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2025 Spring

PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS IN SOCIETY - SOC282 Spring 2025


Course
Vidhu Maggu
For information about registration please contact our admissions.

Syllabus and Project requirements.

Here is the course outline:

1. Week 1 - The individual, the group and institutions

Jan 30 11:15am .. 2pm, Room 326

Basic Introduction to the discipline and the course content; Institutions: an overview; Understand the concept of Institutions and why they are important to social scientists.

2. Week 2- Continuation from Week 1; Understand the fundamental institutions in society

Feb 6 11:14am .. 1:59pm, Room 218

Understand and analyse how Institutions interact, their functions, and the ways in which they shape and govern our lives; Develop a critical understanding of family as an institution.

3. Week 3- Social Institutions.

Feb 13 11:15am .. 2pm, Room 218

--Develop a critical understanding of key Institutions, such as religion education and work. - Interdependency of social institutions

4. Week 4 - Quiz- Foundation of organisational structure; Organisational culture

Feb 20 11:15am .. 2pm

To understand the structure of social institutions. - Define the hierarchical structure with division of labor principle as it applies to formal institutions. - Identify the features and functions of an organization chart - Understanding organization structure from different perspectives. Understand the concept of organizational culture - Understand ways of assessing and studying organizational culture Finalise groups (for the group project) and post requests for topics; Discuss individual project.

5. Week 5 - FIELD VISIT 1 (Czech National Bank)

Feb 27 11:16am .. 2:01pm

Aim is to understand the role of financial institution and its impact on people. Time of visit- 11:45 AM to 1:15 PM. Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the tour. You can find more information on Visitor Centre web.

6. Week 6 - Understanding group and team behavior in institutions

Mar 6 11:15am .. 2pm

- Explain what a work team is and be able to distinguish between real teams and other organizational groupings. - Understand and examine the relationships between teamworking and team member well-being, satisfaction, and organizational performance. - Understand how psychological theories relate to group and team behaviour. - Understand the processes that affect team performance and appreciate its distinct elements. - Explain why it is important to be able to manage conflict in teams. Half an hour class time assigned to work on projects.

7. Week 7 - Motivational factors, Perception, and Individual decision making

Mar 13 11:15am .. 2pm

- A framework for motivation theories, concepts, and its applications - Cognition and motivation - Treating people fairly: Justice and equity perspectives on motivation - Motivating people at work: Integrating theories of motivation. Reading: Chap. 5 (West & Woods); Chap. 7 & 8 (Ashleigh & Mansi) Midterm revision Part of class time assigned to work on group project proposal.

8. Week 8 - MIDTERM EXAM

Mar 20 11:14am .. 1:59pm, Neo

All topics covered will be included in the midterm Each group to submit draft group project proposal to my email and on Neo (electronic) based on the template provided (Check on Neo under syllabus) by 23.00 hrs. (CET), March 20th

9. Week 9 - Midterm Break- No class

Mar 27 11:15am .. 2pm

10. Week 10 - Individual assignment, Social Influences: attitudes, conformity, and group processes

Apr 3 11:16am .. 2:01pm

(1) Each student will make a ten-minute presentation, which will be online, followed by an open class discussion. Electronic copy to be uploaded on Neo. Hard copy of the paper to be submitted when in class. (2) Topic: Social Influences: attitudes, conformity, and group processes - Categorize the techniques of social influence. - Understand how behaviour can be modified or controlled through conditioning and reinforcement at work. - Define attitudes and understand theories about how attitudes affect behaviour. - Describe emotional influences on behaviour. - Understand and evaluate social influences on behaviour. Reading: Chap. 8 (Baumeister & Bushman); Chap. 4 (West & Woods)

11. Week 11 - FIELD VISIT 2 (Radio Free Europe)

Apr 10 11:14am .. 1:59pm

Aim is to understand the role of the media as an institution. Deadlines: Each group to submit final group project proposal (electronic and hard copy) based on the template provided.

12. Week 12- Inter group relations

Apr 17 11:16am .. 2:01pm

Compare and contrast different kinds of pro-social behavior; Analyse different explanations and motives for helping If time permits.. Influence of power dynamics and politics Understand the sources of social power in institutions; the interaction patterns used by agents to bring about the target’s compliance with a particular request- Simulation exercise

13. Week 13- Team Project Presentations

Apr 24 11:16am .. 2:01pm

Each group will make a 20 minutes presentation (final time to be decided based on size of group) to the class on a topic mutually agreed. Both electronic and hard copy of the Group Report and other required material to be submitted.

14. Week 14- Final Exam

May 15 11:15am .. 2pm

Cumulative- All topics covered in the class will be included in the exam. All the best!

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