B3027 - Culture and Society

Learning outcomes

The course investigates the role played by culture in social relations and in institutional processes as well. In particular, culture is analysed such as one of the main resources developed by social groups, people and Nations, that is as the focus on some crucial geopolitical, economic and religious themes that dominate the international debate. At the end of the course, students are able to know the different perspectives outlined by classic authors about the relationship between society and culture. Moreover, they are able to point out and examine the cultural dynamics that are involved in social processes both nationwide and at an international level.

Course contents

The course is scheduled to start in the second half of February 2026 and to conclude in the final week of May 2026 (please consult the calendar of lectures and seminars available on the course website). It is organised in two components: 20 lectures (40 hours) and 5 seminars (10 hours). The course comprises a total of 50 hours. Attendance at lectures may be taken at the lecturer’s discretion; attendance at all seminars will be formally recorded.

 

The course enables students to acquire a critical understanding of the core tenets of the discipline and equips them to apply key sociological concepts to the analysis of contemporary cultural processes. Through lectures, students develop a solid conceptual framework, while seminars foster the ability to engage in informed discussion and to apply theoretical perspectives to selected case studies. For the seminar component, participants will be allocated to four groups (changes of group are not permitted). Attendance at seminars requires prior reading of the assigned texts, and students are expected to contribute actively through brief presentations and active participation in discussions.

 

The course examines the principal contributions of sociology to the understanding of national and international cultural processes, with particular emphasis on:

 

PART 1. Culture and Society: Paradigms

1.1. Is it possible to study society and culture with a scientific methodology? The Positivist Paradigm.

1.2. What is the role of individual believes in democracy? Are social actions rational? The Paradigm of Social Action.

1.3. Is the meaning we attribute to things born from interaction among social actors? Are social actions strategic? The Symbolic Interactionist Paradigm and the Dramaturgical Model.

1.4. Is culture an ideological battleground? The Critical Paradigm.

 

PART 2: Identity Politics and the Demand for Dignity in the World Society

2.1. Globalism/Antiblobalism; global risks and the cosmopolitan critical theory.

2.2. Symbolic Power/Counter Power in the Digital World.

2.3. Culture and Globalization: identity politics and nationalisms.

2.4. Soft Power and Sharp Power in the Global Politics.

2.5. Intercultural Dialogue in the Era of Globalization

 

PART 3. Cultures and Societies in a Changing World

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to:

• Demonstrate an analytical and critical understanding of the specific contributions of the main social theorists and schools of thought;

• identify sociological works and theories that have influenced the study of international relations;

• have a good understanding of the fundamental problems of social epistemology and ontology, including debates on holism verus individualism, materialism versus cultural autonomy, realism versus social constructionism, cosmopolitanism versus communitarianism;

• know the main interpretations of the relationship between culture, society and politics with particular attention to the cultural processes of globalization and the role of cultural pluralism in the global era.

• demonstrate a thorough understanding of fundamental problems in social epistemology and ontology, including debates on holism versus individualism, materialism versus cultural autonomy, realism versus social constructionism, and cosmopolitanism versus communitarianism;

• evaluate the main interpretations of the relationship between culture, society, and politics, with particular attention to cultural processes of globalization and the role of cultural pluralism in the global era.

Readings/Bibliography

Since the beginning of the course, on "Culture and Society" Virtuale platform students can find uploaded (as pdf files) all texts to be studied in Part 1 and 2. More information on the Seminars will be given at the beginning of the course.

 

PART 1. Culture and Society: Paradigms

• G. Ritzer, J. Stepnisky, Classical Sociological Theory, 7th edition, Sage, London, 2018 (Chapters attached on the «Virtuale» platform).

• G. Ritzer, H. Stepnisky, Sociologycal Theory, 10th (or 8th or 9th) edition, Sage, London, 2018 (Chapter attached on the «Virtuale» platform).

• K.K. Cetina, What is a Pipe? Obama and the Sociological Imagination, in «Theory, Culture & Society», 26, 2009, pp. 129-140.

• J. Elster, The Marxist Critique of Ideology, in An Introduction to Karl Marx, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1986, pp. 168-185.

 

PART 2. Symbolic Power and Identity Politics in the World Society

• Held D., McGrew A. (2007), Globalization / Anti-Globalization. Beyond the Great Divide, Polity Press, Cambridge (Ch. 1, 8, 10).

• Beck U. (2007), The Cosmopolitan Condition. Why Methodological Nationalism Fails, in «Theory, Culture & Society», 24, pp. 286-290.

• U. Beck, The Metamorphosis of the World, Polity Press, Cambridge 2016, pp. 3-21 (Ch. 1).

• I. Wallerstein, Culture as Ideological Battleground of the Modern World-System, in «Theory, Culture and Society», 7, 1990, pp. 31-55.

• Nederveen Pieterse J. (2020), Globalization & Culture, Rowman & Littlefield, London (Ch. 4).

