00905 - Sociology

Learning outcomes

The course aims to promote both the learning of the concepts and basic theoretical approaches of sociology, starting from the study of classical authors and reaching the most recent acquisitions, both the understanding of the most important characteristics, dynamics and functions of the main social institutions and contemporaries socio-economic processes. The student will achieve the appropriate ability to think and discuss from a perspective of social analysis, in order to address problems in his field of study. Additionally, the student will be able to communicate sociological issues, problems and perspectives to specialists and non-specialists, achieving learning autonomy in view of following study courses.

Course contents

The course consists of three modules.

Module A (26 h):

This part thematizes the emergence of the sociological thought, called to give a new perspective for the study analytical and interpretive and critical analysis of the specific dynamics of modern society and its institutions.

In this module the focus will be on the contribution of K. Marx, as one of the first classical thinkers within the social sciences.

The course will then focus on the presentation, analysis and discussion of some basic concepts of the sociological perspective (culture, socialization, family, social structure and inequalities, gender identity) and of the fundamental social institutions of contemporary society through the discussion of some topics. In particular, we will examine:
• the complex relationship which, through important social processes, is established between individuals and socio-cultural context;
• the relationship between Self and the socialization process, and its transformations in postmodern society;
• the characteristics and functions of one of the major social institutions, the family, and its transformations;
• the persistence and, at the same time, the transformation of multiple inequalities in economically advanced societies;
• the process of construction of gender identity, enhancing the link between gender and social inequalities (in labor market, family and media).

 

Module B (26 h):

In this module the attention will be on the analysis of the thought of two other thinkers of the classical sociological tradition, Durkheim and Weber, and their contribution to the study of changes caused by the emergence of modernity. In this part the focus will be on the presentation, analysis and discussion of key issues such as:

• the dynamic and complex relationship between conservation and socio-cultural change, conformity and deviance;

• the characteristics of economic systems and work organization, with attention to the transformations occurred in the transition to post-Fordist society;

• the relationship between individuals and living environment, and the changes that took place in the city;

• the relationship between individual and politics, exploring the nature of the changes in the State and within the concept of citizenship;

• social change in view of both the socio-demographic dynamics, both collective behavior and social movements, and cultural transformation.

 

Module C (8 h):

This part of the course will be devoted to investigating the effect of the changes caused by the globalization processes on different domains of social and individual experience, proposing a monographic study chosen by the student.

 

Readings/Bibliography

The course is based on the study of the following texts, that will constitute examination subject.

For the institutional part:

1. J.C. Alexander, K. Thompson, Sociologia. Estratto (Chapters I, III, V, VI, VII, IX, X, XIV, XV, XVI, glossary), Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010 (NB: this is the abridged version, 325 pp.).

2. P. Zurla, Società moderna e discorso sociologico , Angeli, Milano, 2003, (Chapters 1, 3, 5 and 6).

Moreover, students have to choose between one of the following thematic paths:

 Youth and youth policies:

Alessandro Cavalli, Carmen Leccardi (2013), Le quattro stagioni della ricerca sociologica sui giovani, in “Quaderni di Sociologia”, vol. 57, n.62, pp. 157-169

Alessandro Martelli (2014), L'incerto statuto delle politiche giovanili: uno sguardo europeo, in “Autonomie Locali e Servizi Sociali”, n. 3, pp. 373-378

Arianna Bazzanella, Giovanni Campagnoli (2014), Giovani e politiche giovanili in Italia, “Autonomie Locali e Servizi Sociali”, n. 3, pp. 379-402,  

Patricia Loncle (2014), Youth policies in France: old trends and new tendencies, in “Autonomie Locali e Servizi Sociali”, n. 3, pp. 423-442

Billie Oliver, Barry Percy-Smith (2014), A fig leaf for action: critical perspectives on youth policy in the Uk, in “Autonomie Locali e Servizi Sociali”, n. 3 , pp. 443-460

Migrants and migrations: 

 Roberta Perna (2015), L'immigrazione in Italia. Dinamiche e trasformazioni in tempo di crisi, in "Politiche Sociali”, n. 1, pp. 89-116.

Maurizio Ambrosini (2017), Aiutiamoli a casa loro? Uno slogan superficiale e fallace, in "Autonomie Locali e Servizi Sociali", n.3, pp. 531-549.

