SOW-SCS120
Theorizing Solidarities
Course infoSchedule
Course moduleSOW-SCS120
Credits (ECTS)6
Category-
Language of instructionEnglish
Offered byRadboud University; Faculty of Social Sciences; Social and Cultural Sciences;
Lecturer(s)
Lecturer
dr. E.B.P. de Jong
Other course modules lecturer
Contactperson for the course
dr. A. de Koning
Other course modules lecturer
Lecturer
dr. A. de Koning
Other course modules lecturer
Examiner
dr. A. de Koning
Other course modules lecturer
Lecturer
dr. M.J.M. de Koning
Other course modules lecturer
Academic year2017
Period
PER1  (04/09/2017 to 12/11/2017)
Starting block
PER1
Course mode
full-time
Remarks-
Registration using OSIRISYes
Course open to students from other facultiesNo
Pre-registrationNo
Waiting listNo
Placement procedure-
Aims
1. You recognize and evaluate the principal theories and conceptual debates on solidarity in anthropology and development studies.
2.  You situate theoretical contributions concerning solidarity in various scientific traditions.
3.  You draw out the theoretical dilemma's and questions related to a wide variety of solidarity-related issues.
4.  You identify and formulate your own theoretical position in debates on solidarity, both in oral and in written form.
 
Content
Solidarity has many guises: we can study it as a social phenomenon (actually existing forms of solidarity), as part of governmental policies (mutual aid and active citizenship) or as a political or moral appeal (international solidarity, social movements). This course is concerned with the classical and contemporary theorization of solidarity, and the major theoretical quandaries related to shifting solidarities in the present. Students are familiarized with the main definitions and theories of solidarity that have been developed in the field of anthropology and development studies and adjacent disciplines. We explore the major tensions and ambiguities that surround the issue of solidarity in its various guises.

We will examine the following questions:

•    How is solidarity imagined, shaped and enforced in various settings?
•    In what forms may we encounter solidarity?
•    How do these various forms relate to each other? For instance, how do the taken-for-granted solidarities among friends relate to more explicitly political articulations of solidarity in social movements or relief appeals?
•    How is solidarity organized at different scales, from that of the family, to the neighbourhood, nation or world, and in what ways are these various scales of solidarity related?
 
Levels
master

Test information
Examination:
- Take-home exam 70%
- Presentation of case and related assignment 30%

Students are expected to attend all sessions (lectures and seminars) and complete the assignment. When they have fulfilled these requirements they can take the final take home exam. The result for the final exam has to be at least 5,5 in order to complete the course successfully.

Required materials
Blackboard
Literature will be made available via BlackBoard

Instructional modes
Interactive lecture
Attendance MandatoryYes

General
The course consists of 12 meetings in which theories regarding solidarity are explored and presented. After two introductory lectures in which we situate our approach to solidarity and sketch the development of solidarity theory, we offer 5 interactive lectures and 5 seminars (one lecture and one seminar each week), in which we further explore the different theoretical perspectives and dimensions of solidarity.

Presentation
Attendance MandatoryYes

General
You are required to do one group presentation.

Seminar
Attendance MandatoryYes

General
Two students will present a current case to the theoretical literate discussed earlier that week in the interactive lecture. The discussion will be moderated by a student-chair and one student will act as discussant. The presenters also hand in a short assignment related to the case they presented.
The course will be concluded by a take-home exam. You will be required to thoroughly prepare all meetings by reading the literature.

Tests
Take home exam, presentation, assignment
Test weight1
OpportunitiesBlock PER1, Block PER2