We see and hear about globalization all the time: in the media, in statements by politicians, and buzzing around our social networks. We have a broad sense that politics, cultures, people, and organizations are all connected around the world. Yet, most people are hard-pressed to define what, precisely, globalization means. This course provides students with the basis for making sense of globalization and transnational connections in the contemporary world. It will go beyond popular, political and media rhetoric about globalization, and build a basis for students to gain a critical understanding of transnational connectivity. We will understand how events and forces outside national borders inform local trends, by examining global aspects of politics, policies, economics, environment, migration, history, popular culture, and religion. To do this, the course will unpack the three major social theoretic perspectives on making sense of globalization in these areas of modern life, with a spotlight on the emerging, cutting-edge, World Society Theory. We will also focus on the global-local interface: on how the local becomes global and how the global in turn, shapes what we think about as entirely local. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe how globalization impacts their own life, and to apply social theories of globalization to an empirical case of their interest.

In order to be able to participate in the course, students are required to complete either
(a) the lectures (5 ECTS), or (b) the lectures plus seminars (10 ECTS). It is not possible to attend only the seminars.

Students of the Master's Degree Programme on Global and Transnational Sociology are required to complete full course (10 ECTS).

Please note that you must enroll separately for the lectures and the seminar.

Students will be accepted to the course in the following order:

1. degree students of the MDP Global and Transnational Sociology

2. degree students of the other Global Society programmes (MDP in in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research, MDP in Public Choice, MDP in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, MDP in Gender Studies)

3. other degree students of UTA

4. exchange students

We see and hear about globalization all the time: in the media, in statements by politicians, and buzzing around our social networks. We have a broad sense that politics, cultures, people, and organizations are all connected around the world. Yet, most people are hard-pressed to define what, precisely, globalization means. This course provides students with the basis for making sense of globalization and transnational connections in the contemporary world. It will go beyond popular, political and media rhetoric about globalization, and build a basis for students to gain a critical understanding of transnational connectivity. We will understand how events and forces outside national borders inform local trends, by examining global aspects of politics, policies, economics, environment, migration, history, popular culture, and religion. To do this, the course will unpack the three major social theoretic perspectives on making sense of globalization in these areas of modern life, with a spotlight on the emerging, cutting-edge, World Society Theory. We will also focus on the global-local interface: on how the local becomes global and how the global in turn, shapes what we think about as entirely local. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe how globalization impacts their own life, and to apply social theories of globalization to an empirical case of their interest.

In order to be able to participate in the seminar, students are required to complete the lecture part of this course. It is not possible to attend only the seminars.

Students of the Master's Degree Programme on Global and Transnational Sociology are required to complete full course (10 ECTS).

Please note that you must enroll separately for the lectures and the seminar.

Students will be accepted to the course in the following order:

1. degree students of the MDP Global and Transnational Sociology

2. degree students of the other Global Society programmes (MDP in in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research, MDP in Public Choice, MDP in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, MDP in Gender Studies)

3. other degree students of UTA

4. exchange students

The course is an introduction to scholarship that discusses how gender and sexuality have shaped global politics in the past, and how the category gender is an integral element of contemporary global debates today. The course offers the student a robust understanding of the scholarship that views debates about contemporary phenomena such as migration, development aid and homonationalism through gender. The student learns how gender intersects with other categories of analysis such as race, class and nation. Theoretical debates are introduced through empirical case studies addressing various world regions such as Europe, the Middle East and the African continent.

Thursdays 12-16, not on week 37. 

Seminar Sessions:

6.9.2018 Introduction & Colonial Legacies I

20.9.2018 Colonial legacies II 

27. 9.2018 The Power of Representations and Revolutions: The Middle East

4.10.2018 Gender, Development and “Africa”

11.10.2018 Gender, Race and Global Migration 

18.10.2018 Headscarves and homonationalism:  Migration discourses in Europe

The course is an introduction to scholarship that discusses how gender and sexuality have shaped global politics in the past, and how the category gender is an integral element of contemporary global debates today. The course offers the student a robust understanding of the scholarship that views debates about contemporary phenomena such as migration, development aid and homonationalism through gender. The student learns how gender intersects with other categories of analysis such as race, class and nation. Theoretical debates are introduced through empirical case studies addressing various world regions such as Europe, the Middle East and the African continent.

