C8772 - SOCIOLOGIA GENERALE E FONDAMENTI DELLA RICERCA SOCIALE

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student:

• possesses an in‑depth understanding of the key categories necessary for interpreting society and is able to adopt an analytical approach to issues of social life, particularly with regard to situations of inequality, hardship, and social marginality;

• is able to interrogate everyday experience sociologically, as well as the complex relationship between social structure and individual agency, drawing on knowledge of both classical and contemporary theories and approaches in the discipline;

• is capable of understanding social and territorial contexts, with particular reference to the transformations that have occurred from the twentieth century to the present, and can engage with issues related to the dynamics of complex and multicultural societies;

• is able to collect, interpret, and reflect on data and methods relevant to their field of study, demonstrating critical‑scientific and reflexive capacities through the use of appropriate disciplinary terminology;

• can interpret, through sociological tools, the contexts in which social educators operate and provide them with analytical instruments to support professional intervention.

Course contents

The course will address the key concepts of sociology from its origins to the present day. Through the analysis of fundamental categories such as order, change, conflict, interaction, and social integration, and through the study of the founding fathers and other major thinkers in the discipline, the course aims to illustrate contemporary theoretical trends that help interpret the transformations of social life from modernity to post‑modernity.

More specifically, the course aims to:

1. Deepen theoretical perspectives and core sociological concepts used to examine—both theoretically and empirically—issues of major relevance in the international debate, which today also circulate widely in public discourse and have become part of common sense;
2. Analyse and discuss crucial categories for understanding contemporary society, such as: modernity and post‑modernity; globalization; institutions (educational system, family, etc.) and everyday life; social stratification and inequalities; gender and sexuality; ethnic groups and migration; conflicts and deviance; global communication (the evolutionary stages of the “mediatization” of society) and cultural production;
3. Introduce the main methodologies and analytical approaches of sociological inquiry, along with the related research techniques used to observe, describe, and analyse social reality.

Readings/Bibliography

For the preparation of the final exam, students are required to read the following volumes:

1. Giddens A., Sutton P. W. (2021), Fondamenti di Sociologia, Il Mulino, Bologna (6th Edition) [excluding chapters 11, 14, 15]

2. Jedlowski P. (2009), Il mondo in questione. Introduzione alla storia del pensiero sociologico, Carocci, Rome (only the chapters indicated during the lectures. Reading the Preface and Chapter 1 is recommended.)

3. Becker H. S. (2007), I trucchi del mestiere. Come fare ricerca sociale, Il Mulino, Bologna (only the chapters indicated during the lectures).

In addition, articles on current sociological issues, provided by the teacher, will be available: see also the platform https://virtuale.unibo.it/

Teaching methods

The course includes lectures and case studies, illustrated with new communication technologies, video materials, and contributions from sector experts. Through the Virtuale platform, students will be encouraged—by means of innovative teaching methods—to read and analyse essays, articles, and case studies, to foster discussion, analytical skills, and the ability to search for sources relevant to the examination of sociological phenomena

Assessment methods

The student will obtain the 10 ECTS credits by passing a written test consisting of multiple‑choice questions aimed at assessing the topics covered during the course (30 questions, 40 minutes). A group assignment linked to one of the proposed seminars is also available; its evaluation (from 0 to 5 points) will be added to the score obtained in the final test. This additional component is not mandatory and is left to the student’s choice.

Teaching tools

Video projections of the main contents of the lessons in the form of PowerPoint presentations; remote delivery of seminar meetings and related discussion groups, project work, and processing via TEAMS.

Office hours

See the website of Giovanna Russo

See the website of Sara Rita Farris