The Sociology of Dissent

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Dissent occupies a particular place in contemporary societies. On the one hand, state mechanisms adopt preemptive policies and strategies in an attempt to prevent dissent from evolving into civil unrest and disorder, whilst on the other hand, dissent remains the most powerful tool in the hands of those social groups who feel and/or are marginalized, excluded or silenced. Arising in a number of contexts - the political domain, everyday life, popular culture, sports, institutions - dissent has been routinely associated with progressive causes and positive social transformation. However, similarly to the germane concept of resistance, dissent can also take regressive forms. In recent years, the multiple manifestations of crisis in the West have given rise to ideologies and practices with a strong anti-establishment profile coupled with an agenda of social exclusion, calling, thus, for a revision of our sociological horizon and analytical tools with regards to dissent. Using contemporary Greece as an entry point to these debates and combining key readings with interactive learning methods, this course presents a sociological perspective on dissent that calls into attention the meanings and conceptual histories of dissent.