Philosophy of Sociology and Archaeology Course

Philosophy. Study the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence.

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behaviour. Given that all human behaviour is social, the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate family to the politics of large groups. In fact, few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and the application of knowledge. Archaeology raises its own unique issues on time, history, and the ontological status of artefacts. It also involves ethical considerations of artifact ownership.

This course introduces the philosophical ideas which underpin the social sciences. We begin with a general introduction, then explore sociology and archaeology in extended detail.

Aims

The aim of the course is to engage you in a learning environment which will both inform and challenge the mind. The class encourages lively discussions on important philosophical issues, such as: How predicable is human behaviour? What can the past tell us about the present and possibly the future? Who ‘owns’ the collective history of humankind? We also aim to inform you about controversial or current areas of research; For example, archaeogenetics uses advanced DNA sequencing to obtain a more accurate picture of our genetic origins.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• understand the key concepts in the philosophy of the social sciences
• read and discuss extracts from various key texts in both sociology and archaeology
• participate in considering questions on the nature of social organisation, as applicable to contemporary society
• relate archaeological ideas not only to the past, but consider what will count as the ‘artefacts’ of our culture for the future.

Content

Concepts and development of social sciences

The course begins with the concepts and ‘objects’ which the social sciences study, for example, whether the basic unit of sociology is the individual or the group. We will also look at some of the thinkers whose ideas contributed to its development. The Enlightenment philosopher Marquis de Condorcet (1743–94) had this to say on the possibility of a social science: “The sole foundation for belief in the natural sciences is this idea, that the general laws dictating the phenomena of the universe are necessary and constant. Why should this principle be any the less true for the development of the intellectual and moral faculties of man.”

Sociology

Sociology offers a range of research techniques that can be applied to virtually any aspect of social life: crime, corporate behaviour, how people express emotions, welfare or education reform, how families differ and flourish, and the social benefits and problems of ‘identity politics.’ The course will present foundational and current research on a number of these issues.

Agency, causality, individual, society

Theories of causation and agency underpin social research, aiming to deduce the causal relationships between the structural phenomena of the group and the aims and desires of individuals. This is a crucial issue in the social sciences, and there are many divergent views on how human causation works and what would constitute necessary or sufficient reasons in an explanation of human behaviour.

The sociology of crime and deviance

From its early stages, sociology was interested in the causes of criminal behaviour. Forensic social criminology is now a substantial and growing area in the social sciences. Some theories start with the so called ‘criminal mind’, while others, such as those proposed by Travis Hirschi, suggest that a weak bond between an individual and society allows the individual to defy societal norms. Rational choice theory states that people commit crimes when it is rational for them to do so according to analyses of costs and benefits.

Sociological debates in identity theory

Humans form a sense of who they are, partly by who and what they identify with. This may be as personal as their love for a particular type of music and as broad as their political affiliations. Over past decades, a growing appreciation for the cultural heritage of minorities has transformed identity theory into identity politics. A new book in this area is Yascha Mounk’s The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time (2023). Mounk proposes that this “obsession with group identity in all its forms, though full of good intentions, will make it harder to achieve progress towards genuine equality”. We will look at both sides of this issue.

Archaeology

We begin with some epistemological issues. As Alison Wylie explains, "What you find, archaeologically, has everything to do with what you look for, with the questions you ask and the conceptual resources you bring to bear in attempting to answer them." The existence and nature of time is also a concern in archaeological ontology. For example, what effect does periodisation have on archaeological theory and practice? Archaeological ethics investigates issues surrounding the use of archaeological sites and materials. Who sanctions, controls, and pays for such use is often disputed.

Intended audience

Anyone with a general interest in philosophy and the course themes.

Prerequisites

None

Delivery mode

 Lecture/discussion

Delivery style

Online via the platform Zoom 

Materials

Course notes will be provided for each session of the course. All course materials are provided electronically, via Dropbox. Printing services are not available.