Thursdays 12-16, not on week 37. 

Seminar Sessions:

6.9.2018 Introduction & Colonial Legacies I

20.9.2018 Colonial legacies II 

27. 9.2018 The Power of Representations and Revolutions: The Middle East

4.10.2018 Gender, Development and “Africa”

11.10.2018 Gender, Race and Global Migration 

18.10.2018 Headscarves and homonationalism:  Migration discourses in Europe

This course introduces a bottom-up approach to innovation, socio-economic development and inclusiveness from the perspective of the innovation system theory and through the exploration of existing and emerging inclusive practices in local innovation contexts.

The first part of this course is devoted to the investigation of the key theories and concepts of territorial innovation models. These discussions offer students an in-depth understanding of spatial aspect of regional development and the debate revolving around the importance of physical and relational proximities for the innovation, learning and economic development.

The second part of the course links regional and spatial approach to current discussion concerning, for example, frugal innovations, openness and inclusiveness as a part of the knowledge-based economic development. Through literature, discussions and workshops, students will explore how inclusiveness redefines the requirements for the institutions fostering the interaction and learning in the region.

COURSE INFORMATION AND STRUCTURE

The course includes lectures, tutorials and workshops. In the frame of the lectures, students are introduced to the key theoretical concepts and approaches relevant to the understanding of territorial innovation models. During tutorials, students participate in discussions, explain their point of view, compare cases and synthesize different ideas. This contributes to enhanced understanding of the course material and develop presentation and communication skills. Workshops are aimed at development of students’ practical skills in the field of regional innovation research and analysis.

Lecture. Innovation as a context-dependent phenomenon (2 h)

Lecture. Systems of innovation: regional and spatial perspectives (2 h + 2 h)

Tutorial. Clusters and ecosystems (2 h)

Tutorial. Sectors and regimes of innovation (2 h)

Lecture. Wider societal challenges and Sustainable Development Goals (2 h)

Tutorial. Expanding range of heterogeneous innovators and stakeholders. Stakeholder analysis. (2 h + 2 h)

Workshop. Participation practices and mechanisms of user engagement in innovation activity on local and regional level (living labs, fab labs, etc.) (2 h)

Lecture. New perspectives on innovation processes (2 h)

The course is suitable for any UTA student that wishes to understand the specific context of innovation both in developing and developed countries. The course is designed for those who are currently or plan to work in academia or policy-making fields as an expert in innovation policy analysis and design. The course will also be useful for those who plan to work in innovative business as practitioners as knowledge obtained from this course can be used for finding new niches and innovative solutions of high social impact and responsibility.

We will have three meetings. As this is an intensive course based on independent study, participation in class in all meetings is required. Texts will be made available in Moodle. 

Wed 19th Sep 4pm A preliminary meeting: divide the tasks.  

Fri Nov 9th 10am - 2pm. Carl Schmitt: The Concept of the Political. The participants give 5 min presentation on the alloted pages. Each participant reads the whole book and prepares a summary of the book with own comments.  

Tue Dec 4th 10 am - 4 pm Hannah Arendt: The Human Condition. The participants give 5 min presentation on the alloted pages. Each participant reads the whole book and prepares a summary of the book with own comments.

It is widely agreed that social criticism requires knowledge, preferrably from many disciplines of social research. Social ontology studies the most general questions of the nature of social reality. Different scientific approaches make different ontological commitments, and participation in everyday life may make some other ontological commitments appropriate. At least since Habermas (1968), the critical knowledge interest has been distinguished as possibly requiring its own kind of theory (cf. also Horkheimer's distinction between traditional and critical theory). These plural approaches raise the philosophical question of uniting the perspectives, but this lecture series focuses on the critical perspective, asking what kind of social ontology does critical theory require.

