In the bachelor’s program, our teaching includes the introduction to sociology and, together with our students, we engage with a wide range of sociological theory traditions. In the master’s program, we offer courses on experimental sociology and computational social science.
Detailed information on the modules and courses can be found in the annotated course catalogue.
TEACHING AREAS
Grundzüge der Soziologie I / II
Fundamentals of Sociology I / II
Based on current examples, the module "Grundzüge der Soziologie I" introduces the tasks, issues and working methods of sociology in each winter semester. Important social theoretical perspectives and basic concepts are introduced (e.g. social networks and comparison groups; social norms and cooperation; social capital and institutions; diffusion, segregation and polarization; social change and social inequality). Reflections on the study of sociological issues using a variety of data sources will also take place. The accompanying tutorial serves as a consolidation and tutorials are offered to practice scientific working techniques.
In the summer semester, the module "Grundzüge der Soziologie II" provides an overview of the theoretical foundations of sociology, in particular of the most important sociological theoretical programs of the present. Students are introduced to the background of the subject in terms of the history of ideas on the basis of the major schools of thought of the last 100 years. Explanatory achievements of these theories are demonstrated by means of exemplary hypotheses and empirical applications. The lecture traces the coexistence of different theoretical perspectives. It will be made clear that terms, concepts and explanations used in sociology today often have long antecedents in certain schools of thought of the discipline and even go hand in hand with different understandings of the subject matter and tasks of sociology. The lecture is accompanied by a seminar in which central texts of these theoretical programs and empirical applications are discussed. It serves the discussion of course contents and the deepening of scientific working techniques.
Spezielle Soziologie / Spezielle Methoden I / II
Special Sociology / Special Methods I / II
The module "Spezielle Soziologie / Spezielle Methoden I" introduces students to different sub-areas of sociological research such as the sociology of organization, education and family. Students can choose freely from several seminars with different focal points. In the seminar, an overview of the subject area covered is developed on the basis of relevant literature. Central approaches and empirical findings are presented and discussed.
In the seminars of the module "Special Sociology / Special Methods II", recent developments and research trends from various fields of application of sociology are addressed. In this context, recent theoretical approaches and advanced methods are also dealt with and taught in an application-oriented manner. Students are thus provided with ideas for developing their own research questions. The focus of the content can be freely selected from a range of seminars on different and changing topics.
Ausgewählte Fragen soziologischer Theoriebildung
Selected Topics in Sociological Theory
Based on the concepts and theories covered in "Grundzüge der Soziologie I and II", the module deals in depth or additionally with one of the following three problem areas: (1) Reconstruction of central assumptions, achievements, and difficulties of classical contributions from the theoretical history of sociology (Hobbes' problem of order, Scottish moral philosophy, Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Simmel); (2) Selected topics in micro-sociology (sociological theories of action; social exchange, trust, and cooperation; sociologically relevant social psychological theories; network theories; theories of the emergence of social norms and conventions); (3) Selected topics in macrosociology (concepts of society; typology of societies; exemplary analyses of simple, traditional, and modern societies; theories of social development; collective action, revolts, and revolutions). The issues currently being addressed may change from year to year or may be based on the research interests of the respective instructors.
Kolloquium Analytische Soziologie
Colloquium Analytical Sociology
In the colloquium, current research from the environment of the chair is discussed. The event is a forum for people who are writing a scientific thesis at the chair and open to interested people who want to report on their research. There will also be presentations by out-of-town guests. The event begins with a writing workshop, in which questions of topic specification, choice of method, structure, choice of literature and finally the interpretation of the results are in the foreground. The sequence of events will be determined in the first sessions. Students writing a qualifying thesis at the chair are required to attend the course and to present their project in one of the sessions. Here you will practice techniques of scientific presentation and get valuable advice for your thesis.
Theoriebildung und Hypothesenableitung zu ausgewählten mikro- und makrosoziologischen Fragestellungen
Theory Formation and Hypothesis Derivation: Selected micro- and macrosociological Topics
The task of the module is to provide an in-depth introduction to selected general explanatory theories of sociology from which deductive arguments can be derived to explain social phenomena at the micro or macro level. Specific problems are used to examine the explanatory power of the theories and which empirically testable hypotheses can be derived.
Introduction to Computational Social Science
This course highlights the ways in which sociologists are using tools from computational social science (CSS) to further social research. Agent-based modelling, large-scale online experiments, digital trace data, and computational text analysis are tools that help us to identify how large-scale properties of social systems emerge from the complex interactions of networked actors at the micro level. We will develop a perspective on how CSS techniques can be successfully deployed in socio-logical research. These tools, when applied in a theory-grounded approach, offer sociologists a chance to transcend the dominant survey-research paradigm and address “big” sociological questions about, for example, the dynamics of collective attention, political polarization, the diffusion of fashions and rumors, collective meaning making, and cultural change more generally. The course will be taught in English.
Introduction to Computational Social Science
This course highlights the ways in which sociologists are using tools from computational social science (CSS) to further social research. Agent-based modelling, large-scale online experiments, digital trace data, and computational text analysis are tools that help us to identify how large-scale properties of social systems emerge from the complex interactions of networked actors at the micro level. We will develop a perspective on how CSS techniques can be successfully deployed in socio-logical research. These tools, when applied in a theory-grounded approach, offer sociologists a chance to transcend the dominant survey-research paradigm and address “big” sociological questions about, for example, the dynamics of collective attention, political polarization, the diffusion of fashions and rumors, collective meaning making, and cultural change more generally. The course will be taught in English.
Kolloquium Analytische Soziologie
Colloquium Analytical Sociology
In the colloquium, current research from the environment of the chair is discussed. The event is a forum for people who are writing a scientific thesis at the chair and open to interested people who want to report on their research. There will also be presentations by out-of-town guests. The event begins with a writing workshop, in which questions of topic specification, choice of method, structure, choice of literature and finally the interpretation of the results are in the foreground. The sequence of events will be determined in the first sessions. Students writing a qualifying thesis at the chair are required to attend the course and to present their project in one of the sessions. Here you will practice techniques of scientific presentation and get valuable advice for your thesis.