Flavio Ceravolo, Stefano Molina (2013), Dieci anni di Seconde Generazioni in Italia,  in “Quaderni Di Sociologia”,  vol. 57, n.63, pp. 9-34.

Rumbau Rubén G., Assimilation of Immigrants (2015). James D. Wright (editor-in-chief), International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2nd edition, Vol 2. Oxford: Elsevier, pp. 81-87, 2015. Available at SSRN:https://ssrn.com/abstract=2595896 

Vulca Fidolini, Costruzioni della maschilità nella transizione all'età adulta. Modelli egemoni e scripts sessuali tra i giovani marocchini in Italia e in Francia, in "Polis", n. 1 (apr. 2016), pp. 87-120

Women and gender studies:

Laura Balbo (2007), Studi di genere, politiche di pari opportunità. Prospettive, percorsi, parole chiave, in “Autonomie Locali e Servizi Sociali”, n.1, pp. 183-188.

Carla Facchini (2017), Per una lettura di genere delle politiche sociali, in "Autonomie Locali e Servizi Sociali", n.3, pp. 621-637.

Manuela Naldini, Chiara Saraceno (2008). Social and family policies in italy: Not totally frozen but far from structural reforms in “Social Policy and Administration”, vol.42, n. 7, pp. 733-748 

Paola Di Nicola (2013), Il lavoro di cura tra defamilizzazione e mercificazione in “Sociologia e Politiche Sociali”, vol. 16, n. 1, pp. 49-62.  

Maddalena Colombo (2012), Sogni di genere. Disuguaglianze e risorse nel futuro immaginato degli adolescenti in “Studi di Sociologia”, n. 1, pp. 77-90.

Teaching methods

The course will intensify the attention to the definitory and conceptual apparatus of sociology, in order to promote the acquisition of both the disciplinary perspective and of the codes adopted in its content organization.

The exposure of theories and concepts will be conducted through the reading of original texts of the authors of reference.

During the lectures it will be frequent the recourse to statistical-descriptive materials, available on Internet, with the aim of both introducing the students to the use of empirical-documentary data and evidence, and to practice the relationship between theory and social reality .
NB: It is recommend to consult the sociological dictionaries and / or social science encyclopedias (available in the Central Library "R. Ruffilli" in Forlì) to refine the basic concepts of sociological language used in texts and lessons. The students may refer the resources on the Unibo libraries'  website (http://biblioteche.unibo.it/portale), in particular to the Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology Online ( http://www.sociologyencyclopedia.com/subscriber/uid=373/?authstatuscode=202), in order to deepen the course content through the many available statistical, normative and documentary archives.

 

Assessment methods

The learning assessment for attending students is done through mid-term tests (scheduled at the end of each module, for a total of two tests), each lasting 50 minutes, to be carried out without the aid of notes or books, followed by an oral examination.

The written exams consist of two questions, concerning the subjects covered during lectures and in the reference texts, and will be evaluated in thirtieths.

Access to the oral exam is on the basis of a score equivalent to arithmetic average of the two mid-term tests. In case of non-exceedance of one or both intermediate tests, the written exam must be retried before the oral (with a text of 2 or 4 questions).

Unless the student does not intend to increase the rating (already sufficient) obtained in intermediate examinations (bringing the whole program to oral examination), the oral test concerns the monographic path chosen by the student, and will average the score reported in the writings.

 

For those who do not take part in the midterms exams and for non-attending students who do not follow the tutorial course, the learning assessment is done through a written test, lasting 2 hours, to be carried out without the aid of notes or books, followed by an oral examination.
The written exam consists of 4 questions, concerning the topics addressed in the course and texts related to the institutional part, indicated by the teacher, and includes an assessment expressed in thirtieths.
To be allowed to take the oral exam, it is necessary to obtain in the written test a minimum score of 18/30. The oral exam focuses on the monographic path chosen by the student. The final assessment is formulated ​​as above.

 

Criteria for the learning assessment: mastering of the complex terminological-definitory of sociology; ability to describe and explain phenomena, institutional processes, micro and macro dynamics studied by sociology, ability to return the theoretical and conceptual contribution of the classics and to argue also comparatively between one author and another; ability to deal with a sociological reflection of aspects and transformation processes of the contemporary society within scenarios of globalization.

Teaching tools

Projector, PC, powerpoint slides, articles and documents suggested during the lessons.

Links to further information

http://siti web consigliati: Eurostat, Istat, Oecd, AIS (Associazione italiana di sociologia).

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Zurla