This course discusses the sociological perspective and its topical application. The aim of the course is that students gain an overview of the existing knowledge on important sociological topics. The course will emphasize the relation between theory and findings from recent research. In addition to studying classical theory, modernization and central concepts such as social structure and culture, students will learn about research on a range of important topics, such as stratification, organizations, social movements, deviance and illness, children and youth, gender, immigration and the life course.

Í námskeiðinu verður kastljósinu beint að félagsfræðilegum rannsóknum á íslensku samfélagi. Kennarar námsbrautarinnar kynna tiltekin rannsóknarverkefni á sérsviði sínu, meginspurningar og sjónarhorn, aðferðir og helstu niðurstöður.

The aim of the course is to provide students with basic training in academic work methods. The course will provide an overview of the use of personal computers, information gathering over the computer network and the services of the University Library. Discussion of the presentation of assignments and essays and the various types of academic writings. Special emphasis on the structure of essays, citation of sources and format of documentation. Assessment is based on weekly assignments.

We will begin with a discussion about the theoretical premises of sociology and psychology and their connection in social psychology. The creation of groups and interaction within groups are key elements of the discussion. Specific attention will be devoted to methods in social psychological research i.e. participant observations and experiments. We will also discuss practical applications of social psychology within for example the criminal system, the labour market and human capital development. Students will be required to do a project on the basis researchtexts with the aim of increasing understanding of the interconnection of theory, methods and practical applications.

After completing the course students should know the key concepts within social psychology and be able to use them when analysing contemporary issues.

The course addresses deviance, social control, and marginalization from a sociological perspective. It explores key theories about individual motivations and social pressures that lead to deviance, as well as theories on how societies define deviance and label certain individuals as deviants. Emphasis is placed on power relations and struggles in defining deviance based on gender, age, class status, and other forms of social stratification, as well as cultural conflicts.The course also addresses the historical struggles between different social institutions over the ownership of specific forms of deviance, with a focus on the medicalization of deviance. Furthermore, it examines the normalization of certain traits, attitudes, and behaviors that were previously considered social deviance. Specific examples of deviance are discussed, such as substance use, sexual behavior, and self-harm, along with societal responses to certain ideas and physical characteristics as social deviance. Students in the course have the opportunity to reflect on these topics in larger and smaller groups and to explore a specific subject of their choice in greater depth.

This course teaches the foundations of social science methodology. The course covers the major elements of the research process and basic methodological concepts and issues. Moreover, the course provides an overview of the main social science research methods, including experiments, surveys, research based on official data, content analysis, and field research. The strengths and weaknesses of these methods are discussed in reference to the variety of goals that can be found within social science research.

Inequality has long been among the major concepts of sociology, as the focus of the discipline is often on how resources are divided in society with what consequences. Iceland was often considered a relatively equal society, but historical reconsiderations have shown that inequality was greater than we wanted to acknowledge. What is perhaps more important is that income inequality has varied over time, and the last decade has been characterized of great fluctuations in income, wealth, and economic hardship. Sociology offers a broad perspective on societal inequality, for example based on gender, age, nationality, race and sexuality. 

In this course, we will look at the major theories and research in sociology about inequality and put them into an Icelandic context. We will consider what kind of inequality exists in society and whether certain types of inequality will matter more in the future, for example due to changes in societal and population structures. In addition, we will look at the consequences of inequality on individual lives, for example regarding health, power, income and societal participation.

This course provides students with a basic understanding of the main concepts, theories and research in the sociology of the family. The family as an institute, changes in family forms, roles and the place that the family has in society from a historical perspective is discussed. Special attention is given to changes in family roles, such as roles of mothers, fathers and children and the impact these changes have on the abilities of famlies to balance work and family life.

The main focus in this course will be on the following: theories on aging, policies and concepts, lifespan development and the changes incurred during the mature years from a social, physical and emotional perspective. Emphasis will be placed on information about legislation and services for older people, the role of the Social Worker and methods of counselling, administration, instruction and prevention. After the course the students will have a necessary knowledge to assist and work with older people and their families.

This course teaches the foundations of statistics for the social science. First, we discuss measures of central tendencies and distribution of variables. Second, we learn the concepts involved in statistical inference and the application of significance testing. Third, we introduce measures of association between variables, including crosstabulation and simple regression analysis. We conclude the course with a brief introduction of multivariate statistics, including the use of partial tables and partial correlation. Students will learn how to use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze data.

The course introduces the theories of several social science pioneers in the context of contemporary sociology. The theories of Marx, Weber, Dukheim and other classical theorists will be discussed with an emphasis on their ideas about the social nature of humans,  the interplay of individuals and society, the causes and consequences of social development, structures of power and the role of social sciences. A special emphasis will be given to the biographical and historical context of the theorists and of their theories. The placement of these particular theorists in the sociological canon will be given special consideration. Lectures are pre-recorded and scheduled times used for in-class discussions.

The cource will present some of the majors aspects of qualitative methods in sociology, what theories and research questions call for those methods and how to use them. Qualitative methods dig deep in order to gain understanding of why people behave the way they do and how they make decisions. This is vhy we try to be as close to daily life as possible when conducting our studies. In the cource we will look at how to decide on a research method, the ties between theories and methods, ethical considerations, interviews, focus groups, participatory observations, ethnomethodology, personal documents, discource analysis, historical material, visual methods and triangulation.

We will discuss the relative merits and drawbacks of each method and the ways to analyze the material. Students try out different methods.

The course is intended for student who have finished at least their first year in sociology. Teaching takes place through lectures and workshops. Students are expected to participate fully and attendance is mandatory.

The course is a continuation of Theories in Sociology. Some major theoretical perspective in sociology and political science in the 20th century are discussed in this course, including the scientific and philosophical premises of the theories of social science, communications thories and conflict thories and functionalism and value thories. Finally, the main features of positvism and its applications in the social sciences are discussed and evaluated.

The course has three objectives. First of all, that students can explain the importance of working with quality measurements, and evaluate the quality of quantitative data. Secondly, student receive training in multivariate statistical methods, including factor analysis, reliability analysis and multiple-regression analysis. Thirdly, students will get the opportunity to apply the aforementioned methods to real survey data, and write research reports. Students will be taught on the use of Jamovi for assisting with the data analysis, but if preferred, students can opt for SPSS or R as well.

This course teaches the foundations of statistics for the social science. First, we discuss measures of central tendencies and distribution of variables. Second, we learn the concepts involved in statistical inference and the application of significance testing. Third, we introduce measures of association between variables, including crosstabulation and simple regression analysis. We conclude the course with a brief introduction of multivariate statistics, including the use of partial tables and partial correlation. Students will learn how to use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze data.

The course introduces the theories of several social science pioneers in the context of contemporary sociology. The theories of Marx, Weber, Dukheim and other classical theorists will be discussed with an emphasis on their ideas about the social nature of humans,  the interplay of individuals and society, the causes and consequences of social development, structures of power and the role of social sciences. A special emphasis will be given to the biographical and historical context of the theorists and of their theories. The placement of these particular theorists in the sociological canon will be given special consideration. Lectures are pre-recorded and scheduled times used for in-class discussions.

A preparatory workshop for BA-thesis in sociology. In the course, students will get advice on how to select a topic for their thesis and how to find a supervisor. Students learn how to deal with practical issues that might arise while writing the thesis. Students will also criticize an article in a field of their choosing.

In the course students learn how to present research results to others. The course ends in a BA-seminar.

The course is a continuation of Theories in Sociology. Some major theoretical perspective in sociology and political science in the 20th century are discussed in this course, including the scientific and philosophical premises of the theories of social science, communications thories and conflict thories and functionalism and value thories. Finally, the main features of positvism and its applications in the social sciences are discussed and evaluated.

The course has three objectives. First of all, that students can explain the importance of working with quality measurements, and evaluate the quality of quantitative data. Secondly, student receive training in multivariate statistical methods, including factor analysis, reliability analysis and multiple-regression analysis. Thirdly, students will get the opportunity to apply the aforementioned methods to real survey data, and write research reports. Students will be taught on the use of Jamovi for assisting with the data analysis, but if preferred, students can opt for SPSS or R as well.

In the course students learn how to present research results to others. The course ends in a BA-seminar.

A preparatory workshop for BA-thesis in sociology. In the course, students will get advice on how to select a topic for their thesis and how to find a supervisor. Students learn how to deal with practical issues that might arise while writing the thesis. Students will also criticize an article in a field of their choosing.

BA thesis, see https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4639

BA thesis, see https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4639

BA thesis, see https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4639

In the course, the student's task consists in being a mentor for participants that are upper secondary school students and university students in the project "Sprettur". Mentors' main role is to support and encourage participants in their studies and social life. As well as creating a constructive relationship with the participants, being a positive role model, and participating in events organized in Sprettur. The mentor role centers around building relationships and spending meaningful time together with the commitment to support participants. 

Sprettur is a project that supports students with an immigrant or refugee background who come from families with little or no university education. The students in this course are mentors of the participants and are paired together based on a common field of interest. Each mentor is responsible for supporting two participants. Mentors plan activities with participants and spend three hours a month (from August to May) with Sprettur’s participants, three hours a month in a study group and attend five seminars that are spread over the school year. Students submit journal entries on Canvas in November and March. Diary entries are based on reading material and students' reflections on the mentorship. Compulsory attendance in events, study groups, and seminars. The course is taught in Icelandic and English. 

Students must apply for a seat in the course. Applicants go through an interview process and 15-30 students are selected to participate. 

See the digital application form. 

More information about Sprettur can be found here: www.hi.is/sprettur  

The course focuses on several aspects of sexualities, changes and development since the beginning of the 20th century and particularly development within Iceland. We will discuss research that has been conducted from the book by Richard von Krafft-Ebing, Psychopathia Sexualis (1886) and up to recent studies in Nordic countries. We will particularly focus on changes in the social situation of homo- and bisexuals and we will discuss the BDSM-community and fetishism. We will also look at the commodification of sex from advertisements and sports to pornography and prostitution. Influences from religious beliefs, the school system, families and workplaces will be discussed as well as reproduction and sexual health. Finally we will address sexual violence, rape, force and harassment and development in the last few years where the demand for gender equality increasingly has focused on the body as can be seen in movements such as #freethenipple og #metoo.

Evaluation will take the form of a project/essay and a written examination.

The aim of the course is to introduce the students to the main topics in masculinity theory and research. Three main approaches in this century will be discussed, psychoanalysis, social psychology ("role" theory) and recent development centring on the masculinities will be discussed and how their creation and destruction is linked to other social structures. Specific attention will be paid to the participation of males in child care and domestic work and an Icelandic survey on males and family relations will be discussed.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective to analyse themes in movies, tv-shows, popular music and other entertainment media. The course goals are for students to develop further understanding of how social structures and social interaction work and social change occur. This is to be achieved by allowing students to practice using the sociological perspective and sociological theories on mainstream issues in different social contexts, from popular culture media.

The course will cover cities, towns, villages and farming communities in a world of globalisation. It will emphasise the mobility of people, money, products and information which has transformed the logic, delimitation and relations between urban and rural communities in different countries. Major theories on the interplay between culture and structure will be covered as well as the societal and technological changes which have reconstructed urban-rural distinctions and interconnections. Special attention will be given to patterns of migration within and between countries and their effects on the development of different settlements

Practical course designed to help students transfer knowledge and skills from undergraduate studies in sociology to the labor market. Course projects are designed to increase self-knowledge and boost the occupational competence of students after their studies are completed, emphasizing the competence to connect academic and practical knowledge in creative and critical fashion. Students will acquaint themselves with the work that particular individuals, companies, and institutions do and gain insight into the different jobs of sociologists. Students pick two out of the consortium of partners introduced in the first weeks of the course. Students will spend 10-15 hours on site during the mid-semester project week. The course evaluation is based entirely on course projects, and class attendance is mandatory.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective to analyse themes in movies, tv-shows, popular music and other entertainment media. The course goals are for students to develop further understanding of how social structures and social interaction work and social change occur. This is to be achieved by allowing students to practice using the sociological perspective and sociological theories on mainstream issues in different social contexts, from popular culture media.

A special emphasis will be on Icelandic popular culture.

NOTE: The course is taught in English but essays and such can be written in Icelandic or English. The course works as a fine practice in using English in an academic context, which is useful for those planning to further their studies abroad. 

The apple does not fall far from the tree? This course explores how a person’s social background affect the social position they ultimately attain in life and how inequality is reproduced from one generation to the next. The course addresses how social mobility has changed over time and across countries and which role education plays for the process of social mobility. We will discuss the main theories used to explain inequality in education and social mobility and (potential) changes over time. The course will focus on individuals’ social background (social class of origin, parental education or parental socio-economic status) but gender and ethnic inequalities will also be considered in the last meetings. In the seminar, we will read a mix of classic readings and more recent literature. Furthermore, special emphasis will be paid on discussing readings and findings from other countries with respect to the Icelandic country case.

The main aim of this course is to introduce the student to the field of Criminology. The subjects covered can be roughly divided into two broad categories. First: Criminological research and theoretical explanations, determining both what constitutes crime in society, in addition to the causes of crime, are explored and discussed. For this task, various perspectives are analysed and evaluated, such as Classical and Positivistic theories. Second: Four specific types of crime are closely analysed in terms of their nature and impact in society, theoretical explanations and finally their containment.

