22563 - MUTAMENTO SOCIALE

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student: - possesses a competent knowledge of the study of human societies, with particular attention to the processes of social change over time and the theoretical approaches with which to analyse them; - possesses tools for analysing and understanding important contemporary social phenomena, knowing how to interpret them from the perspective of social change with reference to relevant theoretical and analytical concepts of classical and contemporary sociology.

Course contents

The course aims to provide students with theoretical and conceptual tools to read and interpret the changes that have characterised human societies over time, and to apply the knowledge learnt to specific historical and contemporary phenomena. In particular, the course focuses on analysing the concept and process of social change by focusing on the dialectic between the forms of social organisation and the underlying economic and structural phenomena. Throughout the course, we will explore how the transformations of the production-economic system and specifically the evolution of capitalism from modernity to contemporaneity impact on the forms of social organisation over time, marking the transition from modernity to post-modernity, from societies based on reciprocity to market societies, from societies based on the nation state to globalised societies, etc. We will also look at how 'bottom-up' social processes such as social movements and conflicts can act as levers of social change.

The topics covered in the course will roughly be as follows

• The concept of 'social change'
• How does social change occur?
• Capitalism and social change in market societies: the thought of Karl Polanyi and the 'Great Transformation'
• The transition from Fordism to post-Fordism and the crisis of advanced capitalism
• Modernity and post-modernity
• Globalisation and Baumann's "liquid society"
• Struggles and social movements as drivers of social change
• The climate crisis as a new 'Great Transformation'?

Readings/Bibliography

Subject to changes / integrations:

1. Beck U (2013). La società del rischio. Verso una seconda modernità. Roma: Carocci.

2. Polanyi, K. (1944) (2010). La grande trasformazione. Torino: Einaudi.

3. Sennett, R., L’Uomo Flessibile. Le conseguenze del nuovo capitalismo sulla vita personale. Milano: Feltrinelli.

Ulteriore materiale di lettura utile per approfondire argomenti specifici sarà reso disponibile tramite la piattaforma Virtuale del corso.

Teaching methods

The course adopts the so-called "Y-shaped" teaching method: the course content is presented and discussed through a mix of lectures in which the entire class participates (with the use of slides, discussions and group exercises, for a total of 28 hours), and seminar format sessions in which the class is divided into two groups to encourage interaction and in-depth discussion of the texts (for a total of 16 hours per group). During the seminar sessions, students will be assigned group presentations, discussion exercises and critical analysis of the assigned texts.

Assessment methods

Attending students

•  Participation and reflection: During each seminar lecture (eight in total), students will be asked to complete a short reflective report on what they have covered during the week. In these reports they will be asked to reflect on the main concepts acquired and the questions or queries sort i during the lectures and the reading of the texts. Overall, the sum of the short reports handed in will determine 10% of the final grade.
• Group presentation: each student will give a group presentation during the seminar lectures on an assigned topic/text. The presentation will determine 10% of the final grade.
• Written exams: there will be two short in-class written exams for those attending, each worth 40% of the final grade (midterm + final test). Each exam will consist of an answer to an open question (chosen from a choice of two).
  The tests (midterm + final) for those attending will be taken on two dates confirmed during the course (approximately mid-March and early May). Outside these dates, the examination will only be taken as a non-attending student, except in documented cases of force majeure.
  
  
  To be considered an attending student, it is necessary to attend at least 16 lectures (out of 22 in total).
  
  

Non-attending students

During the examination session, non-attending students must hand in two essays of 2,500 words each, answering two tracks to be chosen from a choice of six.

Teaching tools

Material uploaded to "Virtuale"

Office hours

See the website of Arianna Tassinari