Sociology

Topics in this Economic Sociology course include: genesis of the capitalist economic system; sociological ambiguities of the economy; the new neo-liberal system-- the German model and the North American model; contemporary economic organization; social effects of economic flexibility; society, economy, and globalization.

This course provides a sociological perspective on economic, social, and political processes, focusing especially on global social change and sustainable development. Students acquire the knowledge required to understand and critically examine the discussions pursued about the global social change that marks modernity, focusing especially on the post-war period. The course includes 4 modules: Classical and Modern Social Analysis; Contemporary Sociological Perspectives on Global Development; Global Sustainability and Environmental Sociology; and Social Sciences Methods.

This course is a practical course for Peking University undergraduates to carry out social science research based on social survey. It emphasizes theoretical insights, cutting-edge methods and practices. Through an integrated and panoramic perspective, Peking University students are trained to engage in high level social science research. The course consists of three parts: survey methods, social topics and practice. The survey method section takes two national social survey projects, CFPS and CHARLS, as examples, so that students can master professional knowledge such as questionnaire design, sampling, and survey implementation, and improve their research feelings and comprehensive analysis ability on Chinese social issues. The social topic section includes six major research fields of economy, population, family, retirement, religion and health. Each field selects several classic studies published in top international journals based on CFPS and CHARLS data, combined with relevant empirical research methods, through explanation and demonstration, guide and improve students' research ability to analyze social issues with scientific methods and paths. The practical part allows students to learn and experience the way of thinking and basic methods of social research in real social situations by leading students to experience the real process of social survey.

Our increased longevity is one of the major achievements of modern humans, however this increase in lifespan does not necessarily mean an increase in health span – healthy, disease-free years. Students will explore some of the key challenges and opportunities associated with the expanding ageing population. They will use a multi-disciplinary approach (biological, clinical, societal) to explore several key questions such as: what happens the body during ageing that leaves us more susceptible to developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease, neurocognitive decline and cancer in later life? Why do some people age faster than others? How do we manage this challenge clinically? Can new models of care and novel technologies facilitate independent living in later life? What is it like for someone to get older in Ireland today? How can we ensure that everyone has the opportunity to age successfully in our society? What are the legal, ethical and economical challenges that we will face?

This course introduces genetically informed social science, with a focus on how genetic factors and environments that siblings do not share influence social inequality. It discusses how to think critically and creatively about the complex interplay between genetics, randomness/luck, and social structures in modern societies. The course covers the theoretical framework of gene-environment interplay, which acknowledges that both genetic and environmental influences depend on one another. It also covers a breadth of readings from various fields in the social sciences, which allow sociology to be viewed with a new lens. This course presents a research field that is moving at break-neck speed following the sequencing of the human genome, leaving more questions than answers regarding how we as societies should interpret this newfound knowledge.

The course offers an historical overview of the development of post-classical sociological theory such as functionalism, interactionism, and postmodernism, via an exploration of the work of a selection of key sociological theorists such as Talcott Parsons, Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Anthony Giddens, Pierre Bourdieu, Jurgen Habermas, Judith Butler, Ulrich Beck, and Manuel Castells. Key concepts developed by these thinkers are explored in relation to the themes of structure and agency, culture/ideology, and sociological understanding.

This interdisciplinary course provides students with the opportunity to address complex problems identified by industry, community, and government organizations, and gain valuable experience in working across disciplinary boundaries. In collaboration with a
major industry partner and an academic lead, students integrate their academic skills and knowledge by working in teams with students from a range of disciplinary backgrounds. This experience allows students to research, analyze and present solutions to a real-world problem, and to build on their interpersonal and transferable skills by engaging with and learning from industry experts and presenting their ideas and solutions to the industry partner.

This course discusses the problems and challenges inherent in the analytical framework of studying social movements and transnational actors (TNAs). It examines contemporary struggles covering diverse social mobilizations based in different parts of the world. This course explores differences and commonalities in selected fields of social justic struggles.

This course introduces fundamental concepts in the field of political sociology and examines how social policies work today. It explores how the dynamics between the State, the market, and society have undergone significant transformations which have reshaped the concept and operation of European welfare states. The course explains the structure and changes of the European welfare states as well as the evolution of the main social policies in Spain and Catalonia in the last three decades.