SPS603 Advanced Studies in Social and Political Theory
SPS603 Advanced Studies in Social and Political Theory
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Oct 10, 2025
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Social and Political Sciences
Mustafa Krupalija
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course aims to acquaint the students with a solid theoretical understanding of number of important conceptual problems and themes in classical and modern social and political theory. Topics and concepts covered in the course include natural rights and consent, authority, justice, social contract, political economy, utilitarianism utility, security, abundance, equality, liberty, property, alienation, exploitation, emancipation, women’s role in society, democracy.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Richard Schmitt, An Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy, Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2009;
Additional Literature
Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, London: Taylor & Francis, 2004 Robert L. Simon (Ed.) The Blackwell Guide to Social and Political Philosophy, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2002 A. R. M. Murray, An Introduction to Political Philosophy, London, Routledge, 2010 Anthony O'Hear (Ed.), Political Philosophy, Cambridge: University Press, 2006 John Plamenatz, Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Rousseau, Oxford: University Press, 2012 Richard Schmitt, An Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy, Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2009 Bryan S. Turner (Ed.) The New Blackwell Companion to Social Theory, Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009 Anthony Elliott, Contemporary Social Theory: An Introduction, London and New York: Routledge, 2009 Jerry Tew, Social Theory, Power and Practice, New York: Palgrave, 2002 Derek Layder, Understanding Social Theory, London: SAGE Publishers, 2006 John Scott, Social Theory: Central Issues in Sociology, London: SAGE Publishers, 2006 Richard G. Stevens, Political Philosophy: An Introduction, Cambridge: University Press, 2011Teaching Methods
This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing
Written assignments
Presentations
Group debates and research.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the Course | Assigned Reading |
| 2 | The Nature of Political and Social Thought | Assigned Reading |
| 3 | Classical Greek Political Thought: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle | Assigned Reading |
| 4 | Medieval Political Thought: St. Augustine and St. Aquinas | Assigned Reading |
| 5 | Early Modern Political Thought: Machiavelli and Hobbes | Assigned Reading |
| 6 | Modern Political Thought: Locke and Rousseau | Assigned Reading |
| 7 | MIDTERM EXAM AND ITS PREPARATION | |
| 8 | Functionalist Perspectives: Durkheim, Parson and Smelser | Assigned Reading |
| 9 | Theorizing Capitalism I: Marx, Gramsci, Adorno and Habermas | Assigned Reading |
| 10 | Theorizing Capitalism II: Collinicos, Mannheim, Castell and Bell, | Assigned Reading |
| 11 | Theorizing Social Action and Self: Blumer, Mead, Freud and Goffman | Assigned Reading |
| 12 | The Socio-Politics of Feminism: Oakley, Walby and Foucault | Assigned Reading |
| 13 | Structuration Theory: Anthony Giddens | Assigned Reading |
| 14 | Theorizing Fragmentation and Uncertainty: Nietzsche, Lyotard and Bauman | Assigned Reading |
| 15 | COURSE REVISION AND FINAL EXAM PREPARATION |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPS603.1 | Course | Wednesday 17:00 - 19:50 | B F1.1 FBA Graduate Seminar Room | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 12:00 - 15:00 | A F1.9 | |
| Friday | 13:00 - 14:00 | A F1.9 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
Research Paper
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO2 LO3 LO5
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO1 LO2 LO6
Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO3 LO6
Participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO2 LO3 LO6
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture HOurs
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Research Paper
6 hours ⏳ (2 week × 3 h)
Participation
14 hours ⏳ (7 week × 2 h)
Home Study
28 hours ⏳ (14 week × 2 h)
Midterm Exam
17 hours ⏳ (17 week × 1 h)
Final Exam
23 hours ⏳ (23 week × 1 h)
Presentation
20 hours ⏳ (20 week × 1 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [SPS603] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Oct 10, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| SPS603 | Advanced Studies in Social and Political Theory | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Mustafa Krupalija | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Tuesday: 12:00-15:00 Friday: 13:00-14:00 |
|||||||
| mkrupalija@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course aims to acquaint the students with a solid theoretical understanding of number of important conceptual problems and themes in classical and modern social and political theory. Topics and concepts covered in the course include natural rights and consent, authority, justice, social contract, political economy, utilitarianism utility, security, abundance, equality, liberty, property, alienation, exploitation, emancipation, women’s role in society, democracy. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Richard Schmitt, An Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy, Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2009; | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing, written assignments, presentations, group debates and research. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction to the Course | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 2 | The Nature of Political and Social Thought | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Classical Greek Political Thought: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Medieval Political Thought: St. Augustine and St. Aquinas | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Early Modern Political Thought: Machiavelli and Hobbes | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Modern Political Thought: Locke and Rousseau | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 7 | MIDTERM EXAM AND ITS PREPARATION | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Functionalist Perspectives: Durkheim, Parson and Smelser | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Theorizing Capitalism I: Marx, Gramsci, Adorno and Habermas | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Theorizing Capitalism II: Collinicos, Mannheim, Castell and Bell, | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Theorizing Social Action and Self: Blumer, Mead, Freud and Goffman | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 12 | The Socio-Politics of Feminism: Oakley, Walby and Foucault | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Structuration Theory: Anthony Giddens | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Theorizing Fragmentation and Uncertainty: Nietzsche, Lyotard and Bauman | Assigned Reading | ||||||||
| Week 15 | COURSE REVISION AND FINAL EXAM PREPARATION | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | LO1-LO6 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Research Paper | 1 | 20 | LO2, LO3, LO5 | Not Allowed | |
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 20 | LO1,LO2, LO6 | Not Allowed | |
| Presentation | 1 | 10 | LO3, LO6 | Not Allowed | |
| Participation | 1 | 10 | LO2, LO3, LO6 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture HOurs | 3 | 14 | 42 | Research Paper | 3 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Participation | 2 | 7 | 14 | Home Study | 2 | 14 | 28 | |||
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 17 | 17 | Final Exam | 1 | 23 | 23 | |||
| Presentation | 1 | 20 | 20 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 23/10/2025 | |||||||||