Required in stage
Optional in stage
First term
Second term
Both terms
Not organised
This year
Next year
Alternating years
External
Prerequisites
Taught by
Language of instruction
Duration
Identical coursesAims
Upon following this course, students are able to:
- Elucidate the constitutive role of theories and concepts in social-scientific research;
- Explain why research only becomes sociological if answering its research question has implications for the empirical tenability of a sociological theory;
- Develop sociological theories to explain social phenomena;
- Make such theories researchable by means of quantitative theory-testing research;
- Make such theories researchable by means of qualitative theory-elaborating research.
These aims are communicated to the students at the beginning of the course.
Previous knowledge
Students have a minimal acquaintance with the most important sociological-theoretical approaches and the basics of social-scientific methodology. This is why it is recommended to have followed the courses Sociologie (S0A20A or S0A20B) and Methodologie van de sociale wetenschappen (S0A18A), or similar courses.
Is included in these courses of study
Activities
6 ects. Sociological Theory in Action (B-KUL-S0H71b)
Content
After situating the role of sociological theory in sociological research practice, the course focuses on two principal types of sociological research: quantitative theory-testing research and qualitative theory-elaborating research. The course starts with a handful of lectures. Informed by a limited number of texts these address the role of sociological theory in sociological research practice, as well as the differences in this between quantitative theory-testing research and qualitative theory-elaborating research.
At the end of the course the students submit a paper in which they theorize about a social phenomenon and make it researchable through one of these two types of sociological research. To prepare them for this, the second half of the course consists of discussion classes, during which students discuss (short drafts of) more or less successful paper examples.
Course material
Before the start of the course a limited number of texts is made available in pdf-format on the Toledo learning platform. These texts address the role of theory in sociological research practice on the one hand and provide examples and demonstrations of the two principal types of sociological research on the other. Also, for the discussion classes, a number of (short drafts of) more or less successful paper examples is made available.
Format: more information
Discussion
The course combines lectures and discussion sessions, with the latter anticipating the exam papers.
This course is taught in block teaching. More specifically, all contact moments are scheduled in the second half of the first semester, with two moments a week.
Evaluation
Evaluation: Sociological Theory in Action (B-KUL-S2H71b)
Explanation
Evaluation characteristics
Students submit their paper through Toledo before the start of the examination period. Detailed guidelines are made available on Toledo before the first lecture.
Final result
The final grade is assigned on the basis of the quality of the paper. The paper is evaluated by the lecturer, expressed as a mark out of 20 (rounded to a whole number).
The rules on plagiarism evidently apply to the paper. Students are fully responsible for submitting papers free of fraud and plagiarism (www.kuleuven.be/english/education/plagiarism/) and are requested to observe the Faculty’s relevant regulations. Plagiarism will be sanctioned with the sanctions mentioned in the University’s Regulations on Education and Examinations (http://www.kuleuven.be/education/regulations/).
The use of generative artificial intelligence is allowed, but only in accordance with the guidelines of KU Leuven.
Students are required to attend all seminars. Failing to meet this requirement leads to exclusion from the right to feedback in the event of a paper with a failing grade.
Retaking exams
The evaluation characteristics and determination of the final result for the second examination opportunity are identical to the first opportunity as explained above.