Transforming Society

Sociological debates in recent decades have reinvigorated the question of the relevance of sociological knowledge. In debates around ‘Public Sociology’, for example, it has been suggested that sociology has surrendered its original mission of positively transforming society. In this course, we will critically engage with such debates, exploring the status of sociological knowledge with respect to the past, present, and future. We will explore the colonial assumptions underpinning the dominant model of sociology’s public (moral) mission. How might we think about progressive change when the very idea of progress is a product of histories of dominance and violence? How is sociology’s sense of itself as a scientific representation of the empirical present challenged by the production of so-called big data? How might we think about our future role in social transformation in view of the increasing popularity of new, transdisciplinary models of problem solving? What are the differences between social transformation and social innovation? These more conceptual questions will be explored through a series of practical exercises, aimed at familiarising students with the complexities of forming and addressing problems. The course will encompass a range of activities that explore the concepts of ‘social transformation’, 'impact' ‘engagement’, 'empowerment' and ‘innovation.’ It will also equip students with the analytical and practical skills required for engaging meaningfully in the nature and representation of social events and issues.