Social Sciences

Course guarantor:

Jan Gazda

Lecturer:

Jitka Cirklová, Jan Gazda

Tutor:

Jitka Cirklová, Jan Gazda

Supervisor:

Department of Social Sciences

Synopsis:

The course Social Sciences encompasses a broader, multidisciplinary, framework (sociology, economy, marketing, politology, social anthropology, and media). The economics part of the course covers basic economic terms, demand, supply, market equilibrium, and rational consumer choice. Firm and production functions in the short and long run as well as long-run and short-run costs are discussed. Market structures and markets for productive inputs and public goods are other topics. Also presented are macroeconomic aggregates and the basics of macroeconomics. Social theories presented in the course are considered an analytical reflection on the concepts and formal cognitive schemes of all social sciences. Students will get familiar with social theories/paradigms that are used to study and interpret social phenomena. Seminars will focus on everyday life, its interactions, and opinion polemics, which often interfere in negotiations about the direction and goals of society.

The course also provides students with conceptual tools for their own further studies based on critical thinking.

Requirements:

Credit requirements: Completion of three partial tasks during the semester. Each month, one task will be assigned, which will contain creative and academic elements - e.g. content analysis of social networks, creation of own annotated photo on a given topic, monitoring of a key topic, and its presentation in the media.

Final test - economic theory

Syllabus of lectures:

1. Basic economic terms, market demand and market supply, market equilibrium.

2. Rational consumer choice, indifferent curve, elasticity of demand.

3. Firm and production function in short and long run. Long run and short run cost.

4. Perfect competition and monopolistic competition, oligopoly, monopoly.

5. Markets for productive inputs (labour, capital). Public goods.

6. Externalities and Coase theorem. Taxing externalities. The tragedy of common good.

7. Basics of macroeconomics. Macroeconomic equilibrium and aggregates.

8. Law of intellectual property, Copyright, copyright holder, licences, Creative Commons

9. Exceptions and limitations to Copyrights- quotations, changes to architectural works

10. Trademarks - basic terms, registration process, the substance and purpose of the legislation

11. Intellectual property - adjacent legislation and differences, patent law and design protection

12. Personality Rights of individual and data protection, photographs and their usage, social networks.

13. Freedom of speech - the substance and the limits of free speech, statements of opinions and facts

Syllabus of tutorials:

1.Sociology as a way of seeing

2.Production function in the long run.

3.Family and Social Institutions

4.Prisoners dilemma and game theory

5.Inequality, Social Stratification

6.Money supply and demand

Study Objective:

Students will get familiar with social theories/paradigms that are used to study and interpret social phenomena. The course also provides students with conceptual tools for their own further studies based on critical thinking.After completing the course students will be able to understand basic principles of markets, production and market structures. They will also have deeper knowledge of macroeconomic aggregates and relations between them, which will enable them to apprehend the economic aspects of political debates.

Study materials:

Economics. Paul Samuelson, McGraw-Hill.2009. ISBN 978-00-71-26383-2.

Microeconomics and Behavior. Robert H. Frank, McGraw-Hill. 2005. ISBN 978-00-71-26349-8.

Social Problems: Continuity and Change. Copyright Year: 2016. ISBN 13: 9781946135230. Publisher: Saylor Foundation. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/social-problems-continuity-and-change.

Local to Global: The Sociological Journey. Christina Miller-Bellor and Donna Giuliani. https://thesociologicaljourney.pressbooks.com.

Politology. Political Ideologies and Worldviews: An Introduction. Valérie Vézina, Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Copyright Year: 2021. ISBN 13: 9781989864241. Publisher: Kwantlen Polytechnic University. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/political-ideologies-and-worldviews-an-introduction.

Psychology as a Social Science. Robert Bissau-Diener Ed Diener, University of Utah. Copyright Year: 2015. Publisher: Noba. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/psychology-as-a-social-science.

Ishay, Micheline (2008). The History of Human Rights: From Ancient Times to the Globalized Era. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-25641-5

Humans R Social Media. Open Textbook Edition Diana Daly, University of Arizona. Copyright Year: 2021. Publisher: The University of Arizona. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/humans-r-social-media-open-textbook-edition.

Understanding Media and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication. Copyright Year: 2016. ISBN 13: 9781946135261. Publisher: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing. https://open.lib.umn.edu/mediaandculture/.

Bingham, Thomas (2010). The rule of law. London New York: Allen Lane. ISBN 978-1-84614-090-7.

Note:

Time-table for winter semester 2024/2025:

Time-table is not available yet

Time-table for summer semester 2024/2025:

	06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu	roomTH:B-879 08:00–11:50 (lecture parallel1) Thákurova 7 (budova FSv) roomTH:B-879 12:00–12:50 (lecture parallel1 parallel nr.101) Thákurova 7 (budova FSv)
Fri

The course is a part of the following study plans:

• Civil Engineering (compulsory course)
• Civil Engineering (compulsory course)