217, 280-318, 139-159, 195-206 (selections from Goldfrank, Kelley & Klein, Eckstein, Cole, Walker, Chavarria, North)

    Aug. 13 Iran, the Philippines, South Africa; Vietnam Read: Goldstone, pp. 118-138 (selections from Abrahamian, Green) Paige, Agrarian Revolution, ch. 5

    PART III: Contemporary world capitalism Aug. 15 The Development Project (1940s-1970s) Read: McMichael, pp. xxvii-xlii & Parts I & II

    SECOND PAPER DUE

    Aug. 20 The Globalization Project (1980s-???) Read: McMichael, Parts III & IV

    Aug. 22 Final Examination

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