The objective of this course is to provide students with knowledge of the social basis of the media. To begin with, the course will discuss the history of communications and the historical background of contemporary media. Special attention is given to the control systems of media and relevant theories on such systems. Questions of pluralism in contents and control will be discussed in the light of ownership trends, competition and market concentration. Classic theories are introduced, along with recent researches, and terms like ownership, independence and news productions are examined. Agenda, framing, moral panic, propoganda, image production and discourse analysis are among the subjects scrutinised.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective on sport. Emphasis will be on the role of sport in society. 

We will discuss: the history and development of sport; the definition of sport; the purpose of sport; sport participation; the idea of sports as prevention; media sport; the commercialization of sport; sport and deviance; the social aspect of sport success; and we will cover a wide range of sport contexts such as; children´s sport, leisure sports and competitive- and elite sports.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Taught in August 2022

An investigation into the role of apparel in the formation of cultural boundaries and national identity in Iceland during the long 19th century (c.1790-1920). Clothing-practices, male and female, are considered in terms of defining a visible Icelandic identity in response to international fashions and style-trends. Special emphasis is placed on female costume. Theories on the development of cultural boundaries are introduced, as well as an approach toward investigating and interpreting primary sources in a cultural investigation. Travelogues and correspondences as well as historical journals and newspapers will be looked at to consider the dialogue across –and the development of— cultural boundaries in the conscious establishment of a national identity. Students will utilize the sources presented in a final written exam to illustrate evaluate and explain the effect and use of apparel by groups and individuals in the formation and establishment of cultural boundaries.

Instructor:  Dr. Karl Aspelund, Associate Professor, University of Rhode Island.

The legend tradition will be examined in detail in this course, in the light of both earlier and more recent academic theory concerning this subject. The concentration will be placed on Icelandic legends, how they have come about, been passed from person to person, living and developing in the oral tradition. Particular attention will be paid to what these legends tell us about folk belief in Iceland. From this viewpoint, particular attention will be paid to memorats, their source value, and the degree to which the narrative tradition shapes new narratives. Close attention will also be paid to Icelandic migratory legends, their means of transmission, their distribution, and they way in which they have been shaped and influenced by local narrative traditions and beliefs. In this context, attention will also be drawn to individual legendary motifs, and research that has been undertaken into them. 

This course provides an introduction to the study of folk narrative as a particular genre within the overall field of folkloristics. Students will be introduced to the main theories concerning the origins, features and distribution of folk tales, their role in society, their collection, methods of classification and means of preservation. Among others, students will be introduced to the work of Antti Aarne, Inger M. Boberg, Bruno Bettleheim, Linda Dégh, Stith Thompson, Timothy Tangherlini and Alan Dundes. Particular attention will be laid to the main forms of oral narrative, particular attention being paid to the form and analysis of legends and fairy tales from the viewpoint of the main arguments concerning these aspects of study, among others the work of Algirdas Greimas, Bengt Holbek, Max Lüthi, Axel Olrik and Vladimir Propp.

The objective of the course is to introduce students to new research within gender studies, so that they gain insight into the wide scope of issues gender studies deal with, and understand the importance of theoretical debates within the field. The course is based on active participation and projects conducted in conjunction with conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures in the field of gender studies and equality over the course of a semester, at the University of Iceland or elsewhere.

Performance Studies is the study of how humans create meaning and identity through shared activities ranging from traditional ritual and religion to storytelling and the arts as well as sports, stand-up comedy, festivals, masking traditions, civic ceremonies, political action and protest, dinner parties, and the virtual world. The course introduces students to theories about the wide range of semiotics involved in performance, from spoken text, to costume and appearance, expression and gesture, gender, social contexts, timing and use of space, as well as audience reception.

In this course the focus will be on the diversity of human material cultures and the manifold meanings objects have in different cultural contexts. The social aspects of things, their agency and their sometimes gender will be considered. The inalienability of certain things will be discussed as will the way the meaning of objects is often altered as they move from one social context to another. The utility of things such as tools will be pondered as well as man’s varied use of animals. In short: The course combines anthropological material culture studies with symbolic anthropology and a consideration of humanimal relations.

An introductory course of the foundations of social and cultural anthropology. The role of anthropology is examined, as well as its history, leading theories, methodology and concepts. Furthermore the course deals with social organisation in general, relations between society and the environment and social change. Individual social structural features are also discussed, such as kinship, political systems, economic systems and religion as well as anthropological studies of the Icelandic Society.

Iceland’s reputation as an international frontrunner in gender equality and queer issues has been taking shape during the last decades following top ranking in gender equality indices and queer measurements. In addition, Iceland's environmental quality has been considered priceworthy according to environmental performance ranking. This course looks beneath the surface of this image through an interdisciplinary lens. It addresses the main topics of gender equality, queer issues, sustainability and environmentalism from a diversity and intersectional perspective taking into account power relations in terms gender, class, ethnicity and globalization. A special emphasis is on how equality and sustainability issues are related to Icelandic politics and society.

In connection with the course KYN304G Gender Studies in a Flux: Current Issues in Theorising Gender, students can write an extra paper on a topic chosen in agreement with the teacher of the course.

This course involves an analysis of the social culture involved in games, entertainments, sports and festivals. Among other things, an examionation will be made of life festivals and seasonal festivals as well as games and leisure activities past and present, as well as other forms of activities like the banquets and dances known of the rural Icelandic society of the past. In addition to Icelandic festivals, attention will also be paid to comparable European festivals such as Halloween, and Mardi Gras. These activities involve a variety of folkloristic elements and have often formed one of the chief areas of folkloristic research. The aim is to introduce the wide range of research that has been carried out into the field in the last few years, students reading both key works and new researches. A great deal of source material is available on Icelandic festivals, games, sports and entertainments and the aim is to examine this material in the light of new theories and approaches.

Ethnicity, nationality, multiculturalism, and migration are the main themes of this course. We examine how anthropologists have studied these issues in different ethnographic contexts and how they relate to many other aspects such as gender, class and culture. We raise questions such as under what circumstances nationality becomes important and examine how they appear in Iceland and in other parts of the world.

In this course the focus is upon anthropologists' discussion of art. Different definitions of the concept will be considered and, in that context, the relation of art to aesthetics and ethics. Answers will be sought to the question of whether all work that appears artistic to westernized perception is indeed so to those who produce this work. Authorship, authenticity and problems arising from the interaction between different cultural traditions will be considered. In order to shed light on these issues various ethnographic studies throughout the world will be studied.

The anthropology of gender is often understood as synonymous for the anthropology of women, the anthropology of gender and culture, and feminist anthropology. The course discusses the origin and development of this branch of anthropology and traces the main emphases that characterize each period. These different stages, their research subjects and theoretical perspectives, are discussed. Lectures will cover the historical development of the discipline and its criticisms, with the focus ranging from biological perspectives, migration and multiculturalism, queer theory and masculinity.

Relations between humans and animals are the focus of this course, which will be approached from both an academic and an artistic standpoint. Students will complete independent projects on an animal of their choice and attend field trips in nature and museums. The lectures will focus on diverse animals, such as polar bears, whales, great auks and puffins and recent scholarship on them. We will dig into visual and material representations of these, and other, animals in varied cultural contexts, including medieval literature, folktales, oral tradition, film, news reports, material culture and tourism. Consideration will be given to the idea of an “afterlife” of animals in the form of artworks, museum artefacts and souvenirs. We will examine artefacts in both private and public collections and pose the questions of what happens when a living animal is turned into a museum object, and how the meaning that we bestow upon an animal can be subject to development and change under different circumstances. The role of animals in the creation of knowledge and formation of discourse surrounding climate change and issues of the Arctic regions will also be addressed, in addition to animals’ connections to specific places and cultural groups and their role in identity formations of past and present. An attempt will be made to step outside of “traditional” dualism in which an emphasis is placed on distinctions between humans and animals as we acquaint ourselves with the ways in which human/animal (ecological, social and cultural) habitats are intertwined.

Aim

The aim is to explore urgent questions and topical issues regarding human/animal co-existence, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental sustainability. We will consider how artists, researchers, activists and museums have been engaging with these questions and how they can further contribute to the discussion. We will examine how diverse museums convey their ideas and information on human/animal relations through their collections. Students will be encouraged to critically engage with visual material, objects and texts, both online and through visits to museums and exhibitions. 

The course focuses on a number of key areas of Icelandic society and culture from an anthropological perspective. The course will build upon a set of themes that have a long tradition within the anthropology of Iceland, but a particular emphasis will be placed upon the contemporary context and emergent issues that are confronting Icelandic society.  The instruction will be in English in order to make the course accessible to non-Icelandic speaking students, but also to strengthen the English academic writing skills of non-native speakers of English.

The course focuses on anthropological research on nature and the environment, as well as ideas from other human and social sciences, on the relationship between people and their environment. Various basic terms and theories central to environmental anthropology and related fields will be introduced and discussed.

The course explores several attempts to throw light on the emergence and characteristics of various cultural and social institutions and practices by reference to ecological systems and material relations as their foundation. It will also address critique of such attempts. 

A particular emphasis will be placed on changing views on the environment that have emerged in recent years, including ideas of resource extraction and management and several forms of environmentalisms.

Last but not least the many interactions of climate change causes and effects and societies will be explored as they are materialising all over the globe. Climate, climate change and society and culture, and their mutual influences, will also be investigated as a historical theoretical issue, from various points of view.

Several ethnographic examples of human-environment interaction will be examined throughout the course.

The course addresses the main issues in gender studies through the lens of diversity in modern societies. The gender perspective is applied to provide an overview of the status and condition of men and women. The origins and development of the fight for women’s rights and gender studies as an academic field. The main concepts of gender studies are introduced, including sex, gender, essentialism and social constructivism. Finally, the course looks into how gender necessarily intersects with other social factors.

Teaching Arrangement: The course is based on flipped learning, which means that all lectures will be available on Canvas. On-campus and distance students attend weekly discussion sessions at the university or on Teams, and online students participate in weekly discussions on Canvas.

An introduction to the subject of Folkloristics as an academic discipline both in Iceland and in other countries.The main concepts behind Folkloristics are introduced: the different fields that come under the headings of Folkloristics, the folkloristics view, the concept of culture, folk culture, folk customs and so on. The position of folkloristics within the humanities is discussed, as is its close relationship to other disciplines. A detailed examination is also made of the history of folkloristic research in Iceland and its neighbouring countries. Particular emphasis is placed on the discussion of the concept of folk beliefs, and in relation to this, an examination is made of Icelandic folk beliefs, past and present, their development and its individual characteristics. Material is drawn in part from articles from three of the following central academic journals: Ethnologia Scandinavica, Arv, Ethnologia Europea, Fabula, the Journal of Folklore Research, and the Journal of American Folklore.

In this course, a number of  wonder tales will be read and analysed, especially from the viewpoint of what they have to say about society. Emphasis will be placed on the folk tale tradition, the performances of storytellers, the way they regularly recreate stories, and then the various motifs that they use in this process. The wonder tales will also be analysed from the viewpoint of the variety of raw material that was available for use in such recreation, and with regard to the range of variants and story types that were known, different motifs being compared in the process. Following this, attempts will be made to consider the "meaning" of different wonder tales. They will also be examined with regard to their social meaning and context, especially with regard to the nature of the society that helped shape them, and then how they are now reused and recreated in different media.

Feminist anthropology began in the 1970´s as the anthropology of women. It developed into the anthropology of gender and finally, with emphasis on difference, into feminist anthropology. These different stages, their research subjects and theoretical perspectives, are discussed as are the work and position of women anthropologist previous to the formation of the field. Lectures will be given by different lectures on gender and biological anthropology, critique from the fringe, globalism, migration, sexuality, queer theory and masculinity.

The course is intended to give the student a better understanding that we live in a culturally diverse world that is characterized by a multitude of global relations. What happens in one place impacts life and health elsewhere, exemplified for example by the recent Ebola epidemic, the influx of refugees in Europe, and now a COVID-19 pandemic. Further, poverty, inequality, and weak health and educational systems can result in conflicts and migration within and between countries and continents. The health and wellbeing of people is thus the result of a complex interplay of socio-economic factors where we live and prosper. Good health, prevention, and cure will thus not only be built on innovations within the health sciences.

The aim of the course is to introduce the student to the field of global health and its key components and activities, with particular emphasis on middle- and low-income countries. During the course, issues addressed and discussed will include for example the concept of global health, inequality and other determinants for health and wellbeing, health systems, development assistance, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2016-2030, the contribution of social sciences to the discipline and ethical dilemmas.

The course is taught in English and is intended for in-class and distance learners.

The aim of the course is to introduce to business students the field of industrial and employee relations and the main changes that have occurred in the labour market for the last decades. This course cover topics such as; theories of the labour market (unitary, conflict, social action, systems and Marxist theories), strike theories, corporatism, comparative European industrial relations, industrial democracy and employee involvement, institutionalisation of conflict, collective bargaining, role of trade unions, role of the state, role of employers association. Labor law, collective bargaining, strikes and strikes theories will be discussed. Finally main topics concerning employment relations will be discussed.

