300079 Structural Conditions and Consequences of Individual Behavior (S) (WiSe 2014/2015)

The seminar puts its first focus on (1) the consequences of structuring processes in society
for the cognitive and behavioral patterns of individuals. A second focus is on (2) the
consequences of individual behavior for the structural conditions of society. By means of a
cross-sectional perspective the named processes are described, thereby relying on selected
examples such as partner choice and divorce, fertility, social relations, educational chances,
individual career paths and social inequality. We also observe structuring processes of
individual life courses and biographies from a historical perspective. Joining both
perspectives allows us to understand the significance of social and institutional structures in
modern societies for individual behavior and to define social change as a consequence of
changing biographic constructions as well as individual decision and action patterns.

Bibliography

Einführende Literatur:
Coleman, James S., 1991: Grundlagen der Sozialtheorie, Band 1, München: Oldenbourg (S. 1-29).
Klein, Thomas, 2005: Sozialstrukturanalyse, Reinbeck: Rowohlt.
Huinink, Johannes und Thorsten Schröder, 2008: Sozialstruktur Deutschlands. Konstanz: UVK (UTB basics).