45188 - Sociology of Lifestyles

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students are expected to acquire: - knowledge of sociological definitions and debates regarding contemporary lifestyles, including in particular identity building within work ethic and leisure activities, styles of consumption and taste cultures; - ability to critically analyse everyday phenomena from the perspective of sociological theories on lifestyles.

Course contents

• The notion of lifestyle and its complexity
• Analysis of classical sociological approaches to the study of lifestyles (Veblen, Simmel, Bourdieu)
• Dynamics concerning lifestyles: identification, differentiation and individualisation
• tendency to distinction and need for recognition
• Habitus, field, practice, social construction of taste
• Lifestyle and transformation of consumption styles
• The consumer as an active producer; “Strategies” and “tactics” in ordinary life
• The reflexive character of lifestyle in contemporary society and the biography of individuals
• Online identity, social capital 
• During the lessons, students will be invited to actively participate by exploring the possibility to apply key concepts of the addressed social theories to the analysis of contemporary aspects of lifestyles

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory readings

1. Bourdieu P. (1983), La distinzione, Bologna: Il Mulino (or further edition) [only chapter III, “L’habitus e lo spazio degli stili di vita”, pp. 173-231]
2. Codeluppi V. (2005), Manuale di sociologia dei consumi, Carocci (particularly, pp. 55-187)
3. De Certeau M. (2001), L’invenzione del quotidiano; Roma: Edizioni Lavoro [solo “Introduzione generale”, pp. 5-22; “Modi d’uso: arti e tattiche”, pp. 63-79]
4. Paccagnella L., Vellar A. (2016), Vivere Online. Identità, relazioni, conoscenza; Bologna: Il Mulino
5. * Simmel G. (1984), “Lo stile della vita”, in: Id., Filosofia del denaro; Torino: UTET [only cap. VI, pp. 607-718]; or Simmel G. (2003), Ventura e sventura della modernità. Antologia degli scritti sociologici; Torino: Bollati Boringhieri, pp. 116-236
6. Simmel G. (2003), "Sulla psicologia dell'ornamento", in Id., Ventura e sventura della modernità, a cura di Alferj e Rutigliano, Bollati Boringhieri, pp. 565-574 or further edition (e.g. in Simmel G., 2020, a cura di Carnevali B.-Pinotti Stile moderno. Saggi di estetica sociale, Einaudi) 
   

* As an alternative to Simmel (1984), "Lo stile della vita" (see 5), students can choose Taussig (2017), La bellezza e la bestia. Il fascino perverso della chirurgia estetica, Meltemi.

Further reading (optional) - Berzano L., Genova C. (2011), Sociologia dei lifestyle; Roma: Carocci

The bibliography may be subject to changes until the beginning of the lecture course.

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures, analysis of videos, and class discussions with students.

Assessment methods

Written essay (paper) to be sent to claudia.portioli@unibo.it 14 days before the date of the exam call. 25.000 characters including spaces for attending students and 30.000 characters including spaces for non attending students. Further details concerning how to prepare the paper and chose the topic with reference to the mandatory readings, will be uploaded on Virtuale.

The assessment will be based on the following criteria

• accuracy of contents
• comprehensiveness of the addressed topics and use of the mandatory readings
• capacity for clear expression
• skills of critical analysis and personal reinterpretation
• capacity of applying the theoretical approaches addressed within the mandatory readings to case analysis 
• reference accuracy
• depth of knowledge
  
• knowledge of the specific vocabulary

Teaching tools

During the lectures supplementary material will be used and/or shared (on "virtuale") in order to promote the active participation of the students.

Office hours

See the website of Claudia Portioli