This is a comprehensive course in multiple-regression analysis. The goal of the course is that students develop enough conceptual understanding and practical knowledge to use this method on their own. The lectures cover various regression analysis techniques commonly used in quantitative social research, including control variables, the use of nominal variables, linear and nonlinear models, techniques that test for mediation and statistical interaction effects, and so on. We discuss the assumptions of regression analysis and learn techniques to detect and deal with violations of assumptions. In addition, logistic regression will be introduced, which is a method for a dichotomous dependent variable. We also review many of the basic concepts involved in statistical inference and significance testing. Students get plenty of hands-on experience with data analysis. The instructor hands out survey data that students use to practice the techniques covered in class. The statistical package SPSS will be used.

Study of social movements constitutes a major subfield of sociology. Social movements refer to the actions of groups that try to influence the development of society or particular aspects of it, often on the basis of ideas about mutual interests or values. Movements include various types of cooperation and collective action, including local grassroots group action to transnational organizations. Social movements can lead to mass protest and even civil war and political revolutions. This course discusses theories and research in this field and focuses on selected examples. For example, the course will discuss historic revolutions, labor unions, women’s movements, religious movements, peace movements and environmental organizations. In particular, the course focuses on the international protest wave spurred by the global banking crisis, including the “Pots and Pans Revolution” in Iceland.

The course handles the emergence of social media as a governing force in modern communication, both on macro and micro-level. The sociological angle is scrutinized and institutions, communications between groups and individuals, politics, cultural production etc are all under the microscope. Recent researches relating to these fields are presented and examined. 

Over the past years, public discussion on how to address cases of sexual violence has been heated, particularly in the aftermath of the #MeToo Movement. Research shows that only a small percentage of such cases are reported to the police and only a small number of those cases lead to a conviction. This has been called a justice gap. Increasingly, we see victim-survivors of sexual violence tell their stories on social media, or in the media, and in some cases alleged offenders are named publicly which has evoked different responses amongst the public and had various consequences.

In this course, these societal developments will be explored from the perspective of sociology of law. Sociology of law uses theories and methods from the social sciences to examine the law, legal institutions, and legal behaviours, in the effort to analyse legal phenomena in their social, cultural, and historical contexts. To shed further light on the treatment of sexual violence cases, this course will also include readings from criminology, victimology, gender studies and the health sciences.

The course will seek answers to the following questions and more: Who commits sexual violence and why? How are men’s experiences of being subjected to sexual violence different from women’s experiences? Why is the legal status and rights of defendants different from that of victims? How is law in the books different from law in practice? How has the criminal justice system developed historically? What characterises legal education and the legal profession? What is the difference between legal consciousness and legal culture? How does legal justice differ from social justice? What are the advantages and disadvantages to non-traditional justice systems in comparison to traditional justice systems?

Young people’s lives are increasingly measured by the standards of a mobile living. This changed way of living arrived in the wake of populations growth, technological advancements, global information access, and precarious living conditions. While the length of the period of migration varies, this experience influences identities, social relations, and aspirational opportunities. Still, opportunities for mobile endeavors are affected by gender, class, education, sexuality, ethnicity, and citizenship status. Examples of such youth migration are found in Erasmus exchanges, au-pair, sports, volunteerism, love migration, health migration, forced migration, grassroot activism, criminalities, and nomadism.

Consequently, new knowledge on youth migration has been emerging within sociology. These studies generally refer to people in the age between 15-30. Collectively these works demonstrate what indicators influence the push and pull in migration patterns. Additionally, these studies illuminate what social networks, imaginaries, and temporal situations, such as local economic crisis or participation in activism, can be a push for young people to migrate or a pull to return. Thus, the recent works show what institutional, social, and economic obstacles, young people face, how such obstacles are situationally negotiated and finally acted on. Lastly, recent studies shed a light on what kind of effect the migration has on the migrants themselves, on their family members and the localities they inhabit. 

This course will highlight the main theories of youth migration and introduce recent works published in this field. The course is constructed as an introduction into the field of social and geographical mobilities in contemporary societies. The aim is to draw forth varied experiences of youth migration while deconstructing the intersectional positionality of persons within the specific youth group. Therefore, a critical light will be cast on intersectionality in relation to global events, media outlets and fragile citizenships status. Students will be encouraged to engage with the topic through the material provided, own experiences and future visions for the Icelandic society

Special focus will be on the most urgent issue of our time: climate change. We will examine how climate change is also a societal challenge. This means that climate change will have different effects within and between societies, particularly affecting those in lower social or economic positions. Factors such as injustice, social inequality, climate change policies, and tensions between countries due to climate change will be examined. The strength of environmental sociology lies in examining the relationship between the environment and societies. For example, it looks at social factors related to environmental issues, providing us with a deeper understanding of the effects of climate change on individuals and societies. This is achieved by examining how institutional and cultural dynamics intersect with environmental issues. Emphasis will be placed on exploring solutions for climate change across societies and understanding the theories we can use to comprehend those solutions. Additionally, we will explore how individuals are always guided to a certain behavior based on each society. That is, it matters which issues are defined as problems at any given time, as this influences people's behavior towards the environment. For example, attitudes towards waste sorting have changed over time in Iceland.

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) and interactive AI systems will inevitably have profound effects on individuals and societies. Just as the machines of the industrial revolution shaped modern society by revolutionizing the means of production, AI will very likely transform the information and service society of today. While doomsday predictions about world domination by sentient AI often capture the public's imagination, this course will focus on the more mundane AI systems that have already emerged, which can nonetheless creatively disrupt the patterns and structures of contemporary society. At this historical crossroads, the social sciences and humanities play a crucial role, and we therefore heartily welcome students from various disciplines to this interdisciplinary course. The course begins with a short, general introduction to interactive AI systems such as Bard, Copilot, Claude, and ChatGPT, as well as more specialized programs and system add-ons (plugins). Practical, theoretical, and ethical issues related to the use of AI in everyday life will also be discussed. However, the main emphasis will be on the social impact of AI in the present and its likely impact in the future. The latest research in this field will be covered, and students will have the opportunity to closely examine specific topics of their choice, such as the impact of AI on higher education, work and labor markets, democracy and equality, art, design and creative writing, media and communication, transportation, various services, law enforcement and security, and recreation and leisure. The course concludes with student presentations of their course projects.

Surveillance society and risk society are concepts that have become increasingly prominent in sociology. Furthermore there is growing interest in understanding how new technology shapes society; work arrangements, social interaction, social capital, and social sorting. The theories and writings of scholars like Manue Castells, Bruno Latour, Ursula Huws, David Lyon, Juliet Webster, Kristie Ball and Kevin Haggerty will be introduced. The attacks of 11 September 2001 were a watershed in terms of the surveillance society. A lot of capital is now spent on technology that can be used to observe people at work and play. The demand for increased productivity and increased corporate competition has led to comparable technology increasingly being used to observe employees, their efficiency and work behaviour. The consequences for the protection of the person are multifarious and indicate both increases in limits and liberties. The lines between personal and professional life have been blurred, as well as the limits between the material and the semiotic. Space has taken on new meaning as well as the body. New kinds of social media and online communities have given rise to new kinds of surveillance, what is known in the field as social surveillance.

The aim of the course is to analyse research and theories on the multifarious and paradoxical effects information and computer technology has on individuals and societies. Students read chosen texts on the above discussed issues and acquaint themselves with foreign and domestic research in the field.

The course considers the concepts of health and disease from a sociological point of view, by examining theories of social deviance and the sick-role. The social distributions of major current health problems are mapped and explained. Group differences in utilization and access to health care are described and explained. Developments and conflicts among physicians and nursing staff are discussed in terms of professionalization and professional dominance. The course concludes with alternative views on past and current contributions of health services to public health.

Discussion of sociological theories on mental illness and their use in explaining the distribution of mental illnesses in groups of specific age, gender, marital status and class. The conditions of the mentally ill and their relations with their families and members of the health profession. The difference in the use of mental health facilities of groups based on age, gender, marital status and class. Discussion of the organisation and effectiveness of the mental health service.

Students get a chance to stand up from the chair and try out various researches relating to media studies. Assesment is built on various projects and students will also read about classic and recent media researches.

Emphasis is on student engagement and activeness and the research projects will relate to all types of media.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

The course will focus on various cases from the nineteenth century onwards of cultural elements that have been considered adversary to culture and civilisation in Iceland. Ideas, behaviour and artefacts that have been seen to be threats to Icelandic culture or a menace to a sound and healthy cultural life (such as jazz, popular fiction, avant-garde art) will be reflected upon, and the nature of the assumed dangers explored. As part of the discussion, the interconnection between social power and culture will be taken into careful consideration and questions about who defines cultural menace, by what means and for what purpose will be asked. Do such threats have aspects in common and in what ways have definitions been influenced by interests, ideals and moral standards that are subject to change? To what extent have ideas about cultural menace played a role in fashioning and defining Icelandic culture?

To what extent has Icelandic culture been formed through normative ideas about cultivated behaviour and civilisation? To what extent has Icelandic culture been shaped through resistance to foreign mass culture that has been seen to present itself in the Icelandic community in the guise of, for example, Danish dress fashion and American soap-operas?

In the course theories on religion in anthropology are examined and discussed as are different religious beliefs and practices. Topical focus is on the reading of symbols, the understanding of religious action and the historical dynamics of religion, as well as the intersection of religion, magic, and witchcraft.

In this course, students become familiar with contemporary music, explore its origins and roles in society throughout the centuries: Folk and popular music that through cultural transmission has transformed into the “higher” music of religion or elites, and music of marginal groups that has exploded into the mainstream. The cultural role of music as entertainment, as industry, as catalyst for revolt and as a unifying force will be brought to the fore. The history of music collection, processing and publishing will be discussed, as well as stories and legends of the musical world and the material culture of music. Ideas surrounding creativity and the nature of the “creative act” itself will be examined, with regards to copyright and recycling of music.

Rhythm, blues, rap, grindcore, classical, hip-hop, jazz, pop, punk masses, breakbeat, opera and deathmetal.

According to the United Nation’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, slightly over half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. This is projected to be 66% percent by the year 2050, with Africa and Asia accounting for 90% of this new urban growth. Urban anthropology has increasingly played a critically important role in the development of the discipline of anthropology in terms of theory, research methods and social justice movements. This course provides an historical overview of the development of urban anthropology and on through to recent developments. An emphasis will be placed on anthropological theory and research methods, but also issues such as social justice, architecture, design and urban planning. The course will cover, among others, the early Chicago ethnographers and early urban poverty research, utopian and modernist urban planning, power and built form, divisions and gated communities, crime and urban fear, urban homelessness, and the governance of built spaces. The course will conclude with a section on cities in transition, which includes a focus on the post-industrial/global city, the effects of neoliberalism on urban spaces, and a discussion of the possible future(s) of urbanism and the role of anthropology in understanding these developments.

Students must have completed 120 ECTS in their BA study before attending this course

Introduction to the anthropological discussion of kinship (family relations), which has a particular history within the discipline that is both related to the development of theoretical perspectives and wider changes in regard to attitudes to gender and personal liberty. The main focus is on the various manifestations of family relations in contemporary societies following a short historical overview.

Everybody need to eat; food connects nature to culture, culture to industry, the public to the private, the local to the global, the home to the workplace, the past to the present and one person to another in relationships that organize and transcend the axes of class, gender, ethnicity, race and age. The study of food demonstrates that food is always laden with meaning that exceeds its nutritional value and that this meaning is central to understanding the relationship between food and people, one of the more important relationships we have with the world. Food habits thus reveal our views, values and aestethics, and food shapes our existence, bodies, memories, society, economy and ethics.

In the course we will explore what people eat, how, when, with whom and why. Doing so provides us with valuable insights regarding gender and generations, food safety and health, sustainability and human rights, class and cultural diversity, sense and sensibility, technology and food production, food and diet trends, food traditions and cultural heritage, emotions and microbes, friendship and family dynamics.

In the course we explore the relationship between food production and consumption in the 21st century with specific emphasis on public health, ethical consumption and sustainability.

Food and culture is an interdisciplinary course taught in cooperation between the Department of Folkloristics/Ethnology and Museum Studies and the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition.

In this course, the focus will be on the cultural relativity of perception. A central concept here is that of the mode of perception, which refers to a particular integration of the sensorium in a certain cultural context. Visualism, aural cultures, and the multiple possibilities of smell, taste and touch for cultural expression will be among the topics of discussion. The main theories of perception that have provided anthropologists with inspiration will be introduced. There will also be an emphasis on practical experimentation with the students' perception of the various phenomena of the world.

Aim: To make students aware of the social constitution of perception and its cross-cultural relativity.

What is cultural heritage and what purpose does it serve? Why does it always seem to be endangered? How does it tie together the past and the present? What's it got to do with the nation and the state? Historical consciousness? Globalization? Capitalism? Politics? The course will seek to answer these questions with reference to new research in folklore, ethnology, anthropology, art history, sociology, museology, history and archaeology and with a view to understanding what is going on in this expanding field of study.

The course looks at how identities and images of Icelanders and other nations have been shaped and they use traditions in each case. We examine Icelandic experiences and images in relation to neighbouring countries and how narratives, traditions and material culture shape nations, from national museums to midwinter festivals in London, from a wee dram of whiskey (in Scotland) to Viking sagas (in Scandinavia), with a quick stop at Up Helly Aa (in the Shetland Islands) and Olavsvaka (in the Faroe Islands); we look at a fashion show in Nuuk Center (Greenland), Nordic settlements in the New World and then we’ll post it all on social media.

