03857 - General Sociology

Learning outcomes

The Course of General Sociology aims to help you to see and to analyse the main social trends in the 'post'-modern society, and the relevance of sport and exercise for billions of people in the world. A lot of theoretical and empirical tools will be presented, so you will be more able to better understand the dynamics of sport and exercise in the leisure time; the social relevance of Mse-Mega sporting events such as the Olympics, the Paralympics, and the International Football Championships; the politics for health and well-being by an active life, especially for children and elder people; etc.

Course contents

In order to achieve these goals, the Course of General Sociology will present contents, distributed in three parts: the institutional part, the monographic one, and the seminarial one.

 A) In its Institutional Part, the Course of General Sociology will outline the five main approaches to sport and physical activities, which are most frequently used by sociologists today. In addition, paying attention to the methods and techniques of social research, the Course will cover topics such as:

1. Sport and modernity: values, identity and disputes;

2. Sport and community: socialization, communication and deviance;

3. Sports and politics;

4. Sport and social environment.

These topics will be illustrated by case studies, examples and data, which will show that sport is a typical phenomenon of the modern society, and therefore it can be properly understood only with the help of Social Sciences, and of the Sociology, obviously.

 
b) in its Monographic Part the Course will present the exits of the differentiation process in the modern society, and will analyse the reasons of the growing relevance of sport in the free time and leisure activities. The Course will debate the hypothesis that a new social structure is emerging, which stronger links three systems: sport, media, and sponsors, and that it will be a lot of consequences on the people and on the civilization process.
 
c) the aim of the Seminarial part of the Course is to promote the student's cognitive interests, and to show studies and empirical researches in the field of the Sociology of sport and exercise.

Readings/Bibliography

One book is required to pass the exam; it is:

Martelli S., Porro N. (2018), Nuovo manuale di Sociologia dello sport e dell’attività fisica (New handbook of Sociology for Sport and Exercise), FrancoAngeli, Milano.

This Handbook is the minimum program.

The enlarged program:

You’ll can choise one book or more among the following ones:

Mangone E. (a cura di) (2016), Adolescenti e sport (Teenagers and sport). Trasformazioni sociali e pratiche motorie, FrancoAngeli, Milano.

Martelli S. (2012), Lo sport globale (Global Sports). Le audience televisive di Mondiali di calcio, Olimpiadi e Paralimpiadi invernali (2002-2010), FrancoAngeli, Milano.

Martelli S. (2011), Sport, media e intrattenimento. Emozioni in/controllate e struttura sociale emergente, FrancoAngeli, Milano.

Martelli S. (2010), Lo sport “mediato” (“Mediated” Sports). Le audience televisive di Olimpiadi, Paralimpiadi e Campionati europei di calcio (2000-2008), FrancoAngeli, Milano.

Porro N., Martelli S., Russo G. (a cura di) (2016), Il Mondiale delle meraviglie (A FIFA Cup, full of Wonders). Calcio, media e società da “ITALIA’90” ad oggi, FrancoAngeli, Milano.

If you have an educational debt, you have to fill it studying one book over the Manuale [Handbook of Sociology of Sport and Exercises], chosen from the list below.

If you have opted for the enlarged program, you can study one book or more, chosen from the list below, so that you’ll be able to gain 2 bonus and to gain a better (an excellent!) final score.

Teaching methods

Face-to-face lessons slide assisted, and case studies introduced by the new technologies of communications.

Assessment methods

At the exam an Erasmus+ student will receive a special questionnaire.

The test will consist of 5 open questions (the minimum program), or more (the enlarged program: +3 questions for each choised book = 5+3+… questions, & 2 ‘bonus’ if the answers will be right).

The Erasmus+ student will fill the spaces offered by the 10 lines, vacated after each question; as well as in Italian language, he/she can answer in one of the following languages: English, French, Spanish-Castiglian or Catalan.

He/She will have no more than 30' to answer at the questions (the minimum program), or more (+15’for each book of the enlarged program).

Be careful, please, in order to be registered to the roll-call: You have to insert your name in the electronic list for the exam within the 5th day before the fixed date (you can have access to the e-list in the AlmaEsami website). An Erasmus+ students may request an earlier review, according to the day of their departure from Bologna.

Teaching tools

Slides by Power Point.

Surfing the Internet.

Research outcomes, published by the SportComLab- the Study and Researches Center about the Sporting Communication of the Dept. of Educational Sciences, “Alma Mater Studiorum”- University of Bologna – see at: https://centri.unibo.it/sportcomlab/it

"Posts" sent by SportComLab via FaceBook and Twitter, announcing the theme of the next lesson and other useful news for didactics and exams.

Links to further information

https://centri.unibo.it/sportcomlab/it

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Martelli