Sociology of Ethnic Groups and Nations

Pre-requisites: Sociological knowledge from previous years of study.

Course objectives: The goal of this course is for students to be introduced to basic tenets and ideas of theories on ethnic communities, nationalism and the nation state.

Course description: This course reviews the theoretical standpoints of: Primordialism; Perrenialism; Ethnosymbolism; Modernist approach with its various theories, such as Theories of Modernisations, Instrumentalism, Constructionism, and Neomarxism; Postmodernism, and Interactionism. We will study contributions of the leading authorities on each subject: Anthony Smith, Ernest Gellner, Frederik Barth, Benedict Anderson, Eric Hobsbawm, Hans-Ulrich Wehler, Dominique Schnapper. During seminar classes we will compare opposing theoretical views, for example the primordial theory of Pierre van Den Berghe on nations as expanded families and the constructionist theory of Eric Hobsbawm on the invention of tradition. At workshops, students will work in groups to find examples that can confirm the superiority of one or another theory; and lead debates between groups that represent one or another theory on nationalism and nations.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to recognize which theory of nationalism or nation-states is prevalent when looking at a previously unread text, because they will be deeply familiar with the tenets of each of these theories.

Sociology of Ethnic Groups and Nations

Pre-requisites: Sociological knowledge from previous years of study.

Course objectives: The goal of this course is for students to be introduced to basic tenets and ideas of theories on ethnic communities, nationalism and the nation state.

Course description: This course reviews the theoretical standpoints of: Primordialism; Perrenialism; Ethnosymbolism; Modernist approach with its various theories, such as Theories of Modernisations, Instrumentalism, Constructionism, and Neomarxism; Postmodernism, and Interactionism. We will study contributions of the leading authorities on each subject: Anthony Smith, Ernest Gellner, Frederik Barth, Benedict Anderson, Eric Hobsbawm, Hans-Ulrich Wehler, Dominique Schnapper. During seminar classes we will compare opposing theoretical views, for example the primordial theory of Pierre van Den Berghe on nations as expanded families and the constructionist theory of Eric Hobsbawm on the invention of tradition. At workshops, students will work in groups to find examples that can confirm the superiority of one or another theory; and lead debates between groups that represent one or another theory on nationalism and nations.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to recognize which theory of nationalism or nation-states is prevalent when looking at a previously unread text, because they will be deeply familiar with the tenets of each of these theories.

Literature/Reading:

• Anderson Benedikt. (1998). Nacija: zamišljena zajednica. Beograd: Plato.
• Bart F. (1997). Etničke grupe i njihove granice, u: Teorije o etnicitetu, Putinja F. i Stref-Fenar Ž.
• Bakić Jovo (2006). Teorijsko-istraživački pristupi etničkoj vezanosti (ethnicity), nacionalizmu i naciji.
• Šnaper Dominik (1996). Zajednica građana. O modernoj ideji nacije. Sremski Karlovci i Novi Sad: Izdavačka knjižarnica Zorana Stojanovića.
• Hroh Miroslav (1979). »Oblikovanje modernih nacija i nacionalni pokret 19. stoljeća«. Časopis za suvremenu povijest, XI/1, str. 23-40.
• Smit A. (1998). Nacionalni identitet. Beograd: 20. vek.
• Šulce Hagen (2002). Država i nacija u evropskoj istoriji. Beograd: "Filip Višnjić".
• Veler Hans Ulrih (2002). Nacionalizam: istorija-forme-posledice. Novi Sad: Svetovi.
• Kuljić Todor (2006). Kritička kultura sećanja, u: Kultura sećanja, str. 273-328.
• Hobzbaum Erik, Rendžers Terens (2002). Izmišljanje tradicija. Beograd: 20. vek.
• Putinja Filip, Stref-Fenar Žoslin (1997). Teorije o etnicitetu. Beograd: 20. vek.
• Molnar Aleksandar (1997). Narod, nacija, rasa. Beograd: Beogradski krug.
• Bakić Jovo (2004). Ideologije jugoslovenstva između srpskog i hrvatskog nacionalizma 1918-1941. Zrenjanin: Gradska narodna biblioteka "Žarko Zrenjanin".