We explore films and music, festivals, games and political spectacles. In particular we will analyse how national images unite and divide different groups of people. In that context we look at men and women, rural and urban communities, mobile people, racism and gender. We’ll study these images as dynamics and ideals, resources and matters of dispute, that are used for various purposes by different people in different places, by demagogues and greens, government institutions and banks, scholars and students.

Both fixed and relative, lived and imagined, the North has been a reservoir of imaginary potential. In this potentiality, modern subjects -- local and distant -- might regenerate and reinvigorate. The North contains apparent contradictions: beautiful and terrifying, invigorating and deadly. The imagery of such an imagined and real north, read through history, folklore, literature, film, is the subject of this course. Comparative, interdisciplinary, and multi-sited, our investigations focus on the ways in which the construction of the North has been a contested field representing different agendas and offering divergent outcomes.

Teacher of the course: JoAnn Conrad

This is an introductory course that sheds light on the history of LGBTQI people in Iceland, their experiences, movement, and culture. The history is placed in an international context and the main milestones in their fight for human rights are addressed, as are their legal rights. Important aspects of socialization are addressed, such as the forming of one’s identity and the development of visibility, relationships with families of origin and the search for one’s own family of choice. The difference between lesbian and gay studies and queer studies is addressed and theories on the shaping of sex, gender, and gender trouble are reviewed. The discourse between LGBTQ people and social institutions are covered, as is their condition and quality of life. The role of sexuality in cultural representations is examined, exemplified in how the reality of LGBTQI appears in arts and culture. 

The course discusses the philosophical and theoretical foundations of gender studies, and the critical and interdisciplinary content of the field. The representation and meaning of sex and gender in language, culture, history, science, and society is explored. The analytical perspective of the field is presented, as is its relationship with methodology. Students are trained in applying theoretical concepts and methods independently and critically.

Teaching Arrangement: The course is based on flipped learning, which means that all lectures will be available on Canvas. On-campus and distance students attend weekly discussion sessions at the university or on Teams, and online students participate in weekly discussions on Canvas.

This course deals with customs and daily life that existed in the rural society of Iceland in earlier centuries (both in the countryside and by the sea). Discussion is made of research methodologies used at home and abroad with regard to material culture and folk customs. Students will come into contact with a wide range of ethnological research, and learn to assess the strengths and weaknesses of different types of source material. Emphasis is placed on assessing the mind set behind popular culture, as students examine the course of life of those individuals who grew up within this society. At the same time, attention will be paid to which methods serve best as a means of researching the customs of these people. Among other things, students will work with unpublished personal sources such as answers to ethnological questionnaires, and diaries.

An examination will be made of the religious beliefs and practices of people in Scandinavia from the earliest of times until the conversion, material ranging from burial practices to rock carvings, to the written evidence given in the works of Tacitus, Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, as well as in early Icelandic works like the Eddic poems and the Kings' sagas. Alongside this discussion of the development and key features of Old Norse religion, some attention will be paid to the concepts of seid and shamanism, especially in connection to their role in early religions. Finally, an examination will be made of the conversion of Scandinavia and how Christian concepts and practices both fitted and contrasted with the previously dominant Old Norse worldview.

Teaching form:
The teaching takes place in the form of lectures and discussion on the material of the lectures.

The course focuses on fashion as a manifestation of material culture resulting from the behavior of individuals in society. Students investigate theories on fashion in industrialized market-economies, while considering various theories in philosophy, sociology, ethnology and anthropology. Concepts of influential factors in the development of apparel fashions will be critically reviewed and analyzed with a view toward students’ local community. The relationship of fashion development to different demographics, specifically in terms of gender, class, sexuality, age, and other significant demographics of social differentiation will be especially noted. An investigation into the “spirit of our time” (the “Zeitgeist”), and a field-study on the fashions of specific groups or locations will be conducted. These lead to a consideration of findings in the light of the theories presented. The investigations and discussions all lead to a final project resulting in a definition and analysis of the development and nature of current fashions as well as a formal forecast of future fashions and fashion–culture.

The course provides an overview of the main theoretical perspectives and research on rural issues. A particular emphasis will be given to regional development in Iceland compared to other countries in Europe and North-America. The course will uncover the interactions of social structure and societal development, population growth, urbanization and social change with regional development. Specific sectors of regional development and quality of life include agriculture, fisheries, industry, tourism, commerce and services, health care and policing, media, business, public administration, education and culture. The effects of globalization and multicultural society on regional development in Iceland will also be considered. Students will present and discuss learning material in weekly discussion sessions in real time.

The course is taught at the University of Akureyri 

Students must apply through the Network of Public Universities in Iceland : https://english.hi.is/collaboration/network_of_public_universities_in_iceland

In this course, anthropogenic climate change is examined as a social and cultural phenomenon. Anthropological theories based on ecological thinking serve as a backdrop to introducing students to writing about global warming within anthropology and related disciplines. How can we understand climate politics? Specifically, through conceptualizations such as climate justice, governance, responsibility, and political imagination in the Anthropocene. We will touch on various aspects of climate change as a political category, from emission reduction to adaptation, and international agreements to ethical consumption.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Project in Sociology

Term paper on a special project.

The main subject of the course is to learn about new and contemporary ethnographies, as well as to study recent research and writings on ethnographic practice. New ethnographies will be studied, and scholarly texts on contemporary ethnographic practice. The main goal of the course is for students to be able to acquire understanding of contemporary ethnpgraphies and analyse them, in contemporary as well as in a historical context, as on of the most important cornerstones of anthropology.

The course examines how the social appears in objects, homes, and human bodies. The focus ison the making of modern society and modern persons in Iceland and neighboring countries in order to better understand who we are and what we do today. Among topics covered are clothes and fashion, foodways, landscape, homes, hygiene and the stuff with which we surround ourselves in everyday life. To open these topics up to critical understanding students will become familiar with various theories and perspectives relating to concepts such as the body, class and taste, power and hegemony, affect and emotions, sex and gender.

This course discusses the sociological perspective and its topical application. The aim of the course is that students gain an overview of the existing knowledge on important sociological topics. The course will emphasize the relation between theory and findings from recent research. In addition to studying classical theory, modernization and central concepts such as social structure and culture, students will learn about research on a range of important topics, such as stratification, organizations, social movements, deviance and illness, children and youth, gender, immigration and the life course.

Í námskeiðinu verður kastljósinu beint að félagsfræðilegum rannsóknum á íslensku samfélagi. Kennarar námsbrautarinnar kynna tiltekin rannsóknarverkefni á sérsviði sínu, meginspurningar og sjónarhorn, aðferðir og helstu niðurstöður.

The aim of the course is to provide students with basic training in academic work methods. The course will provide an overview of the use of personal computers, information gathering over the computer network and the services of the University Library. Discussion of the presentation of assignments and essays and the various types of academic writings. Special emphasis on the structure of essays, citation of sources and format of documentation. Assessment is based on weekly assignments.

We will begin with a discussion about the theoretical premises of sociology and psychology and their connection in social psychology. The creation of groups and interaction within groups are key elements of the discussion. Specific attention will be devoted to methods in social psychological research i.e. participant observations and experiments. We will also discuss practical applications of social psychology within for example the criminal system, the labour market and human capital development. Students will be required to do a project on the basis researchtexts with the aim of increasing understanding of the interconnection of theory, methods and practical applications.

After completing the course students should know the key concepts within social psychology and be able to use them when analysing contemporary issues.

The course addresses deviance, social control, and marginalization from a sociological perspective. It explores key theories about individual motivations and social pressures that lead to deviance, as well as theories on how societies define deviance and label certain individuals as deviants. Emphasis is placed on power relations and struggles in defining deviance based on gender, age, class status, and other forms of social stratification, as well as cultural conflicts.The course also addresses the historical struggles between different social institutions over the ownership of specific forms of deviance, with a focus on the medicalization of deviance. Furthermore, it examines the normalization of certain traits, attitudes, and behaviors that were previously considered social deviance. Specific examples of deviance are discussed, such as substance use, sexual behavior, and self-harm, along with societal responses to certain ideas and physical characteristics as social deviance. Students in the course have the opportunity to reflect on these topics in larger and smaller groups and to explore a specific subject of their choice in greater depth.

This course teaches the foundations of social science methodology. The course covers the major elements of the research process and basic methodological concepts and issues. Moreover, the course provides an overview of the main social science research methods, including experiments, surveys, research based on official data, content analysis, and field research. The strengths and weaknesses of these methods are discussed in reference to the variety of goals that can be found within social science research.

Inequality has long been among the major concepts of sociology, as the focus of the discipline is often on how resources are divided in society with what consequences. Iceland was often considered a relatively equal society, but historical reconsiderations have shown that inequality was greater than we wanted to acknowledge. What is perhaps more important is that income inequality has varied over time, and the last decade has been characterized of great fluctuations in income, wealth, and economic hardship. Sociology offers a broad perspective on societal inequality, for example based on gender, age, nationality, race and sexuality. 

In this course, we will look at the major theories and research in sociology about inequality and put them into an Icelandic context. We will consider what kind of inequality exists in society and whether certain types of inequality will matter more in the future, for example due to changes in societal and population structures. In addition, we will look at the consequences of inequality on individual lives, for example regarding health, power, income and societal participation.

This course provides students with a basic understanding of the main concepts, theories and research in the sociology of the family. The family as an institute, changes in family forms, roles and the place that the family has in society from a historical perspective is discussed. Special attention is given to changes in family roles, such as roles of mothers, fathers and children and the impact these changes have on the abilities of famlies to balance work and family life.

The main focus in this course will be on the following: theories on aging, policies and concepts, lifespan development and the changes incurred during the mature years from a social, physical and emotional perspective. Emphasis will be placed on information about legislation and services for older people, the role of the Social Worker and methods of counselling, administration, instruction and prevention. After the course the students will have a necessary knowledge to assist and work with older people and their families.

This course teaches the foundations of statistics for the social science. First, we discuss measures of central tendencies and distribution of variables. Second, we learn the concepts involved in statistical inference and the application of significance testing. Third, we introduce measures of association between variables, including crosstabulation and simple regression analysis. We conclude the course with a brief introduction of multivariate statistics, including the use of partial tables and partial correlation. Students will learn how to use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze data.

The course introduces the theories of several social science pioneers in the context of contemporary sociology. The theories of Marx, Weber, Dukheim and other classical theorists will be discussed with an emphasis on their ideas about the social nature of humans,  the interplay of individuals and society, the causes and consequences of social development, structures of power and the role of social sciences. A special emphasis will be given to the biographical and historical context of the theorists and of their theories. The placement of these particular theorists in the sociological canon will be given special consideration. Lectures are pre-recorded and scheduled times used for in-class discussions.

The cource will present some of the majors aspects of qualitative methods in sociology, what theories and research questions call for those methods and how to use them. Qualitative methods dig deep in order to gain understanding of why people behave the way they do and how they make decisions. This is vhy we try to be as close to daily life as possible when conducting our studies. In the cource we will look at how to decide on a research method, the ties between theories and methods, ethical considerations, interviews, focus groups, participatory observations, ethnomethodology, personal documents, discource analysis, historical material, visual methods and triangulation.

We will discuss the relative merits and drawbacks of each method and the ways to analyze the material. Students try out different methods.

The course is intended for student who have finished at least their first year in sociology. Teaching takes place through lectures and workshops. Students are expected to participate fully and attendance is mandatory.

The course is a continuation of Theories in Sociology. Some major theoretical perspective in sociology and political science in the 20th century are discussed in this course, including the scientific and philosophical premises of the theories of social science, communications thories and conflict thories and functionalism and value thories. Finally, the main features of positvism and its applications in the social sciences are discussed and evaluated.

The course has three objectives. First of all, that students can explain the importance of working with quality measurements, and evaluate the quality of quantitative data. Secondly, student receive training in multivariate statistical methods, including factor analysis, reliability analysis and multiple-regression analysis. Thirdly, students will get the opportunity to apply the aforementioned methods to real survey data, and write research reports. Students will be taught on the use of Jamovi for assisting with the data analysis, but if preferred, students can opt for SPSS or R as well.

This course teaches the foundations of statistics for the social science. First, we discuss measures of central tendencies and distribution of variables. Second, we learn the concepts involved in statistical inference and the application of significance testing. Third, we introduce measures of association between variables, including crosstabulation and simple regression analysis. We conclude the course with a brief introduction of multivariate statistics, including the use of partial tables and partial correlation. Students will learn how to use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze data.

The course introduces the theories of several social science pioneers in the context of contemporary sociology. The theories of Marx, Weber, Dukheim and other classical theorists will be discussed with an emphasis on their ideas about the social nature of humans,  the interplay of individuals and society, the causes and consequences of social development, structures of power and the role of social sciences. A special emphasis will be given to the biographical and historical context of the theorists and of their theories. The placement of these particular theorists in the sociological canon will be given special consideration. Lectures are pre-recorded and scheduled times used for in-class discussions.