We see and hear about globalization all the time: in the media, in statements by politicians, and buzzing around our social networks. We have a broad sense that politics, cultures, people, and organizations are all connected around the world. Yet, most people are hard-pressed to define what, precisely, globalization means. This course provides students with the basis for making sense of globalization and transnational connections in the contemporary world. It will go beyond popular, political and media rhetoric about globalization, and build a basis for students to gain a critical understanding of transnational connectivity. We will understand how events and forces outside national borders inform local trends, by examining global aspects of politics, policies, economics, environment, migration, history, popular culture, and religion. To do this, the course will unpack the three major social theoretic perspectives on making sense of globalization in these areas of modern life, with a spotlight on the emerging, cutting-edge, World Society Theory. We will also focus on the global-local interface: on how the local becomes global and how the global in turn, shapes what we think about as entirely local. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe how globalization impacts their own life, and to apply social theories of globalization to an empirical case of their interest.

In order to be able to participate in the course, students are required to complete either
(a) the lectures (5 ECTS), or (b) the lectures plus seminars (10 ECTS). It is not possible to attend only the seminars.

Students of the Master's Degree Programme on Global and Transnational Sociology are required to complete full course (10 ECTS).

Please note that you must enroll separately for the lectures and the seminar.

Students will be accepted to the course in the following order:

1. degree students of the MDP Global and Transnational Sociology

2. degree students of the other Global Society programmes (MDP in in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research, MDP in Public Choice, MDP in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, MDP in Gender Studies)

3. other degree students of UTA

4. exchange students

We see and hear about globalization all the time: in the media, in statements by politicians, and buzzing around our social networks. We have a broad sense that politics, cultures, people, and organizations are all connected around the world. Yet, most people are hard-pressed to define what, precisely, globalization means. This course provides students with the basis for making sense of globalization and transnational connections in the contemporary world. It will go beyond popular, political and media rhetoric about globalization, and build a basis for students to gain a critical understanding of transnational connectivity. We will understand how events and forces outside national borders inform local trends, by examining global aspects of politics, policies, economics, environment, migration, history, popular culture, and religion. To do this, the course will unpack the three major social theoretic perspectives on making sense of globalization in these areas of modern life, with a spotlight on the emerging, cutting-edge, World Society Theory. We will also focus on the global-local interface: on how the local becomes global and how the global in turn, shapes what we think about as entirely local. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe how globalization impacts their own life, and to apply social theories of globalization to an empirical case of their interest.

In order to be able to participate in the seminar, students are required to complete the lecture part of this course. It is not possible to attend only the seminars.

Students of the Master's Degree Programme on Global and Transnational Sociology are required to complete full course (10 ECTS).

Please note that you must enroll separately for the lectures and the seminar.

Students will be accepted to the course in the following order:

1. degree students of the MDP Global and Transnational Sociology

2. degree students of the other Global Society programmes (MDP in in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research, MDP in Public Choice, MDP in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, MDP in Gender Studies)

3. other degree students of UTA

4. exchange students

The course departs from the idea that the media is one of the central actors through which national actors become aware of far-away events and through which these events become integrated with domestic policy discourses. However, this process is a complex one. On one hand, the journalists are central players in it as they decide what is topical or newsworthy for domestic audiences. They also frame the events so that they make good sense to domestic addressees. On the other hand, in domestic contexts there are many other actors that aim to influence the public understanding of the reported events. These actors bring far-way events into their political argumentation in their attempts to advance their own political interests and desires. Interpretations that appear widely convincing are typically taken up and reported by the media.
Starting from these premises, the course suggests, the media serve not merely as an arena through which far-away events are introduced to local audiences. If anything, the media can be seen as a political arena in which different accounts of the reported events meet thus constructing public understanding of these events. Sooner or later, these understandings convert into domestic policy decisions and practices.
The course approaches the above phenomenon especially from the perspective of the traditional news media institution, i.e. of how the national media serve as a forum through which foreign news events are incorporated into domestic policy discourses. Additionally, the course discusses the role of social media in processes in which far-way news events are brought into local political argumentation, thus affecting domestic policies.

