Culture is one of the most complicated terms in the human vocabulary. It refers to particular cultural products and formats, such as arts, music, and literature, as well as the meanings, symbols, ideas, and habits that make us who we are. To familiarize students with the field, this course will explore major sociological approaches to culture (sociology of culture vs. cultural sociology) and introduce representative themes, theories, and methodological debates regarding culture. Students will also have opportunities to connect the cultural theories to their own life experiences, studying the significance of culture in political, economic, and social settings more generally.

CILO-1: Explain various definitions of the concept “culture”. CILO-2: Summarize main sociological theories of culture. CILO-3: Describe sociological methods and approaches in studying cultural phenomena. CILO-4: Analyze how culture is shaped or changing in political, economic, and social settings by case studies. CILO-5: Reflect own life experiences from a cultural perspective.