A preparatory workshop for BA-thesis in sociology. In the course, students will get advice on how to select a topic for their thesis and how to find a supervisor. Students learn how to deal with practical issues that might arise while writing the thesis. Students will also criticize an article in a field of their choosing.

In the course students learn how to present research results to others. The course ends in a BA-seminar.

The course is a continuation of Theories in Sociology. Some major theoretical perspective in sociology and political science in the 20th century are discussed in this course, including the scientific and philosophical premises of the theories of social science, communications thories and conflict thories and functionalism and value thories. Finally, the main features of positvism and its applications in the social sciences are discussed and evaluated.

The course has three objectives. First of all, that students can explain the importance of working with quality measurements, and evaluate the quality of quantitative data. Secondly, student receive training in multivariate statistical methods, including factor analysis, reliability analysis and multiple-regression analysis. Thirdly, students will get the opportunity to apply the aforementioned methods to real survey data, and write research reports. Students will be taught on the use of Jamovi for assisting with the data analysis, but if preferred, students can opt for SPSS or R as well.

In the course students learn how to present research results to others. The course ends in a BA-seminar.

A preparatory workshop for BA-thesis in sociology. In the course, students will get advice on how to select a topic for their thesis and how to find a supervisor. Students learn how to deal with practical issues that might arise while writing the thesis. Students will also criticize an article in a field of their choosing.

BA thesis, see https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4639

BA thesis, see https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4639

BA thesis, see https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4639

In the course, the student's task consists in being a mentor for participants that are upper secondary school students and university students in the project "Sprettur". Mentors' main role is to support and encourage participants in their studies and social life. As well as creating a constructive relationship with the participants, being a positive role model, and participating in events organized in Sprettur. The mentor role centers around building relationships and spending meaningful time together with the commitment to support participants. 

Sprettur is a project that supports students with an immigrant or refugee background who come from families with little or no university education. The students in this course are mentors of the participants and are paired together based on a common field of interest. Each mentor is responsible for supporting two participants. Mentors plan activities with participants and spend three hours a month (from August to May) with Sprettur’s participants, three hours a month in a study group and attend five seminars that are spread over the school year. Students submit journal entries on Canvas in November and March. Diary entries are based on reading material and students' reflections on the mentorship. Compulsory attendance in events, study groups, and seminars. The course is taught in Icelandic and English. 

Students must apply for a seat in the course. Applicants go through an interview process and 15-30 students are selected to participate. 

See the digital application form. 

More information about Sprettur can be found here: www.hi.is/sprettur  

The course focuses on several aspects of sexualities, changes and development since the beginning of the 20th century and particularly development within Iceland. We will discuss research that has been conducted from the book by Richard von Krafft-Ebing, Psychopathia Sexualis (1886) and up to recent studies in Nordic countries. We will particularly focus on changes in the social situation of homo- and bisexuals and we will discuss the BDSM-community and fetishism. We will also look at the commodification of sex from advertisements and sports to pornography and prostitution. Influences from religious beliefs, the school system, families and workplaces will be discussed as well as reproduction and sexual health. Finally we will address sexual violence, rape, force and harassment and development in the last few years where the demand for gender equality increasingly has focused on the body as can be seen in movements such as #freethenipple og #metoo.

Evaluation will take the form of a project/essay and a written examination.

The aim of the course is to introduce the students to the main topics in masculinity theory and research. Three main approaches in this century will be discussed, psychoanalysis, social psychology ("role" theory) and recent development centring on the masculinities will be discussed and how their creation and destruction is linked to other social structures. Specific attention will be paid to the participation of males in child care and domestic work and an Icelandic survey on males and family relations will be discussed.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective to analyse themes in movies, tv-shows, popular music and other entertainment media. The course goals are for students to develop further understanding of how social structures and social interaction work and social change occur. This is to be achieved by allowing students to practice using the sociological perspective and sociological theories on mainstream issues in different social contexts, from popular culture media.

The course will cover cities, towns, villages and farming communities in a world of globalisation. It will emphasise the mobility of people, money, products and information which has transformed the logic, delimitation and relations between urban and rural communities in different countries. Major theories on the interplay between culture and structure will be covered as well as the societal and technological changes which have reconstructed urban-rural distinctions and interconnections. Special attention will be given to patterns of migration within and between countries and their effects on the development of different settlements

Practical course designed to help students transfer knowledge and skills from undergraduate studies in sociology to the labor market. Course projects are designed to increase self-knowledge and boost the occupational competence of students after their studies are completed, emphasizing the competence to connect academic and practical knowledge in creative and critical fashion. Students will acquaint themselves with the work that particular individuals, companies, and institutions do and gain insight into the different jobs of sociologists. Students pick two out of the consortium of partners introduced in the first weeks of the course. Students will spend 10-15 hours on site during the mid-semester project week. The course evaluation is based entirely on course projects, and class attendance is mandatory.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective to analyse themes in movies, tv-shows, popular music and other entertainment media. The course goals are for students to develop further understanding of how social structures and social interaction work and social change occur. This is to be achieved by allowing students to practice using the sociological perspective and sociological theories on mainstream issues in different social contexts, from popular culture media.

A special emphasis will be on Icelandic popular culture.

NOTE: The course is taught in English but essays and such can be written in Icelandic or English. The course works as a fine practice in using English in an academic context, which is useful for those planning to further their studies abroad. 

The apple does not fall far from the tree? This course explores how a person’s social background affect the social position they ultimately attain in life and how inequality is reproduced from one generation to the next. The course addresses how social mobility has changed over time and across countries and which role education plays for the process of social mobility. We will discuss the main theories used to explain inequality in education and social mobility and (potential) changes over time. The course will focus on individuals’ social background (social class of origin, parental education or parental socio-economic status) but gender and ethnic inequalities will also be considered in the last meetings. In the seminar, we will read a mix of classic readings and more recent literature. Furthermore, special emphasis will be paid on discussing readings and findings from other countries with respect to the Icelandic country case.

The main aim of this course is to introduce the student to the field of Criminology. The subjects covered can be roughly divided into two broad categories. First: Criminological research and theoretical explanations, determining both what constitutes crime in society, in addition to the causes of crime, are explored and discussed. For this task, various perspectives are analysed and evaluated, such as Classical and Positivistic theories. Second: Four specific types of crime are closely analysed in terms of their nature and impact in society, theoretical explanations and finally their containment.

The objective of this course is to provide students with knowledge of the social basis of the media. To begin with, the course will discuss the history of communications and the historical background of contemporary media. Special attention is given to the control systems of media and relevant theories on such systems. Questions of pluralism in contents and control will be discussed in the light of ownership trends, competition and market concentration. Classic theories are introduced, along with recent researches, and terms like ownership, independence and news productions are examined. Agenda, framing, moral panic, propoganda, image production and discourse analysis are among the subjects scrutinised.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective on sport. Emphasis will be on the role of sport in society. 

We will discuss: the history and development of sport; the definition of sport; the purpose of sport; sport participation; the idea of sports as prevention; media sport; the commercialization of sport; sport and deviance; the social aspect of sport success; and we will cover a wide range of sport contexts such as; children´s sport, leisure sports and competitive- and elite sports.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Taught in August 2022

An investigation into the role of apparel in the formation of cultural boundaries and national identity in Iceland during the long 19th century (c.1790-1920). Clothing-practices, male and female, are considered in terms of defining a visible Icelandic identity in response to international fashions and style-trends. Special emphasis is placed on female costume. Theories on the development of cultural boundaries are introduced, as well as an approach toward investigating and interpreting primary sources in a cultural investigation. Travelogues and correspondences as well as historical journals and newspapers will be looked at to consider the dialogue across –and the development of— cultural boundaries in the conscious establishment of a national identity. Students will utilize the sources presented in a final written exam to illustrate evaluate and explain the effect and use of apparel by groups and individuals in the formation and establishment of cultural boundaries.

Instructor:  Dr. Karl Aspelund, Associate Professor, University of Rhode Island.

The legend tradition will be examined in detail in this course, in the light of both earlier and more recent academic theory concerning this subject. The concentration will be placed on Icelandic legends, how they have come about, been passed from person to person, living and developing in the oral tradition. Particular attention will be paid to what these legends tell us about folk belief in Iceland. From this viewpoint, particular attention will be paid to memorats, their source value, and the degree to which the narrative tradition shapes new narratives. Close attention will also be paid to Icelandic migratory legends, their means of transmission, their distribution, and they way in which they have been shaped and influenced by local narrative traditions and beliefs. In this context, attention will also be drawn to individual legendary motifs, and research that has been undertaken into them. 

This course provides an introduction to the study of folk narrative as a particular genre within the overall field of folkloristics. Students will be introduced to the main theories concerning the origins, features and distribution of folk tales, their role in society, their collection, methods of classification and means of preservation. Among others, students will be introduced to the work of Antti Aarne, Inger M. Boberg, Bruno Bettleheim, Linda Dégh, Stith Thompson, Timothy Tangherlini and Alan Dundes. Particular attention will be laid to the main forms of oral narrative, particular attention being paid to the form and analysis of legends and fairy tales from the viewpoint of the main arguments concerning these aspects of study, among others the work of Algirdas Greimas, Bengt Holbek, Max Lüthi, Axel Olrik and Vladimir Propp.

The objective of the course is to introduce students to new research within gender studies, so that they gain insight into the wide scope of issues gender studies deal with, and understand the importance of theoretical debates within the field. The course is based on active participation and projects conducted in conjunction with conferences, seminars, workshops and lectures in the field of gender studies and equality over the course of a semester, at the University of Iceland or elsewhere.

Performance Studies is the study of how humans create meaning and identity through shared activities ranging from traditional ritual and religion to storytelling and the arts as well as sports, stand-up comedy, festivals, masking traditions, civic ceremonies, political action and protest, dinner parties, and the virtual world. The course introduces students to theories about the wide range of semiotics involved in performance, from spoken text, to costume and appearance, expression and gesture, gender, social contexts, timing and use of space, as well as audience reception.

In this course the focus will be on the diversity of human material cultures and the manifold meanings objects have in different cultural contexts. The social aspects of things, their agency and their sometimes gender will be considered. The inalienability of certain things will be discussed as will the way the meaning of objects is often altered as they move from one social context to another. The utility of things such as tools will be pondered as well as man’s varied use of animals. In short: The course combines anthropological material culture studies with symbolic anthropology and a consideration of humanimal relations.

An introductory course of the foundations of social and cultural anthropology. The role of anthropology is examined, as well as its history, leading theories, methodology and concepts. Furthermore the course deals with social organisation in general, relations between society and the environment and social change. Individual social structural features are also discussed, such as kinship, political systems, economic systems and religion as well as anthropological studies of the Icelandic Society.

Iceland’s reputation as an international frontrunner in gender equality and queer issues has been taking shape during the last decades following top ranking in gender equality indices and queer measurements. In addition, Iceland's environmental quality has been considered priceworthy according to environmental performance ranking. This course looks beneath the surface of this image through an interdisciplinary lens. It addresses the main topics of gender equality, queer issues, sustainability and environmentalism from a diversity and intersectional perspective taking into account power relations in terms gender, class, ethnicity and globalization. A special emphasis is on how equality and sustainability issues are related to Icelandic politics and society.

In connection with the course KYN304G Gender Studies in a Flux: Current Issues in Theorising Gender, students can write an extra paper on a topic chosen in agreement with the teacher of the course.

This course involves an analysis of the social culture involved in games, entertainments, sports and festivals. Among other things, an examionation will be made of life festivals and seasonal festivals as well as games and leisure activities past and present, as well as other forms of activities like the banquets and dances known of the rural Icelandic society of the past. In addition to Icelandic festivals, attention will also be paid to comparable European festivals such as Halloween, and Mardi Gras. These activities involve a variety of folkloristic elements and have often formed one of the chief areas of folkloristic research. The aim is to introduce the wide range of research that has been carried out into the field in the last few years, students reading both key works and new researches. A great deal of source material is available on Icelandic festivals, games, sports and entertainments and the aim is to examine this material in the light of new theories and approaches.

Ethnicity, nationality, multiculturalism, and migration are the main themes of this course. We examine how anthropologists have studied these issues in different ethnographic contexts and how they relate to many other aspects such as gender, class and culture. We raise questions such as under what circumstances nationality becomes important and examine how they appear in Iceland and in other parts of the world.

In this course the focus is upon anthropologists' discussion of art. Different definitions of the concept will be considered and, in that context, the relation of art to aesthetics and ethics. Answers will be sought to the question of whether all work that appears artistic to westernized perception is indeed so to those who produce this work. Authorship, authenticity and problems arising from the interaction between different cultural traditions will be considered. In order to shed light on these issues various ethnographic studies throughout the world will be studied.

The anthropology of gender is often understood as synonymous for the anthropology of women, the anthropology of gender and culture, and feminist anthropology. The course discusses the origin and development of this branch of anthropology and traces the main emphases that characterize each period. These different stages, their research subjects and theoretical perspectives, are discussed. Lectures will cover the historical development of the discipline and its criticisms, with the focus ranging from biological perspectives, migration and multiculturalism, queer theory and masculinity.