In order to be able to participate in the seminar, students are required to complete the lecture part of this course. It is not possible to attend only the seminars.

Students of the Master's Degree Programme on Global and Transnational Sociology are required to complete full course (10 ECTS).

Please note that you must enroll separately for the lectures and the seminar.

Maximum of 12 students are accepted to the seminar in the following order:

1. degree students of the MDP Global and Transnational Sociology

2. degree students of the other Global Society programmes (MDP in in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research, MDP in Public Choice, MDP in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, MDP in Gender Studies)

3. other degree students of UTA

4. exchange students

The course departs from the idea that the media is one of the central actors through which national actors become aware of far-away events and through which these events become integrated with domestic policy discourses. However, this process is a complex one. On one hand, the journalists are central players in it as they decide what is topical or newsworthy for domestic audiences. They also frame the events so that they make good sense to domestic addressees. On the other hand, in domestic contexts there are many other actors that aim to influence the public understanding of the reported events. These actors bring far-way events into their political argumentation in their attempts to advance their own political interests and desires. Interpretations that appear widely convincing are typically taken up and reported by the media.
Starting from these premises, the course suggests, the media serve not merely as an arena through which far-away events are introduced to local audiences. If anything, the media can be seen as a political arena in which different accounts of the reported events meet thus constructing public understanding of these events. Sooner or later, these understandings convert into domestic policy decisions and practices.
The course approaches the above phenomenon especially from the perspective of the traditional news media institution, i.e. of how the national media serve as a forum through which foreign news events are incorporated into domestic policy discourses. Additionally, the course discusses the role of social media in processes in which far-way news events are brought into local political argumentation, thus affecting domestic policies.

14.1. Course Overview/Introductory Lecture: World as mediated: historical developments and effects on societies (Marjaana Rautalin, TaSTI)

15.1. Journalism cultures and globalization (Heikki Heikkilä, COMS)

29.1. News framing and domestication of the foreign (Marjaana Rautalin, TaSTI)

5.2. Foreign news reporting – professional’s perspective (Tom Kankkonen, YLE)

12.2. Sociatization, interaction and media (Hanna Rautajoki, TaSTI)

19.2. Mediatization of politics (Esa Reunanen, COMS)

 26.2. No lecture – Winter break!

5.3. Climate change communication: between globalization and domestication of science (Dmitry Yagodin, Aleksanteri Institute)

12.3. Social media and public understanding of (global) news events (Marjaana Rautalin, TaSTI)

19.3. Closing lecture: Media in synchronization of national policies (Marjaana Rautalin, TaSTI)

9.4. Essay deadline (based on the lectures)

In order to be able to participate in the course, students are required to complete either
(a) the lectures (5 ECTS), or (b) the lectures plus seminars (10 ECTS). It is not possible to attend only the seminars.

Students of the Master's Degree Programme on Global and Transnational Sociology are required to complete full course (10 ECTS).

Please note that you must enroll separately for the lectures and the seminar.

Max. 40 students. Students will be accepted to the course in the following order:

1. degree students of the MDP Global and Transnational Sociology

2. degree students of the other Global Society programmes (MDP in in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research, MDP in Public Choice, MDP in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, MDP in Gender Studies)

3. other degree students of UTA

4. exchange students

Gender-based violence and violence against women (VAW) are among the central and persistent challenges to human rights globally, and ones that need to be tackled collectively and in a consistent manner. This is a need clearly enunciated in the UN’s Sustainable Development goals (SDG’s) where violence against women and girls is explicitly addressed. During the course, we examine the key concepts and forms of gender related violence and their relations with tradition and culture, and with the contemporary crisis in the environmental and geo-political landscapes (such as forced migration, climate change, as well as political conflicts and war). The course participants will engage in mapping global landscapes of vulnerability that are constituted both by continuities and disruptions, and in critically contemplating gender-related violence in connection. The course familiarizes students with gender-related violence as it is addressed in central human rights and sustainability policies, and engages students in critically and analytically rethinking their own understandings and possibilities for action against gender-related violence through interdisciplinary gender and feminist research.

