Blockchain and Sociology

Dozent/in	Prof. Dr. Adam Hayes
Veranstaltungsart	Masterseminar
Code	HS251648
Semester	Herbstsemester 2025
Durchführender Fachbereich	Soziologie
Studienstufe	Master
Termin/e	wöchentlich (Di), ab 16.09.2025, 12:15 - 14:00 Uhr, 3.B57
Umfang	2 Semesterwochenstunden
Inhalt	"Blockchain and Sociology" examines blockchain and distributed ledger technologies as social artifacts that both reflect and reshape fundamental sociological concepts. Throughout, we will explore how these technologies illuminate—and simultaneously challenge—our understanding of issues such as trust, money, privacy, identity, power, social movements, inequality, governance, and more. The class combines fundamental sociological theories with contemporary case studies on blockchain platforms, cryptocurrencies, DAOs, and Web 3 communities. For this course, you don't need a background in computer science or a penchant for crypto speculation—just a willingness to think critically about how code becomes culture—in a sense. We'll begin by demystifying buzzwords: What does "decentralization" really mean when peer-to-peer networks are deciding billions in assets? To what extent does the promise of "trustless" interactions reflect—or upend—classic sociological research on social capital and institutional legitimacy? Using case studies—from grassroots voting experiments to NFT-driven art markets—you will see how distributed ledgers serve as living laboratories for questions that have occupied us since Durkheim and Weber. Group discussions, short writing assignments, and a practice-oriented mini-project will provide you with the tools to map theoretical debates onto real-world phenomena.
Sprache	Englisch
Anmeldung	***Important*** In order to earn credits, you must register for the course via the UniPortal. Registration is possible from two weeks before to two weeks after the start of the semester. Registration and deregistration are no longer possible after this period. You can find the exact registration details here: http://www.unilu.ch/ksf/semesterdaten
Abschlussform / Credits	Aktive Teilnahme (Referat) / 4 Credits