Relations between humans and animals are the focus of this course, which will be approached from both an academic and an artistic standpoint. Students will complete independent projects on an animal of their choice and attend field trips in nature and museums. The lectures will focus on diverse animals, such as polar bears, whales, great auks and puffins and recent scholarship on them. We will dig into visual and material representations of these, and other, animals in varied cultural contexts, including medieval literature, folktales, oral tradition, film, news reports, material culture and tourism. Consideration will be given to the idea of an “afterlife” of animals in the form of artworks, museum artefacts and souvenirs. We will examine artefacts in both private and public collections and pose the questions of what happens when a living animal is turned into a museum object, and how the meaning that we bestow upon an animal can be subject to development and change under different circumstances. The role of animals in the creation of knowledge and formation of discourse surrounding climate change and issues of the Arctic regions will also be addressed, in addition to animals’ connections to specific places and cultural groups and their role in identity formations of past and present. An attempt will be made to step outside of “traditional” dualism in which an emphasis is placed on distinctions between humans and animals as we acquaint ourselves with the ways in which human/animal (ecological, social and cultural) habitats are intertwined.

Aim

The aim is to explore urgent questions and topical issues regarding human/animal co-existence, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental sustainability. We will consider how artists, researchers, activists and museums have been engaging with these questions and how they can further contribute to the discussion. We will examine how diverse museums convey their ideas and information on human/animal relations through their collections. Students will be encouraged to critically engage with visual material, objects and texts, both online and through visits to museums and exhibitions. 

The course focuses on a number of key areas of Icelandic society and culture from an anthropological perspective. The course will build upon a set of themes that have a long tradition within the anthropology of Iceland, but a particular emphasis will be placed upon the contemporary context and emergent issues that are confronting Icelandic society.  The instruction will be in English in order to make the course accessible to non-Icelandic speaking students, but also to strengthen the English academic writing skills of non-native speakers of English.

The course focuses on anthropological research on nature and the environment, as well as ideas from other human and social sciences, on the relationship between people and their environment. Various basic terms and theories central to environmental anthropology and related fields will be introduced and discussed.

The course explores several attempts to throw light on the emergence and characteristics of various cultural and social institutions and practices by reference to ecological systems and material relations as their foundation. It will also address critique of such attempts. 

A particular emphasis will be placed on changing views on the environment that have emerged in recent years, including ideas of resource extraction and management and several forms of environmentalisms.

Last but not least the many interactions of climate change causes and effects and societies will be explored as they are materialising all over the globe. Climate, climate change and society and culture, and their mutual influences, will also be investigated as a historical theoretical issue, from various points of view.

Several ethnographic examples of human-environment interaction will be examined throughout the course.

The course addresses the main issues in gender studies through the lens of diversity in modern societies. The gender perspective is applied to provide an overview of the status and condition of men and women. The origins and development of the fight for women’s rights and gender studies as an academic field. The main concepts of gender studies are introduced, including sex, gender, essentialism and social constructivism. Finally, the course looks into how gender necessarily intersects with other social factors.

Teaching Arrangement: The course is based on flipped learning, which means that all lectures will be available on Canvas. On-campus and distance students attend weekly discussion sessions at the university or on Teams, and online students participate in weekly discussions on Canvas.

An introduction to the subject of Folkloristics as an academic discipline both in Iceland and in other countries.The main concepts behind Folkloristics are introduced: the different fields that come under the headings of Folkloristics, the folkloristics view, the concept of culture, folk culture, folk customs and so on. The position of folkloristics within the humanities is discussed, as is its close relationship to other disciplines. A detailed examination is also made of the history of folkloristic research in Iceland and its neighbouring countries. Particular emphasis is placed on the discussion of the concept of folk beliefs, and in relation to this, an examination is made of Icelandic folk beliefs, past and present, their development and its individual characteristics. Material is drawn in part from articles from three of the following central academic journals: Ethnologia Scandinavica, Arv, Ethnologia Europea, Fabula, the Journal of Folklore Research, and the Journal of American Folklore.

In this course, a number of  wonder tales will be read and analysed, especially from the viewpoint of what they have to say about society. Emphasis will be placed on the folk tale tradition, the performances of storytellers, the way they regularly recreate stories, and then the various motifs that they use in this process. The wonder tales will also be analysed from the viewpoint of the variety of raw material that was available for use in such recreation, and with regard to the range of variants and story types that were known, different motifs being compared in the process. Following this, attempts will be made to consider the "meaning" of different wonder tales. They will also be examined with regard to their social meaning and context, especially with regard to the nature of the society that helped shape them, and then how they are now reused and recreated in different media.

Feminist anthropology began in the 1970´s as the anthropology of women. It developed into the anthropology of gender and finally, with emphasis on difference, into feminist anthropology. These different stages, their research subjects and theoretical perspectives, are discussed as are the work and position of women anthropologist previous to the formation of the field. Lectures will be given by different lectures on gender and biological anthropology, critique from the fringe, globalism, migration, sexuality, queer theory and masculinity.

The course is intended to give the student a better understanding that we live in a culturally diverse world that is characterized by a multitude of global relations. What happens in one place impacts life and health elsewhere, exemplified for example by the recent Ebola epidemic, the influx of refugees in Europe, and now a COVID-19 pandemic. Further, poverty, inequality, and weak health and educational systems can result in conflicts and migration within and between countries and continents. The health and wellbeing of people is thus the result of a complex interplay of socio-economic factors where we live and prosper. Good health, prevention, and cure will thus not only be built on innovations within the health sciences.

The aim of the course is to introduce the student to the field of global health and its key components and activities, with particular emphasis on middle- and low-income countries. During the course, issues addressed and discussed will include for example the concept of global health, inequality and other determinants for health and wellbeing, health systems, development assistance, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2016-2030, the contribution of social sciences to the discipline and ethical dilemmas.

The course is taught in English and is intended for in-class and distance learners.

The aim of the course is to introduce to business students the field of industrial and employee relations and the main changes that have occurred in the labour market for the last decades. This course cover topics such as; theories of the labour market (unitary, conflict, social action, systems and Marxist theories), strike theories, corporatism, comparative European industrial relations, industrial democracy and employee involvement, institutionalisation of conflict, collective bargaining, role of trade unions, role of the state, role of employers association. Labor law, collective bargaining, strikes and strikes theories will be discussed. Finally main topics concerning employment relations will be discussed.

This is a comprehensive course in multiple-regression analysis. The goal of the course is that students develop enough conceptual understanding and practical knowledge to use this method on their own. The lectures cover various regression analysis techniques commonly used in quantitative social research, including control variables, the use of nominal variables, linear and nonlinear models, techniques that test for mediation and statistical interaction effects, and so on. We discuss the assumptions of regression analysis and learn techniques to detect and deal with violations of assumptions. In addition, logistic regression will be introduced, which is a method for a dichotomous dependent variable. We also review many of the basic concepts involved in statistical inference and significance testing. Students get plenty of hands-on experience with data analysis. The instructor hands out survey data that students use to practice the techniques covered in class. The statistical package SPSS will be used.

Study of social movements constitutes a major subfield of sociology. Social movements refer to the actions of groups that try to influence the development of society or particular aspects of it, often on the basis of ideas about mutual interests or values. Movements include various types of cooperation and collective action, including local grassroots group action to transnational organizations. Social movements can lead to mass protest and even civil war and political revolutions. This course discusses theories and research in this field and focuses on selected examples. For example, the course will discuss historic revolutions, labor unions, women’s movements, religious movements, peace movements and environmental organizations. In particular, the course focuses on the international protest wave spurred by the global banking crisis, including the “Pots and Pans Revolution” in Iceland.

The course handles the emergence of social media as a governing force in modern communication, both on macro and micro-level. The sociological angle is scrutinized and institutions, communications between groups and individuals, politics, cultural production etc are all under the microscope. Recent researches relating to these fields are presented and examined. 

Over the past years, public discussion on how to address cases of sexual violence has been heated, particularly in the aftermath of the #MeToo Movement. Research shows that only a small percentage of such cases are reported to the police and only a small number of those cases lead to a conviction. This has been called a justice gap. Increasingly, we see victim-survivors of sexual violence tell their stories on social media, or in the media, and in some cases alleged offenders are named publicly which has evoked different responses amongst the public and had various consequences.

In this course, these societal developments will be explored from the perspective of sociology of law. Sociology of law uses theories and methods from the social sciences to examine the law, legal institutions, and legal behaviours, in the effort to analyse legal phenomena in their social, cultural, and historical contexts. To shed further light on the treatment of sexual violence cases, this course will also include readings from criminology, victimology, gender studies and the health sciences.

The course will seek answers to the following questions and more: Who commits sexual violence and why? How are men’s experiences of being subjected to sexual violence different from women’s experiences? Why is the legal status and rights of defendants different from that of victims? How is law in the books different from law in practice? How has the criminal justice system developed historically? What characterises legal education and the legal profession? What is the difference between legal consciousness and legal culture? How does legal justice differ from social justice? What are the advantages and disadvantages to non-traditional justice systems in comparison to traditional justice systems?

Young people’s lives are increasingly measured by the standards of a mobile living. This changed way of living arrived in the wake of populations growth, technological advancements, global information access, and precarious living conditions. While the length of the period of migration varies, this experience influences identities, social relations, and aspirational opportunities. Still, opportunities for mobile endeavors are affected by gender, class, education, sexuality, ethnicity, and citizenship status. Examples of such youth migration are found in Erasmus exchanges, au-pair, sports, volunteerism, love migration, health migration, forced migration, grassroot activism, criminalities, and nomadism.

Consequently, new knowledge on youth migration has been emerging within sociology. These studies generally refer to people in the age between 15-30. Collectively these works demonstrate what indicators influence the push and pull in migration patterns. Additionally, these studies illuminate what social networks, imaginaries, and temporal situations, such as local economic crisis or participation in activism, can be a push for young people to migrate or a pull to return. Thus, the recent works show what institutional, social, and economic obstacles, young people face, how such obstacles are situationally negotiated and finally acted on. Lastly, recent studies shed a light on what kind of effect the migration has on the migrants themselves, on their family members and the localities they inhabit. 

This course will highlight the main theories of youth migration and introduce recent works published in this field. The course is constructed as an introduction into the field of social and geographical mobilities in contemporary societies. The aim is to draw forth varied experiences of youth migration while deconstructing the intersectional positionality of persons within the specific youth group. Therefore, a critical light will be cast on intersectionality in relation to global events, media outlets and fragile citizenships status. Students will be encouraged to engage with the topic through the material provided, own experiences and future visions for the Icelandic society

Special focus will be on the most urgent issue of our time: climate change. We will examine how climate change is also a societal challenge. This means that climate change will have different effects within and between societies, particularly affecting those in lower social or economic positions. Factors such as injustice, social inequality, climate change policies, and tensions between countries due to climate change will be examined. The strength of environmental sociology lies in examining the relationship between the environment and societies. For example, it looks at social factors related to environmental issues, providing us with a deeper understanding of the effects of climate change on individuals and societies. This is achieved by examining how institutional and cultural dynamics intersect with environmental issues. Emphasis will be placed on exploring solutions for climate change across societies and understanding the theories we can use to comprehend those solutions. Additionally, we will explore how individuals are always guided to a certain behavior based on each society. That is, it matters which issues are defined as problems at any given time, as this influences people's behavior towards the environment. For example, attitudes towards waste sorting have changed over time in Iceland.

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) and interactive AI systems will inevitably have profound effects on individuals and societies. Just as the machines of the industrial revolution shaped modern society by revolutionizing the means of production, AI will very likely transform the information and service society of today. While doomsday predictions about world domination by sentient AI often capture the public's imagination, this course will focus on the more mundane AI systems that have already emerged, which can nonetheless creatively disrupt the patterns and structures of contemporary society. At this historical crossroads, the social sciences and humanities play a crucial role, and we therefore heartily welcome students from various disciplines to this interdisciplinary course. The course begins with a short, general introduction to interactive AI systems such as Bard, Copilot, Claude, and ChatGPT, as well as more specialized programs and system add-ons (plugins). Practical, theoretical, and ethical issues related to the use of AI in everyday life will also be discussed. However, the main emphasis will be on the social impact of AI in the present and its likely impact in the future. The latest research in this field will be covered, and students will have the opportunity to closely examine specific topics of their choice, such as the impact of AI on higher education, work and labor markets, democracy and equality, art, design and creative writing, media and communication, transportation, various services, law enforcement and security, and recreation and leisure. The course concludes with student presentations of their course projects.

Surveillance society and risk society are concepts that have become increasingly prominent in sociology. Furthermore there is growing interest in understanding how new technology shapes society; work arrangements, social interaction, social capital, and social sorting. The theories and writings of scholars like Manue Castells, Bruno Latour, Ursula Huws, David Lyon, Juliet Webster, Kristie Ball and Kevin Haggerty will be introduced. The attacks of 11 September 2001 were a watershed in terms of the surveillance society. A lot of capital is now spent on technology that can be used to observe people at work and play. The demand for increased productivity and increased corporate competition has led to comparable technology increasingly being used to observe employees, their efficiency and work behaviour. The consequences for the protection of the person are multifarious and indicate both increases in limits and liberties. The lines between personal and professional life have been blurred, as well as the limits between the material and the semiotic. Space has taken on new meaning as well as the body. New kinds of social media and online communities have given rise to new kinds of surveillance, what is known in the field as social surveillance.