Application period: 3.9.2018 - 5.10.2018. For further information and enrolment, please see:

The course is organized by the Gender Studies in the University of Oulu and offered as part of the virtual courses in the UNIPID university partnership.

The course is offered by HILMA Network for Gender Studies.

If you are selected to the course, please contact the course contact person in Tampere University (Hanna-Mari Ikonen, hanna-mari.ikonen@uta.fi) for agreeing on the registration of the course.

This course introduces a bottom-up approach to innovation, socio-economic development and inclusiveness from the perspective of the innovation system theory and through the exploration of existing and emerging inclusive practices in local innovation contexts.

The first part of this course is devoted to the investigation of the key theories and concepts of territorial innovation models. These discussions offer students an in-depth understanding of spatial aspect of regional development and the debate revolving around the importance of physical and relational proximities for the innovation, learning and economic development.

The second part of the course links regional and spatial approach to current discussion concerning, for example, frugal innovations, openness and inclusiveness as a part of the knowledge-based economic development. Through literature, discussions and workshops, students will explore how inclusiveness redefines the requirements for the institutions fostering the interaction and learning in the region.

COURSE INFORMATION AND STRUCTURE

The course includes lectures, tutorials and workshops. In the frame of the lectures, students are introduced to the key theoretical concepts and approaches relevant to the understanding of territorial innovation models. During tutorials, students participate in discussions, explain their point of view, compare cases and synthesize different ideas. This contributes to enhanced understanding of the course material and develop presentation and communication skills. Workshops are aimed at development of students’ practical skills in the field of regional innovation research and analysis.

Lecture. Innovation as a context-dependent phenomenon (2 h)

Lecture. Systems of innovation: regional and spatial perspectives (2 h + 2 h)

Tutorial. Clusters and ecosystems (2 h)

Tutorial. Sectors and regimes of innovation (2 h)

Lecture. Wider societal challenges and Sustainable Development Goals (2 h)

Tutorial. Expanding range of heterogeneous innovators and stakeholders. Stakeholder analysis. (2 h + 2 h)

Workshop. Participation practices and mechanisms of user engagement in innovation activity on local and regional level (living labs, fab labs, etc.) (2 h)

Lecture. New perspectives on innovation processes (2 h)

The course is suitable for any UTA student that wishes to understand the specific context of innovation both in developing and developed countries. The course is designed for those who are currently or plan to work in academia or policy-making fields as an expert in innovation policy analysis and design. The course will also be useful for those who plan to work in innovative business as practitioners as knowledge obtained from this course can be used for finding new niches and innovative solutions of high social impact and responsibility.

We will have three meetings. As this is an intensive course based on independent study, participation in class in all meetings is required. Texts will be made available in Moodle. 

Wed 19th Sep 4pm A preliminary meeting: divide the tasks.  

Fri Nov 9th 10am - 2pm. Carl Schmitt: The Concept of the Political. The participants give 5 min presentation on the alloted pages. Each participant reads the whole book and prepares a summary of the book with own comments.  

Tue Dec 4th 10 am - 4 pm Hannah Arendt: The Human Condition. The participants give 5 min presentation on the alloted pages. Each participant reads the whole book and prepares a summary of the book with own comments.

It is widely agreed that social criticism requires knowledge, preferrably from many disciplines of social research. Social ontology studies the most general questions of the nature of social reality. Different scientific approaches make different ontological commitments, and participation in everyday life may make some other ontological commitments appropriate. At least since Habermas (1968), the critical knowledge interest has been distinguished as possibly requiring its own kind of theory (cf. also Horkheimer's distinction between traditional and critical theory). These plural approaches raise the philosophical question of uniting the perspectives, but this lecture series focuses on the critical perspective, asking what kind of social ontology does critical theory require.

The course deepens the students' understanding of the functioning of world society and the role of epistemic governance in it. In addition to showing how world culture is seen in the global spread of world models, the course approaches the circulation of global ideas from the perspective of national actors, especially policymakers. In the national political fields, actors justify new policies by international comparisons and by the successes and failures of models adopted in other countries. Consequently, national policies are synchronized with each other. Yet, because of the way such domestication of global trends takes place, citizens retain and reproduce the understanding that they follow a sovereign national trajectory. The lectures introduce the key ideas of the neoinstitutional global sociology coupled with perspectives from studies on epistemic governance.