• Berger P.L. (2002), Introduction: The Cultural Dynamics of Globalization, in P.L. Berger, S. P. Huntington (ed. by), Many Globalizations: Cultural Diversity in the Contemporary World, Oxford University Press, New York-Oxford, pp. 1-16.

• F. Fukuyama, Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2018, ch. 1-6, 10-11.

• Castells M. (2015), Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age, Polity Press, 2nd edition, pp. 1-19 (Opening).

• J. S. Nye, Soft Power: The Means To Success In World Politics, Public Affairs, New York, 2005 (Ch. 1).

• Benahbib Sh. (2002), The Claims of Culture: Equality and Diversity in the Global Era, Princeton UP, Princeton (Ch. 1, 2).

• Crowder G. (2013), Theories of Multiculturalism, Polity Press, Cambridge (Ch. 1).

 

PART 3 (Texts in Part 3 can be found in Ruffilli Library and/or as e-books).

• W. Griswold, Cultures and Societies in a Changing World, 4th edition, Sage, London, 2013 (Ch. 1, 2, 3).

+ a chosen book:

• J.C. Alexander, Trauma: A Social Theory, Polity Press, Cambridge, 2012.

• M. A. Centeno, E. Enriquez, War and Society, Polity, Cambridge, 2016 (http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=1216074).

• Ronald F. Inglehart, Cultural Evolution: People's Motivations are Changing, and Reshaping the World, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2018.

• B. Moffitt, The Global Rise of Populism. Performance, Political Style, and Representation, Stanford, Stanford University Press, 2016.

• Y. Mounk, The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It, Cambridge (MT), Harvard University Press, 2018 (http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=1680153).

• J. S. Nye, Soft Power: The Means To Success In World Politics, Public Affairs, New York, 2005.

• Lee McIntyre, Post-Truth, MIT, Cambridge (MA), 2018.

Teaching methods

The course consists in Part 1 (Lectures) and Part 2 (Lectures and 5 Seminars). Lectures aim to introduce students to the core tenets of the discipline. The Seminars are inspired by the "flipped classroom" model, where students (devided in Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, Group 4) study the assigned texts before class in order to actively participate with brief presentations on case studies and discussions. It will not be possible to change groups. More information on the organization and calendar of the seminars will be given at the beginning of the course.

 

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE COURSE:

All students are requested to register to "Culture and Society" on VIRTUALE.UNIBO.IT This registration is necessary to find uploaded pdf texts to study and slides, to organize the seminars and receive the results of the mid-term exams.

 

Students with learning difficulties or temporary/permanent disabilities are advised to contact the appropriate office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as early as possible in order to discuss suitable adjustments. Requests for adjustments must be submitted at least 15 days prior to the exam date to lorenza.gattamorta@unibo.it Each request will be assessed to determine its appropriateness in light of the learning objectives of the course.

 

Non attending students (a justification is required) have to write to lorenza.gattamorta@unibo.it at the beginning of the course.

 

All Erasmus students have to write to lorenza.gattamorta@unibo.it at the beginning of the course.

Assessment methods

Examinations for Attending Students

All attending students are required to complete two written mid-term examinations and to participate in five seminars:

• First written mid-term examination (Part 1): Friday 28th March 2026

• Second written mid-term examination (Part 2): Monday 25th May 2025

• During the five seminars, students will deliver brief presentations based on case studies related to topics covered in Part 2 of the course and will actively participate in seminar discussions. Further details concerning the organisation of the four groups, the seminar schedule, and guidelines for the preparation of presentations will be provided at the beginning of the course.

Should a student fail/not take (or decline) the mark of one of the written mid-term examinations, they will be entitled to (re-)sit the written mid-term examination on the first examination date of the summer session.

 

Examinations for Non-Attending Students

During the summer examination session, non-attending students will be required to complete the following assessments:

• a written examination covering Parts 1 and 2 of the syllabus;

• an oral examination covering Part 3 of the syllabus.

At least two weeks prior to the examination, non-attending students must submit a written paper to lorenza.gattamorta@unibo.it The topic of the paper must be agreed in advance with the professor and must relate to Part 2 of the syllabus. The paper must be structured as follows: Title; Candidate’s name and surname; Abstract; five keywords; Premise; two main sections; Conclusion; Bibliography. The required length is 2,500 words, including the bibliography.

Within the first week of the course, students who are unable to attend (formal justification required) must notify the course professor by e-mail (lorenza.gattamorta@unibo.it). They are also required to enrol to the course 'Culture and Society' on the Virtuale.unibo.it platform.

 

Grading Policy

The final overall grade will be in the range 18-30:

- 30 cum laude and 30 (outstanding, sure grasp of all the material and many interesting insights)

- 28-29 (excellent, sure grasp of all the material and some interesting insights)

- 26-27 (very good, competent grasp of all the material)

- 24-25 (good, competent grasp of some material)

- 21-23 (satisfactory, partial grasp of the material)

- 18-20 (pass, barely sufficient grasp of the material)

- 17 or below (fail, insufficient grasp of the material)

Teaching tools

Video projector; the Virtuale platform.

Office hours

See the website of Lorenza Gattamorta