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Semester 2

Sociology of Freedom (SCIL10093)

Subject

Sociology

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

4

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Visiting students must have completed at least 3 Sociology courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses.

Course Summary

Freedom is a central idea for modern society, and a problem for sociology. Where does freedom lie: in the individual, in social groups, or in the state? What if there are trade-offs in how freedom is distributed within society, or between freedom and other values, such as order, community, or equality? Taking a sociological perspective, this course examines how the idea of freedom (also called 'liberty', 'emancipation') has evolved from the time of classical sociology to the present, and how it relates to different kinds of society and social organization. The latter part of the course explores various topical controversies which hinge on questions of freedom, e.g. over choice, bodily autonomy, thought and speech.

Course Description

Freedom is a central idea for modern society, but is too often taken for granted in contemporary sociology, leaving us blind to its complexity. This course scrutinises the concept of freedom from a sociological perspective. By exploring the concept's relationship to historical changes in societal norms, institutional and social structures, and polarised political positions, the course allow students to explore the conceptual links between classical sociology, political theory, and contemporary social theory. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify the complexities and social tensions involved in the value of freedom, and to understand better why it arose to become central in modern society. Students will be able to recognize the enduring relevance of classical social theory in regard to these questions, including the problem of the relationship of the individual to society. And students will be able to approach current social debates that involve questions of freedom (for example, freedom of speech) with an ability to take multiple perspectives, and to analyse the reasons for those different sides to the issue. The course begins by examining the concept of freedom itself, then looking at how classical sociological theorists treated it. This includes topics such as: the tensions between equality and liberty; the politics of the crowd; and the role played by intermediary institutions ('civil society') in securing liberty in liberal societies. The latter half of the course addresses contemporary debates and controversies. Some topics will reflect long-standing points of political and social contestation in recent decades. Others will involve in-depth studies of more current cases of dispute. There will be some scope to be responsive to the present moment of teaching. The course takes the form of weekly lectures and tutorials. The lectures involve the presentation of concepts and their history, alongside illustrative examples. The tutorials provide students with an opportunity to discuss and debate these ideas, alongside the topics to which they are applied. Students will demonstrate their learning by writing two essays where they make use of the concepts introduced on the course to analyse social issues where freedom is a major point of contestation.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

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