Sociology of Culture (YE)

The course is offered in the 4th semester of studies and provides an overview of sociological approaches to culture. Sociology has systematically dealt with culture, examining both different artistic and cultural activities and, more generally, shared ways of life and meanings. The course presents the basic theories and concepts developed by sociologists for understanding culture. It also presents selected examples of Greek and international empirical research. Finally, the course examines, in particular, historical and contemporary cultural phenomena that sociologists attempt to understand through their theoretical and empirical approaches.
The first lectures of the course examine the theories and concepts of the sociological study of culture: civilization and culture, the distinction between high and popular art, cultural industries and mass culture, theories of art «fields» and «worlds», postmodern. One lecture examines the evolution of the study of culture by the social sciences in Greece. The remaining lectures focus on specific yet fundamental aspects of culture: culture and the city, the relationship of culture with economy and development, globalization and culture, and the relationship of culture with the state.
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:

• They understand the basic sociological approaches to civilization and culture.
• They correlate the basic sociological approaches of civilization and culture with the historical periods in which they developed.
• They know the basic methods and techniques for the empirical investigation of cultural phenomena.
• They distinguish the characteristics and significance of cultural phenomena.
• They correlate cultural phenomena with social structures.
• They monitor current developments in the literature and articles of the sociology of culture.

At the competence level, the student will be able to:

• It uses basic concepts and methodological tools for the study of contemporary civilization and culture.
  • To design the empirical study of cultural phenomena.
  • It critically examines established methods of classifying and evaluating cultural products.
  • Recognizes the relationship of culture with the urban space, economy, and politics.

General Capabilities

• Critical approach to culture
• Respect for cultural diversity
• Search, analysis and synthesis of data and information
• Promotion of free, creative, and inductive thinking
• Design and implementation of empirical research

Suggested Bibliography

• Baker, C. & Emma, J., 2021. Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. Tziola, Athens.
• Bourdieu, P., 2002, *Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste*. Trans. K. Kapsambeli, Patakis, Athens.
• Bourdieu P., 2006, The Rules of Art: Genesis and Structure of the Literary Field, Patakis, Athens.
• Cuche, D., 2001, The Concept of Culture in the Social Sciences, Typotheto/Dardanos, Athens.
• Elias, N., 1997, The Process of Civilization, Alexandria, Athens.
• Harvey, D., 2007, The Condition of Postmodernity: An Inquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change, Metaixmio, Athens.
• Hobsbawm E., 2013. Fractured Times: Culture and Society in the Twentieth Century. Themelio, Athens.
• Jameson, F., 1999, Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, Kritiki, Athens.
• H. van Maanen, 2009, *How to Study Art Worlds: On the Societal Functioning of Aesthetic Values*, Amsterdam University Press.
• Sassatelli, R., 2016, Consumer Culture: History, Theory, and Politics, Nisides, Athens.
• Smith P., 2014, Cultural Theory: An Introduction, Kritiki, Athens.
• Stevenson D., 2007, Cities and Urban Cultures, Kritiki, Athens.
• Storey J., 2015, Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, Plethron, Athens.
• Avdikos V. (ed.), 2016, Texts on the Creative Economy: Markets, Labor, Policies, Epikentro, Athens.
• Avdikos V., 2014, The Cultural and Creative Industries in Greece, Epikentro, Athens.
• Demertzis N., Souliotis N., Markatas G., 2017, Cultural analysis and sociology of culture in Greece, 1980-2014: Literature review and outline of a sociological interpretation, The Greek Review of Social Research, 147, pp. 143-170.
• Emmanouil D. (ed.), 2016, Social Classes and Consumption. Economic classes, status strata and patterns of cultural and material consumption in Athens, Alexandria, Athens.
• Emmanouil D., Kaftantzoglou R., Souliotis N., 2016, special issue Social classes and cultural consumption, The Greek Review of Social Research, 146.
• Kontochristou M. (ed.), 2017, International Affairs and Culture, Sideris, Athens.
• Skarpelos G., 2019, The Uncertain Points, Topos, Athens.
• Souliotis N., 2008, Collecting activity and creation of cultural institutions in Athens. Basic hypotheses and a case study, The Greek Review of Social Research, C, 127, pp. 103-140

Related Scientific Journals

• Cultural Sociology
• American Journal of Cultural Sociology
• Cultural Sociology Journal
• European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology
• The Review of Social Research
• Social Sciences
• Sociological Review