Max 15 students. Students will be accepted to the course in the following order:

1. degree students of the MDP Global and Transnational Sociology

2. degree students of the other Global Society programmes (MDP in in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research, MDP in Public Choice, MDP in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, MDP in Gender Studies)

3. other degree students of UTA

4. exchange students

The course departs from the idea that the media is one of the central actors through which national actors become aware of far-away events and through which these events become integrated with domestic policy discourses. However, this process is a complex one. On one hand, the journalists are central players in it as they decide what is topical or newsworthy for domestic audiences. They also frame the events so that they make good sense to domestic addressees. On the other hand, in domestic contexts there are many other actors that aim to influence the public understanding of the reported events. These actors bring far-way events into their political argumentation in their attempts to advance their own political interests and desires. Interpretations that appear widely convincing are typically taken up and reported by the media.
Starting from these premises, the course suggests, the media serve not merely as an arena through which far-away events are introduced to local audiences. If anything, the media can be seen as a political arena in which different accounts of the reported events meet thus constructing public understanding of these events. Sooner or later, these understandings convert into domestic policy decisions and practices.
The course approaches the above phenomenon especially from the perspective of the traditional news media institution, i.e. of how the national media serve as a forum through which foreign news events are incorporated into domestic policy discourses. Additionally, the course discusses the role of social media in processes in which far-way news events are brought into local political argumentation, thus affecting domestic policies.

In order to be able to participate in the seminar, students are required to complete the lecture part of this course. It is not possible to attend only the seminars.

Students of the Master's Degree Programme on Global and Transnational Sociology are required to complete full course (10 ECTS).

Please note that you must enroll separately for the lectures and the seminar.

Maximum of 12 students are accepted to the seminar in the following order:

1. degree students of the MDP Global and Transnational Sociology

2. degree students of the other Global Society programmes (MDP in in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research, MDP in Public Choice, MDP in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, MDP in Gender Studies)

3. other degree students of UTA

4. exchange students

The course departs from the idea that the media is one of the central actors through which national actors become aware of far-away events and through which these events become integrated with domestic policy discourses. However, this process is a complex one. On one hand, the journalists are central players in it as they decide what is topical or newsworthy for domestic audiences. They also frame the events so that they make good sense to domestic addressees. On the other hand, in domestic contexts there are many other actors that aim to influence the public understanding of the reported events. These actors bring far-way events into their political argumentation in their attempts to advance their own political interests and desires. Interpretations that appear widely convincing are typically taken up and reported by the media.
Starting from these premises, the course suggests, the media serve not merely as an arena through which far-away events are introduced to local audiences. If anything, the media can be seen as a political arena in which different accounts of the reported events meet thus constructing public understanding of these events. Sooner or later, these understandings convert into domestic policy decisions and practices.
The course approaches the above phenomenon especially from the perspective of the traditional news media institution, i.e. of how the national media serve as a forum through which foreign news events are incorporated into domestic policy discourses. Additionally, the course discusses the role of social media in processes in which far-way news events are brought into local political argumentation, thus affecting domestic policies.

14.1. Course Overview/Introductory Lecture: World as mediated: historical developments and effects on societies (Marjaana Rautalin, TaSTI)

15.1. Journalism cultures and globalization (Heikki Heikkilä, COMS)

29.1. News framing and domestication of the foreign (Marjaana Rautalin, TaSTI)

5.2. Foreign news reporting – professional’s perspective (Tom Kankkonen, YLE)

12.2. Sociatization, interaction and media (Hanna Rautajoki, TaSTI)

19.2. Mediatization of politics (Esa Reunanen, COMS)

 26.2. No lecture – Winter break!

5.3. Climate change communication: between globalization and domestication of science (Dmitry Yagodin, Aleksanteri Institute)

12.3. Social media and public understanding of (global) news events (Marjaana Rautalin, TaSTI)

19.3. Closing lecture: Media in synchronization of national policies (Marjaana Rautalin, TaSTI)

9.4. Essay deadline (based on the lectures)

In order to be able to participate in the course, students are required to complete either
(a) the lectures (5 ECTS), or (b) the lectures plus seminars (10 ECTS). It is not possible to attend only the seminars.

