Course Description
Interpersonal relations constitute the cement of society. What does it mean to be a sibling, a friend, a spouse or a lover? Why do we make kin out of strangers? Every time two persons have a face-to-face interaction and adjust their behavior to one another, the result is a relationship. But how are Facebook, Twitter and other social networks changing the way we relate to each other? This course examines social relations from an cross-cultural perspective. We will explore social relations in the American and other cultures, how these relations contribute to the reproduction of society, and how they are being affected by contemporary social, cultural and technological changes.
Learning Outcomes
- By
the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Describe the basic characteristics of social relations and
their significance for society and culture
- Describe the cultural variations in social relations
- Analyse the cultural assumptions about social relations
Course Content
- Course
Introduction
- Gift
Exchange: The Morality of Social Ties
- Kinship:
The Basic Social Ties
- Marriage
- Other
Forms of Relatedness
- Fictive
Kinship
- Friends
and Acquaintances
- Love,
Intimacy and Sex
- Sociality:
Conviviality and Predation
- Patrons
and Clients
- Gender
and Social Relations
- Social
Relations as Social Capital
- Social
Relations, Social Media and Technology
- Brotherhoods
and Sisterhoods: Fraternities, Sororities
Compulsory Reading Materials
- Andrew
Keenan and Ali Shiri: Sociability and Social Interaction on Social Networking
Websites. Library Review 58(6):438-450. 2009
- Rachel A. Elphiston and Patricia Noller: Time to Face It! Facebook Intrusion and the Implications for Romantic Jealously and Relationship Satisfaction. Cyber psychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 14(11):631-635. 2011
Optional Reading Materials
- Robert
D. Putnam: Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New
York: Simon and Schuster. 2000 (Ch. 3: Civic Participation).
- Mayfair Mei-hui Yang: Gifts, Favors and Banquets: The Art of Social Relationships in China. New York: Cornell University Press. 1994 (Ch. 3: The “Art” in Guanxixue: Ethics, Tactics, and Etiquette)