Course Name Year Term Period Faculty / Graduate School All Instructors Credits
12854:[2025 Fall]IR18‐DE104 Sociology for Global Studies (RB) § 12855:IR-AS104 Introduction to Sociology (RB) § 12856:RUIR-1107 Sociology for Global Studies(RB) 2025 Fall Mon5 College　Of　International　Relations KIM VIKTORIYA 2

Campus

KIC

Class Venue

KOSHINKAN　KS201

Language

English

Course Outline and Method

【+R-Jugyo】
Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on the “Course News” on manaba+R by September 20. Be sure to check the “Course News” on manaba+R.

The objective of the course is to explore, understand and address major global issues and trends of the early 21st century from the social/sociological perspectives. Working with such concepts as globalization, global systems, actors, networks and so forth, this course is designed to introduce students to global studies and how we can approach these from the sociological perspective. This course is developed to help you understand theoretical, methodological, and intellectual underpinnings of global studies, as well as develop your research, writing and presentation skills. Currently, there are a variety of global problems which can be addressed from multiple sociological perspectives. For this reason, I chose several main topics, such as social institutions and order, individual actors and networks, global hierarchies and inequalities, rationalization and consumption. We will approach these topics by discussing case studies and applying various social and sociological perspectives to these.

Student Attainment Objectives

Knowledge. After studying this course, the students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the key issues and challenges of global societies
- Identify key global issues and theoretical sociological perspectives that explain these
- Apply various theoretical sociological perspectives to contemporary social issues and problems and discuss how these theories are relevant
- Develop the ability to identify, compare and interpret actions of individuals, groups, and nation-states and present arguments on the topic
- Acquire an increased awareness of cultural differences and demonstrate the ability to question taken-for-granted issues from a sociological perspective

Skills. After studying this course, the students will be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate various issues that global societies face, interpret and evaluate source material, as well as confidence in engaging with it
- Develop skills to accurately summarize the key topic and present a clear argument
- Develop skills and confidence in oral presentations and in engaging in disputes

Recommended Preparatory Course

Course Schedule

Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) Theme
Keyword, References and Supplementary Information
1

Introduction to the Course

Course objectives, goals, main questions

2

Thinking about social and global - global inequalities

What are global studies? What is the globalization debate?

3

Sociology for global studies 1

What is sociology? What is sociological imagination?

4

Sociology for global studies 2

Sociological levels of analysis and theories for global studies

5

Sociology for global studies 3

Sociological levels of analysis and research methods

6

Social construction of reality

Bases of reality and the construction of knowledge

7

Culture and society

Culture in social sciences and different types of cultures

8

Socialization

Four main agents of socialization and life course

9

The presentation of self and social interaction

Impression management, dramaturgy and importance of face-to-face interactions

10

Networks, groups and organizations

Variety and characteristics of networks and their effect on individuals

11

Conformity, deviance and crime

Ways to encourage conformity, understand deviance and its relation to social power and class

12

Structures of power: social class, gender, race

Social stratification, social background and material success

13

Social institutions: work, family, education

Economic life, intimate relationships and obligations, raising new generations

14

Exam

Review of sociological approaches, answering main questions of sociology for global studies

Class Format

Classes will be held in a face-to-face format. If there are any changes to the format, I will notify you beforehand.

Recommendations for Private Study

- This course requires that students devote four academic hours a week to readings, preparations, and other activities outside of the class;
- The classes will consist of a mix of lectures, practical activities, audio-visual presentations, group discussions, and case studies. For this reason, thorough preparation by reading assigned texts and participating in before-class activities is required. It is highly recommended that students take notes during each class session, noting particular concepts/ideas/information that contributes to their learning about the course subject.

Grade Evaluation Method

Kind Percentage Grading Criteria etc.
Final Examination (Written)

Report Examination
(A report to be submitted by the unified deadline)

Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment　
(Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class)		 100

30% - Class participation and reflections. Students’ participation grade is based on active participation in lectures, discussions, submission of class reflections, and consistent, thorough reading of course material.

