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Political Power in Political Sociology
Hlavička, Petr ; Dvořák, Tomáš (advisor) ; Císař, Ondřej (referee)
Master thesis Author: Bc. Petr Hlavička Field of study: Sociology Thesis supervisor: Mgr. Tomáš Dvořák, PhD. Year of submission: 2023 Abstrakct: English Abstract: In this thesis, I examine political power in political sociology. The aims of this thesis are to identify the direction in which contemporary research on power is moving and to produce a synthesis of the knowledge that emerges from the study of power. To do this, I use an understanding of power through the lens of political sociology, which studies the manifestations of power in society and how power and society interact. In order to achieve the goals of this thesis, I first summarize all of the starting points that have emerged historically in the study of power. I then explored the perspectives of contemporary authors using qualitative methods, specifically semi-systematic sampling, which allowed me to select the sample for the study, and thematic analysis. I described what starting points contemporary authors use in their research, how they view historical starting points, and what new starting points are emerging in the study of power. The thesis then also forms a chronological overview of where the study of power has gone.
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Psychological Mimesis, the Sacred and Power: A Study in the Sociology of Power in the Context of René Girard's, Gabriel Tarde's and Émile Durkheim's Thought
Kišš, Marián ; Halík, Tomáš (advisor) ; Váně, Jan (referee) ; Lužný, Dušan (referee)
The main subject of the presented work is the question of power within the context of sociological theory, and in relation to the mechanism of psychological mimesis and the phenomenon of the sacred. Our starting point is René Girard's mimetic theory, which systematizes the relationship between the mechanism of psychological mimesis and the sacred - in the light of the phenomenon of violence. We, firstly, present Girard's mimetic theory, explicate its main concepts, and situate all into a broader context. Further, we critically examine Girard's theoretical scheme and come to the conclusion that his theoretical and conceptual framework calls for a revision, if it is to be utilized within the context of sociology and social theory. Consequently, we try to "sociologize" Girard's thinking. First, we position his line of thought into the wider sociological context, and then examine his theory in the light of thinking of two classical sociologists, Gabriel Tarde and Émile Durkheim. We then project this examination into a theoretical and conceptual synthesis on the basis of which we formulate our own conceptual scheme, which is based on the assumption of psychological mimesis as an anthropological constant, and which overcomes the main shortcomings of Girard's theoretical framework. On the basis of this...
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Integrating History of Sociology into History of Science: Language Analysis as a Tool for History of Sociology
Patáková, Markéta ; Maršálek, Jan (advisor) ; Šanderová, Jadwiga (referee)
This thesis focuses on methodological possibilities of language as a basis for history of sociology. Current professional history of sociology takes predominantly the form of institutional studies characterized by an attention to social context of knowledge production. Language orientation provides an unutilized opportunity for intellectual history - a supposedly stale alternative of institutional tradition. Development of language-based history creates a methodological position close to approaches common in history of natural sciences. Critical analysis of metaphor studies in sociology serves as an example of risks and challenges of language focus which assists us with articulation of our own methodological position. Following studies of Ladislav Kvasz, historian of natural sciences, the thesis offers methodological apparatus adapted to sociology. Key feature of the presented tool is a capability to distinguish between three levels of language of sociological theory: data, models and theory. These levels differ in functions which they ascribe to corresponding language elements and rising language powers (to constitute new objects and to integrate the ones positioned below). Application of our method is illustrated by two examples. Cursory excursion into history of mathematics in sociology...
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Game theory as a confict and cooperation theory
Horáček, Jaroslav ; Černý, Karel (advisor) ; Šubrt, Jiří (referee)
The main focus of this work is the relation between sociology and mathematics, especially the relation between sociological theories of conflict and cooperation and the game theory. In the work four general theories of conflict (and coopera- tion) are introduced - theory by John Rex, Kenneth Boulding, Louis Kriesberg and František Znebejánek. Each is accompanied by a critical review. Next, the formal game theory is introduced. The main effort is to shed new light on game theoretic concepts known in sociology and introduce some of the less known ones. The text is focused on the main ideas and explanation without mathematical for- malism. Historical relation between sociology and game theory is discussed. Also some topics that are not well handled in game theory from sociological point of view are further elaborated - assumption of rationality, definition of utility and preference, assumption of general knowledge etc. There are also topics from mathematics and informatics slowly penetrating sociology - computer simulation, prediction, that we also discuss. The possible modifications and merit of game theory for sociology is also included. Inspired by the previous theories, at the end of this work a new theoretic model of conflict and cooperation is introduced, which tries to overcome some imperfections of the...
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Psychological Mimesis, the Sacred and Power: A Study in the Sociology of Power in the Context of René Girard's, Gabriel Tarde's and Émile Durkheim's Thought
Kišš, Marián ; Halík, Tomáš (advisor) ; Váně, Jan (referee) ; Lužný, Dušan (referee)
The main subject of the presented work is the question of power within the context of sociological theory, and in relation to the mechanism of psychological mimesis and the phenomenon of the sacred. Our starting point is René Girard's mimetic theory, which systematizes the relationship between the mechanism of psychological mimesis and the sacred - in the light of the phenomenon of violence. We, firstly, present Girard's mimetic theory, explicate its main concepts, and situate all into a broader context. Further, we critically examine Girard's theoretical scheme and come to the conclusion that his theoretical and conceptual framework calls for a revision, if it is to be utilized within the context of sociology and social theory. Consequently, we try to "sociologize" Girard's thinking. First, we position his line of thought into the wider sociological context, and then examine his theory in the light of thinking of two classical sociologists, Gabriel Tarde and Émile Durkheim. We then project this examination into a theoretical and conceptual synthesis on the basis of which we formulate our own conceptual scheme, which is based on the assumption of psychological mimesis as an anthropological constant, and which overcomes the main shortcomings of Girard's theoretical framework. On the basis of this...
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Integrating History of Sociology into History of Science: Language Analysis as a Tool for History of Sociology
Patáková, Markéta ; Maršálek, Jan (advisor) ; Šanderová, Jadwiga (referee)
This thesis focuses on methodological possibilities of language as a basis for history of sociology. Current professional history of sociology takes predominantly the form of institutional studies characterized by an attention to social context of knowledge production. Language orientation provides an unutilized opportunity for intellectual history - a supposedly stale alternative of institutional tradition. Development of language-based history creates a methodological position close to approaches common in history of natural sciences. Critical analysis of metaphor studies in sociology serves as an example of risks and challenges of language focus which assists us with articulation of our own methodological position. Following studies of Ladislav Kvasz, historian of natural sciences, the thesis offers methodological apparatus adapted to sociology. Key feature of the presented tool is a capability to distinguish between three levels of language of sociological theory: data, models and theory. These levels differ in functions which they ascribe to corresponding language elements and rising language powers (to constitute new objects and to integrate the ones positioned below). Application of our method is illustrated by two examples. Cursory excursion into history of mathematics in sociology...
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