Social Theory Course: Concepts, Debates & Spatial Turn | Prof. Anu Sabhlok
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 25 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Elective |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 12 weeks |
| Categories | Multidisciplinary, Urban Planning Building Services |
| Credit Points | 3 |
| Level | Undergraduate/Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 19 Jan 2026 |
| End Date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 02 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 20 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 26 Apr 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
Social Theory: Concepts and Debates - A 12-Week Journey Through the Spatial Turn
How do we make sense of the complex social world around us? From the structures of our cities to the dynamics of power in our daily lives, social theory provides the essential toolkit for critical analysis. This detailed overview explores a comprehensive 12-week course, Social Theory: Concepts and Debates, taught by Professor Anu Sabhlok at IISER Mohali. Designed for undergraduates, postgraduates, and professionals, the course bridges classical foundations with cutting-edge spatial and contemporary thought.
About the Course and Instructor
This course offers a rigorous introduction to the thinkers, ideas, and debates that explain the social world. It navigates both classical sociological theory and contemporary developments, with a unique emphasis on the spatial turn—the critical integration of space, place, and geography into social analysis.
The course is led by Prof. Anu Sabhlok, a professor in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at IISER Mohali. With a dual-title PhD in Geography and Women’s Studies from Pennsylvania State University and a background in architecture, Prof. Sabhlok brings an interdisciplinary, spatially-grounded perspective to social theory. Her editorial roles with journals like Dialogues in Human Geography and Geopolitics underscore her expertise in this evolving field.
Who Should Take This Course?
This course is meticulously designed for a diverse audience:
- Sociology & Social Science Majors: Gain a deep understanding of theoretical foundations and the spatial turn.
- Students of Architecture, Planning, & Geography: Learn how social theory critically informs the built environment and spatial practices.
- Science & Engineering Students: Develop a critical sociological perspective on technology, infrastructure, and science's role in society.
- Professionals & Industry: Any organization seeking to understand social behaviors, perceptions, and structures will find the frameworks invaluable.
Course Layout: A 12-Week Intellectual Journey
The course is structured to build from foundational concepts to advanced, applied debates.
| Week | Core Themes & Thinkers |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1-4 | Foundations & The Classical Canon: Introduces the sociological and spatial imagination. Covers foundational work by Marx (alienation, capital), Durkheim (social facts, suicide), Weber (ideal types, Protestant ethic), and early critical voices like Du Bois and Gilman. |
| Weeks 5-6 | The Spatial Turn: Focuses on theorists like Henri Lefebvre (production of space), David Harvey (spatial fix), and Doreen Massey (power-geometries). Also explores Foucault's theories of power, discipline, and governmentality. |
| Weeks 7-8 | Feminist & Social Reproduction Theory: Examines feminist standpoint theory (Dorothy Smith), intersectionality (Patricia Hill Collins), social reproduction, queer theory (Judith Butler), and feminist urbanism (Dolores Hayden). |
| Weeks 9-10 | Contemporary Frameworks & Critiques: Covers the Frankfurt School, Habermas, Bourdieu, symbolic interactionism (Goffman), and Actor-Network-Theory (Latour). Includes critical perspectives from Ambedkar, Gramsci, and Mbembe. |
| Weeks 11-12 | Global Perspectives & Future Challenges: Engages with Southern Theory (Connell, Alatas), epistemologies of the South (Santos), and applies theory to pressing issues like globalization, climate change, technology, and care ethics. |
Key Themes and Learning Outcomes
Students who complete this course will be able to:
- Articulate the core tenets of classical and contemporary social theory.
- Apply the sociological imagination and spatial imagination to analyze social phenomena.
- Critically evaluate how space and power co-produce social structures, from cities to global networks.
- Engage with feminist, anti-caste, and postcolonial critiques of canonical theory.
- Connect theoretical frameworks to real-world issues in urban planning, environmental policy, technology, and social justice.
Essential Reference Readings
The course draws on a rich array of texts, including:
- Foundational: Mills' The Sociological Imagination; Marx's Capital; Weber's The Protestant Ethic.
- Spatial Theory: Lefebvre's The Production of Space; Soja's Thirdspace; Massey's For Space.
- Contemporary & Critical: Butler's Gender Trouble; Foucault's Discipline and Punish; Collins' Black Feminist Thought; Chakrabarty's work on climate history.
- Guided Text: Dillon's Introduction to Sociological Theory and Hubbard & Kitchin's Key Thinkers on Space and Place provide structured overviews.
Social Theory: Concepts and Debates is more than an academic course; it is an invitation to rethink your relationship with the social and physical world. By weaving together classical foundations, the pivotal spatial turn, and urgent contemporary debates, Prof. Sabhlok's curriculum equips students and professionals with the critical tools to analyze, question, and reshape the societies they inhabit.
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