40% - Group presentation and post-presentation write-up.
Presentation: In this assignment, a group of students will be allocated a particular global issue/topic. Their goal is to explore a variety of sociological/social theories that can be used to explain and analyze the topic. The emphasis will be on relating these understandings to contemporary issues using examples (e.g., drawn from media sources such as newspaper articles or short videos) and on leading discussion on the works of sociologists.

Individual post-presentation write-up: The post-presentation write-up is 1,000-1,500 word essay, which should include an overview of the presentation, reference to at least 3 additional readings, and a post-presentation self-evaluation of its quality. Include handouts or PPt files, if relevant.

30% - Exam. The final exam will be conducted in the week 15. I will provide you with a list of short essay questions that you will discuss in your exam assignment.

Grade Evaluation Method （Note）

[BCP level 3+] Alternative assessment
15% - online discussion board participation
40% - real-time group presentation and post-presentation write-up
45% - exam

Evaluation criteria:
90-100% Excellent contextualization of question and a clear indication of the scope of the discussion, confident use and application of terminology/keywords; A creative and critical approach to the question, critical use of perspectives, concepts, theories, and their elements, develop logical arguments; Well-defined summary, an appropriate comparison of issues discussed, clear evidence of wide-ranging background reading and additional research, excellent discussion questions, and ability to moderate the discussion.

80-89% Good attempt to contextualize the question, but a rather brief description of the scope of the discussion, confident use and application of terminology/keywords; The approach to the topic is well-informed, showing evidence of critical thinking, generally coherent and well-structured arguments; Good attempt at summarizing key points, a limited analytical discussion of the differences between theoretical approaches, evidence of appropriate reading that goes beyond class texts, good discussion questions, and moderation of the discussion.

70-79% Contextualization of the question and outline of the scope of the discussion, use of terminology and keywords; Competent use of source material to analyze the topic, the overall argument is discernable; Competent attempt to summarize key points, but unclear analytical comparison or discussion, questions are not well-thought, lack of attention to the discussion contents.

60-69% Some attempt at introducing the question and an attempt to define the scope of the discussion, an attempt to use terminology and keywords; Limited grasp of basic issues, lack of attention paid to the sequencing of arguments; A reasonable attempt at summarizing key points, but largely devoid of analytical comparison and discussion, attempts to pose questions and facilitate discussion.

Below 59% No attempt to introduce or define the topic; No attempt at critical discussion and over-reliant on undigested source materials fails to provide a clear line of argument; Summary of key points, no analytical comparison or discussion.

Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods

Make sure to prepare for each class by doing all required readings and assignments. In this way, you will manage your time well without feeling overwhelmed during busy periods and will be able to deepen your knowledge and understanding of the course subject.

Textbooks

Title Author Publisher ISBN Code Comment
Introduction to Sociology. 12th Edition Giddens, Anthony, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Appelbaum, and Deborah Carr New York: Seagull 9780393428216
Sociology. 9th Edition Giddens, Anthony and Philip W. Sutton Cambridge: Polity Press 9781509539239
International Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Global Issues. 4th Edition Anderson, Sheldon, Mark Allen Peterson and Stanley W. Toops Westview Press 9780813350493
Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life. 12th Edition Newman, David M. Thousand Oaks: Sage 9781506388205
Through the Global Lens: An Introduction to the Social Sciences. 3rd Edition Strada, Michael J. New York: Routledge 9780136030409

Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）

We will use chapters from the abovementioned textbook in our classes. I will provide with all the necessary materials throughout the course.

Reference Books

Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）

You will be provided with additional readings, like articles, book chapters and etc. throughout the course. All Required Course Readings will be available as PDF full-text files.

Web Pages for Reference

How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)

Interactive Sheet,Learning Management System （manaba+R）

Other Comments

Students can reach me at vkim[at]fc.ritsumei.ac.jp
I usually respond within 72 hours, except on weekends and holidays.
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