Life Course Studies
Študije življenjskega poteka
Course credits:
6.00 ECTS / 60 (30 hours of lectures, 0 hours of exercises, 30 hours of seminars, 0 hours other forms of work)
Course holder:
doc. dr. Andreja Živoder
Type:
Required
Language:
English
Semester:
First semester
Study degree
1. level
Course execution:
- Undergraduate Programme of Sociology
Prerequisits:
There are no special prerequisites for participation
Objectives and competences
The aim: The aim of the course is for students to learn in systematic way about main theoretical perspectives and topics of life course studies, transitions and various life periods. The aim of the course is also to inform the students about the ways in which various social, historical, cultural, political factors form and influence subjective structures, identities and experiences of people in creating individual life courses.
Competences: Students gain ability for critical approach and theoretical reflection of individual phenomena in life courses in relation to social phenomena and their embeddedness in various institutional, political, social, economic explanatory frameworks. Students learn basic theoretical, conceptual and empirical knowledge from the field of life courses; they are able to analyse key phenomena and social relations connected to life courses; they develop skills for independent research and analytic work, including with searching for and use of relevant data.
Content (Syllabus outline)
Students learn about theoretical conceptualization of life course approach as well as methodologies and techniques of researching life course and transitions in social sciences. The life course approach provides us with a holistic, interdisciplinary framework for exploring human lives from birth to death, crossing the boundaries of different disciplines, academic fields and cultural contexts, focusing on exploring the ways in which chronological age, life transitions, attitudes and social change shape our lives from birth to death. The course builds on theoretical and empirical findings about the characteristics and changes in life courses and transitions in modern Western societies (e.g. individualization, demographic changes, changes in family life, education, labour and employment sphere etc.), which significantly change modern life course from its linear form with known transitions to plural life course, which becomes unpredictable and nonlinear. The course includes the following themes and concepts of life course: interplay of human lives and historical time (cultural background), timing of lives (strategical adaptation), linked or interdependent lives (social integration), and human agency in making choices (individual agency), key life events, transitions and periods (childhood, youth, adulthood, late adulthood or old age).
Intended learning outcomes:
Students learn about and understand main theoretical perspectives and topics from the field of life course studies and basic methodology of life course research. They gain information about how social, historical, cultural, political factors influence subjective structures, identities and experiences of individuals in everyday life. They gain ability of critical and reflexive analysis of individual phenomena in life courses and the related social phenomena and their embeddedness in various institutional, political, social, economic explanatory frameworks.
Learning and teaching methods:
Lectures, seminars, work in small groups, individual work of students; explanation, discussion/debate, analysis of texts, case study, assignments,public speaking, guest lectures.
Assessment
30 % Seminar paper, project or research work, essay or case study grade.
70 % Exam
Obligatory literature
All obligatory literature in catalog ODKJG »
Additional literature
All additional literature in catalog ODKJG »
Hot to aquire credits:
For full study
- Lectures, seminars and individual consultations
Research paper, resarch project, seminar paper or assignments
Written exam, oral exam, written/oral exam or 2 midterm exams