The course provides a social scientific approach to change, addressing the interrelated
macro-sociological questions and topics such as: concepts which define the scope of sociological research on social change; classical theories of social change and their reception in contemporary sociological discussions; sociological explanations of long-term developmental processes (eg. the rise of capitalism, socialist alternatives, social movements, revolutions, etc); social modernization processes and their contemporary dimensions and consequences (agrarian reform, urbanization, creation of the state, development of the world order, etc); components of change (population growth, demographic transition, culture, social structure, systems, and processes); characteristics of contemporary (post-) modern societies and the trends in their changes; and the production, distribution, and creation of culture in a changing world. It is expected that the course will equip students with knowledge that allows for the understanding of the key processes that led to the emergence of modern societies, the characteristics of modern societies, and their changing directions and trends, as well as the ability to use more complex theoretical knowledge in independent analysis of the characteristics of modern society. (Lecturer: Tamara Pavasovic Trost)
