1. Coordinator: Anders Petersen
Advanced Sociological Theory: Critique - Freedom, Recognition and Capitalism in Contemporary Sociological Theory
Coordinator: Anders Petersen

2. Course purpose
The purpose of this course is to address various theoretical aspects of contemporary critical sociology relating particularly to the topics of freedom, recognition and capitalism. It does so by introducing the students to a wide variety of contemporary sociological theories and diagnoses that are critical, albeit in different meanings of the term. The course is not only, however, introductory. It provides the students with the analytical skills enabling them to differentiate forms of sociological critique from one another, teaches them how the different forms of critique relate to one another and ensures that the students can apply the different forms of critique on contemporary society, especially relating to problems of freedom, recognition and capitalism. Moreover, the students will learn to understand as well as analyze argumentation, key concepts and historical background of the theories in question.

3. Lecturers Anders Petersen – APT Michael Hviid Jacobsen – MHJ
Henrik Jøker Bjerre – HJB
Rasmus Birk – RB
Stine Thidemann Faber – STF
Søren Juul – SJ

4. Course Plan
(1) Introduction: What is Theory? What is Critique? What is Critical Theory? – Problems in and Potentials of Contemporary Critical Sociology (APT) (2 hours)
(2) Recognition I: Charles Taylor: The Politics of Recognition (APT) (2 hours)
(3) Recognition II: Axel Honneth: Recognition and Misrecognition (SJ) (2 hours)
(4) Recognition III: Nancy Fraser: Redistribution and Recognition (SJ) (2 hours)
(5) Recognition IV: Richard Sennett: Respect in a World of Inequality (APT) (2 hours)
(6) What is Theory Seminar (2 hours)
(7) Capitalism I: Hartmut Rosa: Capitalism and Social Acceleration (APT) (2 hours)
(8) Capitalism II: Luc Boltanski & Eve Chiapello: The New Spirit of Capitalism (APT) (2 hours)
(10) Capitalism III: Arlie R. Hochschild & Eva Illouz: Emotional Capitalism (MHJ) (2 hours)
(11) Theory Development Seminar (2 hours)
(12) Freedom I: Nikolas Rose: Governing Freedom (RB) (2 hours)
(13) Judith Butler II: Freedom and the Self (STF) (2 hours)
(14) Freedom III: Zygmunt Bauman: Consumer Freedom in a Liquid Modern World (MHJ) (2 hours)
(15) Freedom IV: Slavoj Žižek: The Abyss of Freedom (HJB) (2 hours)
(16) Critiquing Theory Seminar (2 hours)

5. Project work The course is only offered on the eighth semester
The course can be followed at either 10, 20 or 30 ECTS points
Students following the course at 10 ECTS points will do a small set assignment after the lecturing is completed
Students following the project at 20 or 30 ECTS points are required to do a project alongside and after the course
Projects will deal with theoretical aspects of contemporary social theory, including some of the topics of the course – critique, freedom, recognition and capitalism. Other relevant topics are also welcome. Projects are intended to be theoretical exposées showing the ability to present, dissect, discuss and analyse theory
There are no requirements for conducting empirical work in the projects, which should be kept at a minimum and included only to illustrate or substantiate the theoretical analysis

6. The central ambitions of the course and the related project work are:
Course aspirations
The central ambitions of the course and the related project work are:
to give an account and describe central contemporary theories of sociological critique on an advanced level
to relate, compare and discuss the different strengths and weaknesses of the theories with other theoretical approaches (in lectures, seminars and project work)
to reflect critically on and analyze a contemporary social problem or subject (be it freedom, recognition, capitalism or otherwise) with the assistance of the theories in question