Course contents
In recent years, drastic events such as pandemics, wars, and natural disasters have revived the debate about managing an indeterminate future. A lively discourse is underway around the notion of preparedness, which addresses the need to manage the damages that may emerge in an unpredictable future. This exciting current discussion takes up many of the topics and categories developed by the sociology of risk in the 1980s and 1990s. This seminar assumes that the debate on risk has much potential that is still partially unexplored and can offer a valuable contribution to consolidating the theoretical basis of the present discussion on preparedness. In our meetings we will read and comment in depth on one of the central texts of the risk debate, Niklas Luhmann’s Risk: A sociological theory, and then analyze selected articles and book chapters that present both the theoretical basis and the practical relevance of the debate about preparedness.
Learning outcomes
Course participants will familiarize with the issues of risk, preparedness and the management of emergency in modern and contemporary society. They will acquire the skills required to observe and critically comment on the current debate about disaster management, emergency and preparedness. This knowledge will enable them to competently deal with issues such as new social and ecological threats, climate change, the challenges of political and natural disasters – both on the theoretical and on the practical level.
Readings/Bibliography
A detailed syllabus is provided.
Rhythmus | Tag | Uhrzeit | Format / Ort | Zeitraum |
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Modul | Veranstaltung | Leistungen | |
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30-M-Soz-M2a Soziologische Theorie a | Alternativ zu Seminar 1 und Seminar 2: großes Seminar | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation |
Seminar 1 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
Seminar 2 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
- | benotete Prüfungsleistung | Studieninformation | |
30-M-Soz-M2b Soziologische Theorie b | Alternativ zu Seminar 1 und Seminar 2: großes Seminar | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation |
Seminar 1 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
Seminar 2 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
- | benotete Prüfungsleistung | Studieninformation | |
30-M-Soz-M2c Soziologische Theorie c | Alternativ zu Seminar 1 und Seminar 2: großes Seminar | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation |
Seminar 1 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
Seminar 2 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
- | benotete Prüfungsleistung | Studieninformation | |
30-M-Soz-M5a Politische Soziologie a | Alternativ zu Seminar 1 und Seminar 2: großes Seminar | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation |
Seminar 1 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
Seminar 2 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
- | benotete Prüfungsleistung | Studieninformation | |
30-M-Soz-M5b Politische Soziologie b | Alternativ zu Seminar 1 und Seminar 2: großes Seminar | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation |
Seminar 1 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
Seminar 2 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
- | benotete Prüfungsleistung | Studieninformation | |
30-M-Soz-M5c Politische Soziologie c | Alternativ zu Seminar 1 und Seminar 2: großes Seminar | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation |
Seminar 1 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
Seminar 2 | Studienleistung
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Studieninformation | |
- | benotete Prüfungsleistung | Studieninformation |
Die verbindlichen Modulbeschreibungen enthalten weitere Informationen, auch zu den "Leistungen" und ihren Anforderungen. Sind mehrere "Leistungsformen" möglich, entscheiden die jeweiligen Lehrenden darüber.
Teaching methods
Participants are expected to read the materials in advance and actively contribute to the discussion. They must prepare two questions for each meeting, that can be presented and debated during the sessions. After each session, they will deliver a short memo (e.g. several bullet points) summarizing their understanding of the outcome of the meeting in terms of the issues they find most relevant.
Assessment methods
Studienleistung: Presentations of a length of 20-30 minutes
Prüfungsleistung: At the end of the semester, participants will write a Hausarbeit on one of the texts discussed in class.