Students of the Master's Degree Programme on Global and Transnational Sociology are required to complete full course (10 ECTS).

Please note that you must enroll separately for the lectures and the seminar.

Max. 40 students. Students will be accepted to the course in the following order:

1. degree students of the MDP Global and Transnational Sociology

2. degree students of the other Global Society programmes (MDP in in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research, MDP in Public Choice, MDP in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, MDP in Gender Studies)

3. other degree students of UTA

4. exchange students

The course builds on lectures and readings on the dimensions of urban marginalization, and ethnographic fieldwork carried out by the students. The fieldwork will be located in a neighbourhood of Tampere.

The course requirements include reading assignments as well as ca. 300 word reflections on the reading each time; conducting the assigned fieldwork as well as ca. 600 edited field notes each time; and a presentation at the final conference, composed on the basis of the previously mentioned writing tasks. Presence in all course sessions is necessary.

Programme (venue TBA)

Jan 11 Introduction: Social Dimensions of Urban Marginalization: Lotta Junnilainen           

Jan 18 Visit to the fieldsite + Introduction to Tampere City Marginalization Indicators: Lotta Junnilainen, Liisa Häikiö, Eeva Luhtakallio, Jenni Mäki (City of Tampere)

Jan 25 Urban ethnography in practice + Planning the fieldwork: Lotta Junnilainen

Feb 1 Political Dimensions of Urban Marginalization (Reading workshop and lecture): Eeva Luhtakallio

Reading Period + Getting in to the field (3 weeks)

Feb 22 Reading workshop + How to proceed?: Lotta Junnilainen  

Fieldwork Period I (2 weeks)

March 8 Fieldwork Clinic I: Lotta Junnilainen

March 15 Economic Dimensions of Urban Marginalization (Reading workshop and lecture): Liisa Häiki

Fieldwork Period II (3 weeks)

April 5 Fieldwork Clinic II: Lotta Junnilainen 

April 12 Final Conference

Max 20 students. Acceptance on the course depends on previous studies in social sciences.

The course introduces the latest methodological developments related to causal inference in the social sciences. The course begins with the basics of the formal theory of causal reasoning (by Judea Pearl) and its philosophical foundations. We will then explore more specific issues and methodologies, such as the concept of social mechanism, how to construct a good causal variable, quasi-experimental designs, field and laboratory experiments in the social sciences, and case-based process tracing. The course format is a reading seminar with recent methodological research articles as course material. In addition, each student will make a short presentation on an empirical research article related to the methodological topic in question. Default example articles are provided by the teacher, but students can also make suggestions based on their interests (such as their thesis topic).

Course outline:

1. Introduction
2. Foundations of Causal Inference I
3. Foundations of Causal Inference II
4. Foundations of Causal Inference III
5. Causal Mechanisms and social theory
6. Mechanistic thinking and statistics
7. What is a good causal variable?
8. Quasi-experimental strategies
9. Qualitative evidence and process tracing I: within-case
10. Qualitative evidence and process tracing II: comparative process tracing
11. Experimental social science: field experiments
12. Experimental social science: laboratory experiments

Target audience: masters and PhD students in the social sciences and philosophy students interested in philosophy of science. Maximum number of participants: 12.

Two meetings:

19.2.2019 Orientation 10-11

7.5.2019 Discussion 10-18

The course deepens the students' understanding of the functioning of world society and the role of epistemic governance in it. In addition to showing how world culture is seen in the global spread of world models, the course approaches the circulation of global ideas from the perspective of national actors, especially policymakers. In the national political fields, actors justify new policies by international comparisons and by the successes and failures of models adopted in other countries. Consequently, national policies are synchronized with each other. Yet, because of the way such domestication of global trends takes place, citizens retain and reproduce the understanding that they follow a sovereign national trajectory. The lectures introduce the key ideas of the neoinstitutional global sociology coupled with perspectives from studies on epistemic governance.

