96320 - SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL RESEARCH

Learning outcomes

The course introduces students to the key concepts and themes of sociology and offers the skills to investigate social phenomena according to a sociological perspective and to design and conduct social research. At the end of the course, students will be able to analyze the key features of contemporary society and social phenomena, both at micro and meso and macro level, connect different approaches and concepts to interpret contemporary societies, social change and social inequality, understand the main epistemological orientations in the contemporary debate of social sciences and apply logical elements in the preparation of research drawings and in the interpretation of survey results.

Course contents

Please note: the course will begin on Monday, September 25th! Not on Monday, September 18th.

The course is an introduction to sociology and some basic concepts underlying social research methodology. The course will lay out the fundamental tenets of the discipline, including typical definitions, questions, theories, methods, perspectives and topics. The issues addressed by the course include:

- the aims of sociology: description of social phenomena, understanding their underlying processes, application of sociological insights
- the formulation of useful sociological theories and the relevant conceptual tools
- the goals of empirical research and the types of methods sociologists have at their disposal, with a focus on comparative approaches
- typical sociological topics, with a special focus on: beliefs, attitudes and values; social norms; social relationships; social stratification, mobility and other topics linked to inequality; immigration; modernization; religion; climate change
- the distinction between reality, thought and language, the unsteady relationship among which shapes any attempt to attain knowledge about society
- classical sociological thinkers.

Lessons will not deal with all issues explained in the reference texts listed below and also involve issues not addressed by said texts. The exam is based both on mastery of the reference texts listed below and the additional topics discussed in class.

Be aware: the course requires a high level of English language proficiency. 

 

Readings/Bibliography

Reference texts:

- van Tubergen, Frank, Introduction to Sociology, Routledge, 2020

- Corbetta, Piergiorgio, Social Research: Theory, Methods and Techniques, Sage, 2003: chapters 1-3 [https://methods.sagepub.com/book/social-research-theory-methods-and-techniques]

- Falzon, Danielle, J. Timmons Roberts & Robert J. Brulle, Sociology and Climate Change: A Review and Research Agenda, pp. 189-217 (chapter 10) in Beth Schaefer Caniglia et alii (eds.), Handbook of Environmental Sociology,  Springer, 2021 [pdf available on virtuale.unibo.it]

Teaching methods

Face-to-face lectures.

Attendance is strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

Assessment is performed via a written exam, made up of multiple-choice items and open-ended questions. Attending students are offered the opportunity to take an (optional) intermediate exam approximately mid-way through the lesson plan (October 30-November 4, 2023). The exam is based on the reference texts.

The second half of the exam, for those taking the intermediate exam, and the full exam will be offered once in the December 15-21, 2023 period and again once in the January 8-February 10, 2024 period. The full exam will be offered again (once) in the August 26-September 14, 2024 period. Please note the first available period for completing/taking the full exam is, unfortunately, in the days immediately preceding the holiday season; this is unavoidable for all exams in the EPOS degree programme, and interested students (especially international exchange students) need to adapt travel plans accordingly (https://corsi.unibo.it/1cycle/EconomicsPoliticsSocialSciences/academic-calendar).

Exams are administered in exclusively *written* form and *in person*. The only valid mark is the one achieved in the most recent attempt to pass the exam. Students can refuse a passing mark just once.

The full written exam comprises approximately 30 multiple-choice questions and approximately 5 open-ended questions. The intermediate exam and the second half of the exam are each slightly shorter.

Please note that Art. 25, Paragraph 2 of the Code of Ethics and Conduct of the University of Bologna requires that "in course exams and degree programme final exams, students must refrain from conduct that may cause disturbance or obstacle or involve harmful and/or dishonest consequences towards other students and the institution. Plagiarism or copying of other people's texts or other behaviours that hinder a correct evaluation of exam performances are contrary to the principles of this Code”.

Teaching tools

The material shown in class will be available on the virtuale.unibo.it website.

Office hours

See the website of Giancarlo Gasperoni