The aim of the course is to analyse research and theories on the multifarious and paradoxical effects information and computer technology has on individuals and societies. Students read chosen texts on the above discussed issues and acquaint themselves with foreign and domestic research in the field.

The course considers the concepts of health and disease from a sociological point of view, by examining theories of social deviance and the sick-role. The social distributions of major current health problems are mapped and explained. Group differences in utilization and access to health care are described and explained. Developments and conflicts among physicians and nursing staff are discussed in terms of professionalization and professional dominance. The course concludes with alternative views on past and current contributions of health services to public health.

Discussion of sociological theories on mental illness and their use in explaining the distribution of mental illnesses in groups of specific age, gender, marital status and class. The conditions of the mentally ill and their relations with their families and members of the health profession. The difference in the use of mental health facilities of groups based on age, gender, marital status and class. Discussion of the organisation and effectiveness of the mental health service.

Students get a chance to stand up from the chair and try out various researches relating to media studies. Assesment is built on various projects and students will also read about classic and recent media researches.

Emphasis is on student engagement and activeness and the research projects will relate to all types of media.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

The course will focus on various cases from the nineteenth century onwards of cultural elements that have been considered adversary to culture and civilisation in Iceland. Ideas, behaviour and artefacts that have been seen to be threats to Icelandic culture or a menace to a sound and healthy cultural life (such as jazz, popular fiction, avant-garde art) will be reflected upon, and the nature of the assumed dangers explored. As part of the discussion, the interconnection between social power and culture will be taken into careful consideration and questions about who defines cultural menace, by what means and for what purpose will be asked. Do such threats have aspects in common and in what ways have definitions been influenced by interests, ideals and moral standards that are subject to change? To what extent have ideas about cultural menace played a role in fashioning and defining Icelandic culture?

To what extent has Icelandic culture been formed through normative ideas about cultivated behaviour and civilisation? To what extent has Icelandic culture been shaped through resistance to foreign mass culture that has been seen to present itself in the Icelandic community in the guise of, for example, Danish dress fashion and American soap-operas?

In the course theories on religion in anthropology are examined and discussed as are different religious beliefs and practices. Topical focus is on the reading of symbols, the understanding of religious action and the historical dynamics of religion, as well as the intersection of religion, magic, and witchcraft.

In this course, students become familiar with contemporary music, explore its origins and roles in society throughout the centuries: Folk and popular music that through cultural transmission has transformed into the “higher” music of religion or elites, and music of marginal groups that has exploded into the mainstream. The cultural role of music as entertainment, as industry, as catalyst for revolt and as a unifying force will be brought to the fore. The history of music collection, processing and publishing will be discussed, as well as stories and legends of the musical world and the material culture of music. Ideas surrounding creativity and the nature of the “creative act” itself will be examined, with regards to copyright and recycling of music.

Rhythm, blues, rap, grindcore, classical, hip-hop, jazz, pop, punk masses, breakbeat, opera and deathmetal.

According to the United Nation’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, slightly over half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. This is projected to be 66% percent by the year 2050, with Africa and Asia accounting for 90% of this new urban growth. Urban anthropology has increasingly played a critically important role in the development of the discipline of anthropology in terms of theory, research methods and social justice movements. This course provides an historical overview of the development of urban anthropology and on through to recent developments. An emphasis will be placed on anthropological theory and research methods, but also issues such as social justice, architecture, design and urban planning. The course will cover, among others, the early Chicago ethnographers and early urban poverty research, utopian and modernist urban planning, power and built form, divisions and gated communities, crime and urban fear, urban homelessness, and the governance of built spaces. The course will conclude with a section on cities in transition, which includes a focus on the post-industrial/global city, the effects of neoliberalism on urban spaces, and a discussion of the possible future(s) of urbanism and the role of anthropology in understanding these developments.

Students must have completed 120 ECTS in their BA study before attending this course

Introduction to the anthropological discussion of kinship (family relations), which has a particular history within the discipline that is both related to the development of theoretical perspectives and wider changes in regard to attitudes to gender and personal liberty. The main focus is on the various manifestations of family relations in contemporary societies following a short historical overview.

Everybody need to eat; food connects nature to culture, culture to industry, the public to the private, the local to the global, the home to the workplace, the past to the present and one person to another in relationships that organize and transcend the axes of class, gender, ethnicity, race and age. The study of food demonstrates that food is always laden with meaning that exceeds its nutritional value and that this meaning is central to understanding the relationship between food and people, one of the more important relationships we have with the world. Food habits thus reveal our views, values and aestethics, and food shapes our existence, bodies, memories, society, economy and ethics.

In the course we will explore what people eat, how, when, with whom and why. Doing so provides us with valuable insights regarding gender and generations, food safety and health, sustainability and human rights, class and cultural diversity, sense and sensibility, technology and food production, food and diet trends, food traditions and cultural heritage, emotions and microbes, friendship and family dynamics.

In the course we explore the relationship between food production and consumption in the 21st century with specific emphasis on public health, ethical consumption and sustainability.

Food and culture is an interdisciplinary course taught in cooperation between the Department of Folkloristics/Ethnology and Museum Studies and the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition.

In this course, the focus will be on the cultural relativity of perception. A central concept here is that of the mode of perception, which refers to a particular integration of the sensorium in a certain cultural context. Visualism, aural cultures, and the multiple possibilities of smell, taste and touch for cultural expression will be among the topics of discussion. The main theories of perception that have provided anthropologists with inspiration will be introduced. There will also be an emphasis on practical experimentation with the students' perception of the various phenomena of the world.

Aim: To make students aware of the social constitution of perception and its cross-cultural relativity.

What is cultural heritage and what purpose does it serve? Why does it always seem to be endangered? How does it tie together the past and the present? What's it got to do with the nation and the state? Historical consciousness? Globalization? Capitalism? Politics? The course will seek to answer these questions with reference to new research in folklore, ethnology, anthropology, art history, sociology, museology, history and archaeology and with a view to understanding what is going on in this expanding field of study.

The course looks at how identities and images of Icelanders and other nations have been shaped and they use traditions in each case. We examine Icelandic experiences and images in relation to neighbouring countries and how narratives, traditions and material culture shape nations, from national museums to midwinter festivals in London, from a wee dram of whiskey (in Scotland) to Viking sagas (in Scandinavia), with a quick stop at Up Helly Aa (in the Shetland Islands) and Olavsvaka (in the Faroe Islands); we look at a fashion show in Nuuk Center (Greenland), Nordic settlements in the New World and then we’ll post it all on social media.

We explore films and music, festivals, games and political spectacles. In particular we will analyse how national images unite and divide different groups of people. In that context we look at men and women, rural and urban communities, mobile people, racism and gender. We’ll study these images as dynamics and ideals, resources and matters of dispute, that are used for various purposes by different people in different places, by demagogues and greens, government institutions and banks, scholars and students.

Both fixed and relative, lived and imagined, the North has been a reservoir of imaginary potential. In this potentiality, modern subjects -- local and distant -- might regenerate and reinvigorate. The North contains apparent contradictions: beautiful and terrifying, invigorating and deadly. The imagery of such an imagined and real north, read through history, folklore, literature, film, is the subject of this course. Comparative, interdisciplinary, and multi-sited, our investigations focus on the ways in which the construction of the North has been a contested field representing different agendas and offering divergent outcomes.

Teacher of the course: JoAnn Conrad

This is an introductory course that sheds light on the history of LGBTQI people in Iceland, their experiences, movement, and culture. The history is placed in an international context and the main milestones in their fight for human rights are addressed, as are their legal rights. Important aspects of socialization are addressed, such as the forming of one’s identity and the development of visibility, relationships with families of origin and the search for one’s own family of choice. The difference between lesbian and gay studies and queer studies is addressed and theories on the shaping of sex, gender, and gender trouble are reviewed. The discourse between LGBTQ people and social institutions are covered, as is their condition and quality of life. The role of sexuality in cultural representations is examined, exemplified in how the reality of LGBTQI appears in arts and culture. 

The course discusses the philosophical and theoretical foundations of gender studies, and the critical and interdisciplinary content of the field. The representation and meaning of sex and gender in language, culture, history, science, and society is explored. The analytical perspective of the field is presented, as is its relationship with methodology. Students are trained in applying theoretical concepts and methods independently and critically.

Teaching Arrangement: The course is based on flipped learning, which means that all lectures will be available on Canvas. On-campus and distance students attend weekly discussion sessions at the university or on Teams, and online students participate in weekly discussions on Canvas.

This course deals with customs and daily life that existed in the rural society of Iceland in earlier centuries (both in the countryside and by the sea). Discussion is made of research methodologies used at home and abroad with regard to material culture and folk customs. Students will come into contact with a wide range of ethnological research, and learn to assess the strengths and weaknesses of different types of source material. Emphasis is placed on assessing the mind set behind popular culture, as students examine the course of life of those individuals who grew up within this society. At the same time, attention will be paid to which methods serve best as a means of researching the customs of these people. Among other things, students will work with unpublished personal sources such as answers to ethnological questionnaires, and diaries.

An examination will be made of the religious beliefs and practices of people in Scandinavia from the earliest of times until the conversion, material ranging from burial practices to rock carvings, to the written evidence given in the works of Tacitus, Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus, as well as in early Icelandic works like the Eddic poems and the Kings' sagas. Alongside this discussion of the development and key features of Old Norse religion, some attention will be paid to the concepts of seid and shamanism, especially in connection to their role in early religions. Finally, an examination will be made of the conversion of Scandinavia and how Christian concepts and practices both fitted and contrasted with the previously dominant Old Norse worldview.

Teaching form:
The teaching takes place in the form of lectures and discussion on the material of the lectures.

The course focuses on fashion as a manifestation of material culture resulting from the behavior of individuals in society. Students investigate theories on fashion in industrialized market-economies, while considering various theories in philosophy, sociology, ethnology and anthropology. Concepts of influential factors in the development of apparel fashions will be critically reviewed and analyzed with a view toward students’ local community. The relationship of fashion development to different demographics, specifically in terms of gender, class, sexuality, age, and other significant demographics of social differentiation will be especially noted. An investigation into the “spirit of our time” (the “Zeitgeist”), and a field-study on the fashions of specific groups or locations will be conducted. These lead to a consideration of findings in the light of the theories presented. The investigations and discussions all lead to a final project resulting in a definition and analysis of the development and nature of current fashions as well as a formal forecast of future fashions and fashion–culture.

The course provides an overview of the main theoretical perspectives and research on rural issues. A particular emphasis will be given to regional development in Iceland compared to other countries in Europe and North-America. The course will uncover the interactions of social structure and societal development, population growth, urbanization and social change with regional development. Specific sectors of regional development and quality of life include agriculture, fisheries, industry, tourism, commerce and services, health care and policing, media, business, public administration, education and culture. The effects of globalization and multicultural society on regional development in Iceland will also be considered. Students will present and discuss learning material in weekly discussion sessions in real time.

The course is taught at the University of Akureyri 

Students must apply through the Network of Public Universities in Iceland : https://english.hi.is/collaboration/network_of_public_universities_in_iceland

In this course, anthropogenic climate change is examined as a social and cultural phenomenon. Anthropological theories based on ecological thinking serve as a backdrop to introducing students to writing about global warming within anthropology and related disciplines. How can we understand climate politics? Specifically, through conceptualizations such as climate justice, governance, responsibility, and political imagination in the Anthropocene. We will touch on various aspects of climate change as a political category, from emission reduction to adaptation, and international agreements to ethical consumption.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Term paper on a special project.

Project in Sociology

Term paper on a special project.

The main subject of the course is to learn about new and contemporary ethnographies, as well as to study recent research and writings on ethnographic practice. New ethnographies will be studied, and scholarly texts on contemporary ethnographic practice. The main goal of the course is for students to be able to acquire understanding of contemporary ethnpgraphies and analyse them, in contemporary as well as in a historical context, as on of the most important cornerstones of anthropology.

The course examines how the social appears in objects, homes, and human bodies. The focus ison the making of modern society and modern persons in Iceland and neighboring countries in order to better understand who we are and what we do today. Among topics covered are clothes and fashion, foodways, landscape, homes, hygiene and the stuff with which we surround ourselves in everyday life. To open these topics up to critical understanding students will become familiar with various theories and perspectives relating to concepts such as the body, class and taste, power and hegemony, affect and emotions, sex and gender.

This course discusses the sociological perspective and its topical application. The aim of the course is that students gain an overview of the existing knowledge on important sociological topics. The course will emphasize the relation between theory and findings from recent research. In addition to studying classical theory, modernization and central concepts such as social structure and culture, students will learn about research on a range of important topics, such as stratification, organizations, social movements, deviance and illness, children and youth, gender, immigration and the life course.

Í námskeiðinu verður kastljósinu beint að félagsfræðilegum rannsóknum á íslensku samfélagi. Kennarar námsbrautarinnar kynna tiltekin rannsóknarverkefni á sérsviði sínu, meginspurningar og sjónarhorn, aðferðir og helstu niðurstöður.

The aim of the course is to provide students with basic training in academic work methods. The course will provide an overview of the use of personal computers, information gathering over the computer network and the services of the University Library. Discussion of the presentation of assignments and essays and the various types of academic writings. Special emphasis on the structure of essays, citation of sources and format of documentation. Assessment is based on weekly assignments.