Max 15 students. Students will be accepted to the course in the following order:

1. degree students of the MDP Global and Transnational Sociology

2. degree students of the other Global Society programmes (MDP in in Peace, Mediation and Conflict Research, MDP in Public Choice, MDP in Comparative Social Policy and Welfare, MDP in Gender Studies)

3. other degree students of UTA

4. exchange students

The course builds on lectures and readings on the dimensions of urban marginalization, and ethnographic fieldwork carried out by the students. The fieldwork will be located in a neighbourhood of Tampere.

The course requirements include reading assignments as well as ca. 300 word reflections on the reading each time; conducting the assigned fieldwork as well as ca. 600 edited field notes each time; and a presentation at the final conference, composed on the basis of the previously mentioned writing tasks. Presence in all course sessions is necessary.

Programme (venue TBA)

Jan 11 Introduction: Social Dimensions of Urban Marginalization: Lotta Junnilainen           

Jan 18 Visit to the fieldsite + Introduction to Tampere City Marginalization Indicators: Lotta Junnilainen, Liisa Häikiö, Eeva Luhtakallio, Jenni Mäki (City of Tampere)

Jan 25 Urban ethnography in practice + Planning the fieldwork: Lotta Junnilainen

Feb 1 Political Dimensions of Urban Marginalization (Reading workshop and lecture): Eeva Luhtakallio

Reading Period + Getting in to the field (3 weeks)

Feb 22 Reading workshop + How to proceed?: Lotta Junnilainen  

Fieldwork Period I (2 weeks)

March 8 Fieldwork Clinic I: Lotta Junnilainen

March 15 Economic Dimensions of Urban Marginalization (Reading workshop and lecture): Liisa Häiki

Fieldwork Period II (3 weeks)

April 5 Fieldwork Clinic II: Lotta Junnilainen 

April 12 Final Conference

Max 20 students. Acceptance on the course depends on previous studies in social sciences.

The course consists of five meetings with pre-assigned reading materials. Each meeting will focus on a specific topic such as media representations of trans, medicalisation of trans bodies, and human rights issues. During the course we will work individually as well as in small groups.

The course workshops will be held at 10-14 

Wed 13.3.2019, Fri 15.3, Wed 20.3, Fri 22.3, and Wed 27.3.

OBS. The course includes also pre-tasks to be done BEFORE the first meeting (15.2-).

Participants are required to have finished SOS4.4 Introduction to Gender Studies or equivalent course(s) before taking the course.

Working language will be English, but the final essay can also be written in Finnish.

The course introduces the latest methodological developments related to causal inference in the social sciences. The course begins with the basics of the formal theory of causal reasoning (by Judea Pearl) and its philosophical foundations. We will then explore more specific issues and methodologies, such as the concept of social mechanism, how to construct a good causal variable, quasi-experimental designs, field and laboratory experiments in the social sciences, and case-based process tracing. The course format is a reading seminar with recent methodological research articles as course material. In addition, each student will make a short presentation on an empirical research article related to the methodological topic in question. Default example articles are provided by the teacher, but students can also make suggestions based on their interests (such as their thesis topic).

Course outline:

1. Introduction
2. Foundations of Causal Inference I
3. Foundations of Causal Inference II
4. Foundations of Causal Inference III
5. Causal Mechanisms and social theory
6. Mechanistic thinking and statistics
7. What is a good causal variable?
8. Quasi-experimental strategies
9. Qualitative evidence and process tracing I: within-case
10. Qualitative evidence and process tracing II: comparative process tracing
11. Experimental social science: field experiments
12. Experimental social science: laboratory experiments

Target audience: masters and PhD students in the social sciences and philosophy students interested in philosophy of science. Maximum number of participants: 12.

Two meetings:

19.2.2019 Orientation 10-11

7.5.2019 Discussion 10-18