We will begin with a discussion about the theoretical premises of sociology and psychology and their connection in social psychology. The creation of groups and interaction within groups are key elements of the discussion. Specific attention will be devoted to methods in social psychological research i.e. participant observations and experiments. We will also discuss practical applications of social psychology within for example the criminal system, the labour market and human capital development. Students will be required to do a project on the basis researchtexts with the aim of increasing understanding of the interconnection of theory, methods and practical applications.

After completing the course students should know the key concepts within social psychology and be able to use them when analysing contemporary issues.

The course addresses deviance, social control, and marginalization from a sociological perspective. It explores key theories about individual motivations and social pressures that lead to deviance, as well as theories on how societies define deviance and label certain individuals as deviants. Emphasis is placed on power relations and struggles in defining deviance based on gender, age, class status, and other forms of social stratification, as well as cultural conflicts.The course also addresses the historical struggles between different social institutions over the ownership of specific forms of deviance, with a focus on the medicalization of deviance. Furthermore, it examines the normalization of certain traits, attitudes, and behaviors that were previously considered social deviance. Specific examples of deviance are discussed, such as substance use, sexual behavior, and self-harm, along with societal responses to certain ideas and physical characteristics as social deviance. Students in the course have the opportunity to reflect on these topics in larger and smaller groups and to explore a specific subject of their choice in greater depth.

This course teaches the foundations of social science methodology. The course covers the major elements of the research process and basic methodological concepts and issues. Moreover, the course provides an overview of the main social science research methods, including experiments, surveys, research based on official data, content analysis, and field research. The strengths and weaknesses of these methods are discussed in reference to the variety of goals that can be found within social science research.

Inequality has long been among the major concepts of sociology, as the focus of the discipline is often on how resources are divided in society with what consequences. Iceland was often considered a relatively equal society, but historical reconsiderations have shown that inequality was greater than we wanted to acknowledge. What is perhaps more important is that income inequality has varied over time, and the last decade has been characterized of great fluctuations in income, wealth, and economic hardship. Sociology offers a broad perspective on societal inequality, for example based on gender, age, nationality, race and sexuality. 

In this course, we will look at the major theories and research in sociology about inequality and put them into an Icelandic context. We will consider what kind of inequality exists in society and whether certain types of inequality will matter more in the future, for example due to changes in societal and population structures. In addition, we will look at the consequences of inequality on individual lives, for example regarding health, power, income and societal participation.

This course provides students with a basic understanding of the main concepts, theories and research in the sociology of the family. The family as an institute, changes in family forms, roles and the place that the family has in society from a historical perspective is discussed. Special attention is given to changes in family roles, such as roles of mothers, fathers and children and the impact these changes have on the abilities of famlies to balance work and family life.

The main focus in this course will be on the following: theories on aging, policies and concepts, lifespan development and the changes incurred during the mature years from a social, physical and emotional perspective. Emphasis will be placed on information about legislation and services for older people, the role of the Social Worker and methods of counselling, administration, instruction and prevention. After the course the students will have a necessary knowledge to assist and work with older people and their families.

This course teaches the foundations of statistics for the social science. First, we discuss measures of central tendencies and distribution of variables. Second, we learn the concepts involved in statistical inference and the application of significance testing. Third, we introduce measures of association between variables, including crosstabulation and simple regression analysis. We conclude the course with a brief introduction of multivariate statistics, including the use of partial tables and partial correlation. Students will learn how to use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze data.

The course introduces the theories of several social science pioneers in the context of contemporary sociology. The theories of Marx, Weber, Dukheim and other classical theorists will be discussed with an emphasis on their ideas about the social nature of humans,  the interplay of individuals and society, the causes and consequences of social development, structures of power and the role of social sciences. A special emphasis will be given to the biographical and historical context of the theorists and of their theories. The placement of these particular theorists in the sociological canon will be given special consideration. Lectures are pre-recorded and scheduled times used for in-class discussions.

The cource will present some of the majors aspects of qualitative methods in sociology, what theories and research questions call for those methods and how to use them. Qualitative methods dig deep in order to gain understanding of why people behave the way they do and how they make decisions. This is vhy we try to be as close to daily life as possible when conducting our studies. In the cource we will look at how to decide on a research method, the ties between theories and methods, ethical considerations, interviews, focus groups, participatory observations, ethnomethodology, personal documents, discource analysis, historical material, visual methods and triangulation.

We will discuss the relative merits and drawbacks of each method and the ways to analyze the material. Students try out different methods.

The course is intended for student who have finished at least their first year in sociology. Teaching takes place through lectures and workshops. Students are expected to participate fully and attendance is mandatory.

The course is a continuation of Theories in Sociology. Some major theoretical perspective in sociology and political science in the 20th century are discussed in this course, including the scientific and philosophical premises of the theories of social science, communications thories and conflict thories and functionalism and value thories. Finally, the main features of positvism and its applications in the social sciences are discussed and evaluated.

The course has three objectives. First of all, that students can explain the importance of working with quality measurements, and evaluate the quality of quantitative data. Secondly, student receive training in multivariate statistical methods, including factor analysis, reliability analysis and multiple-regression analysis. Thirdly, students will get the opportunity to apply the aforementioned methods to real survey data, and write research reports. Students will be taught on the use of Jamovi for assisting with the data analysis, but if preferred, students can opt for SPSS or R as well.

This course teaches the foundations of statistics for the social science. First, we discuss measures of central tendencies and distribution of variables. Second, we learn the concepts involved in statistical inference and the application of significance testing. Third, we introduce measures of association between variables, including crosstabulation and simple regression analysis. We conclude the course with a brief introduction of multivariate statistics, including the use of partial tables and partial correlation. Students will learn how to use the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze data.

The course introduces the theories of several social science pioneers in the context of contemporary sociology. The theories of Marx, Weber, Dukheim and other classical theorists will be discussed with an emphasis on their ideas about the social nature of humans,  the interplay of individuals and society, the causes and consequences of social development, structures of power and the role of social sciences. A special emphasis will be given to the biographical and historical context of the theorists and of their theories. The placement of these particular theorists in the sociological canon will be given special consideration. Lectures are pre-recorded and scheduled times used for in-class discussions.

A preparatory workshop for BA-thesis in sociology. In the course, students will get advice on how to select a topic for their thesis and how to find a supervisor. Students learn how to deal with practical issues that might arise while writing the thesis. Students will also criticize an article in a field of their choosing.

In the course students learn how to present research results to others. The course ends in a BA-seminar.

The course is a continuation of Theories in Sociology. Some major theoretical perspective in sociology and political science in the 20th century are discussed in this course, including the scientific and philosophical premises of the theories of social science, communications thories and conflict thories and functionalism and value thories. Finally, the main features of positvism and its applications in the social sciences are discussed and evaluated.

The course has three objectives. First of all, that students can explain the importance of working with quality measurements, and evaluate the quality of quantitative data. Secondly, student receive training in multivariate statistical methods, including factor analysis, reliability analysis and multiple-regression analysis. Thirdly, students will get the opportunity to apply the aforementioned methods to real survey data, and write research reports. Students will be taught on the use of Jamovi for assisting with the data analysis, but if preferred, students can opt for SPSS or R as well.

In the course students learn how to present research results to others. The course ends in a BA-seminar.

A preparatory workshop for BA-thesis in sociology. In the course, students will get advice on how to select a topic for their thesis and how to find a supervisor. Students learn how to deal with practical issues that might arise while writing the thesis. Students will also criticize an article in a field of their choosing.

BA thesis, see https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4639

BA thesis, see https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4639

BA thesis, see https://ugla.hi.is/kerfi/view/page.php?sid=4639

In the course, the student's task consists in being a mentor for participants that are upper secondary school students and university students in the project "Sprettur". Mentors' main role is to support and encourage participants in their studies and social life. As well as creating a constructive relationship with the participants, being a positive role model, and participating in events organized in Sprettur. The mentor role centers around building relationships and spending meaningful time together with the commitment to support participants. 

Sprettur is a project that supports students with an immigrant or refugee background who come from families with little or no university education. The students in this course are mentors of the participants and are paired together based on a common field of interest. Each mentor is responsible for supporting two participants. Mentors plan activities with participants and spend three hours a month (from August to May) with Sprettur’s participants, three hours a month in a study group and attend five seminars that are spread over the school year. Students submit journal entries on Canvas in November and March. Diary entries are based on reading material and students' reflections on the mentorship. Compulsory attendance in events, study groups, and seminars. The course is taught in Icelandic and English. 

Students must apply for a seat in the course. Applicants go through an interview process and 15-30 students are selected to participate. 

See the digital application form. 

More information about Sprettur can be found here: www.hi.is/sprettur  

The course focuses on several aspects of sexualities, changes and development since the beginning of the 20th century and particularly development within Iceland. We will discuss research that has been conducted from the book by Richard von Krafft-Ebing, Psychopathia Sexualis (1886) and up to recent studies in Nordic countries. We will particularly focus on changes in the social situation of homo- and bisexuals and we will discuss the BDSM-community and fetishism. We will also look at the commodification of sex from advertisements and sports to pornography and prostitution. Influences from religious beliefs, the school system, families and workplaces will be discussed as well as reproduction and sexual health. Finally we will address sexual violence, rape, force and harassment and development in the last few years where the demand for gender equality increasingly has focused on the body as can be seen in movements such as #freethenipple og #metoo.

Evaluation will take the form of a project/essay and a written examination.

The aim of the course is to introduce the students to the main topics in masculinity theory and research. Three main approaches in this century will be discussed, psychoanalysis, social psychology ("role" theory) and recent development centring on the masculinities will be discussed and how their creation and destruction is linked to other social structures. Specific attention will be paid to the participation of males in child care and domestic work and an Icelandic survey on males and family relations will be discussed.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective to analyse themes in movies, tv-shows, popular music and other entertainment media. The course goals are for students to develop further understanding of how social structures and social interaction work and social change occur. This is to be achieved by allowing students to practice using the sociological perspective and sociological theories on mainstream issues in different social contexts, from popular culture media.

The course will cover cities, towns, villages and farming communities in a world of globalisation. It will emphasise the mobility of people, money, products and information which has transformed the logic, delimitation and relations between urban and rural communities in different countries. Major theories on the interplay between culture and structure will be covered as well as the societal and technological changes which have reconstructed urban-rural distinctions and interconnections. Special attention will be given to patterns of migration within and between countries and their effects on the development of different settlements

Practical course designed to help students transfer knowledge and skills from undergraduate studies in sociology to the labor market. Course projects are designed to increase self-knowledge and boost the occupational competence of students after their studies are completed, emphasizing the competence to connect academic and practical knowledge in creative and critical fashion. Students will acquaint themselves with the work that particular individuals, companies, and institutions do and gain insight into the different jobs of sociologists. Students pick two out of the consortium of partners introduced in the first weeks of the course. Students will spend 10-15 hours on site during the mid-semester project week. The course evaluation is based entirely on course projects, and class attendance is mandatory.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective to analyse themes in movies, tv-shows, popular music and other entertainment media. The course goals are for students to develop further understanding of how social structures and social interaction work and social change occur. This is to be achieved by allowing students to practice using the sociological perspective and sociological theories on mainstream issues in different social contexts, from popular culture media.

A special emphasis will be on Icelandic popular culture.

NOTE: The course is taught in English but essays and such can be written in Icelandic or English. The course works as a fine practice in using English in an academic context, which is useful for those planning to further their studies abroad. 

The apple does not fall far from the tree? This course explores how a person’s social background affect the social position they ultimately attain in life and how inequality is reproduced from one generation to the next. The course addresses how social mobility has changed over time and across countries and which role education plays for the process of social mobility. We will discuss the main theories used to explain inequality in education and social mobility and (potential) changes over time. The course will focus on individuals’ social background (social class of origin, parental education or parental socio-economic status) but gender and ethnic inequalities will also be considered in the last meetings. In the seminar, we will read a mix of classic readings and more recent literature. Furthermore, special emphasis will be paid on discussing readings and findings from other countries with respect to the Icelandic country case.

The main aim of this course is to introduce the student to the field of Criminology. The subjects covered can be roughly divided into two broad categories. First: Criminological research and theoretical explanations, determining both what constitutes crime in society, in addition to the causes of crime, are explored and discussed. For this task, various perspectives are analysed and evaluated, such as Classical and Positivistic theories. Second: Four specific types of crime are closely analysed in terms of their nature and impact in society, theoretical explanations and finally their containment.

The objective of this course is to provide students with knowledge of the social basis of the media. To begin with, the course will discuss the history of communications and the historical background of contemporary media. Special attention is given to the control systems of media and relevant theories on such systems. Questions of pluralism in contents and control will be discussed in the light of ownership trends, competition and market concentration. Classic theories are introduced, along with recent researches, and terms like ownership, independence and news productions are examined. Agenda, framing, moral panic, propoganda, image production and discourse analysis are among the subjects scrutinised.

In this course we apply a sociological perspective on sport. Emphasis will be on the role of sport in society. 

We will discuss: the history and development of sport; the definition of sport; the purpose of sport; sport participation; the idea of sports as prevention; media sport; the commercialization of sport; sport and deviance; the social aspect of sport success; and we will cover a wide range of sport contexts such as; children´s sport, leisure sports and competitive- and elite sports.

Term paper on a special project.