12078 - Sociology of Deviance

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Forli
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Sociology (cod. 8495)

Learning outcomes

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the sociological study of deviance and delinquency. By the end of the course students will be able to appraise the contribution of the theoretical frameworks analysed to our understanding of crime and deviance. 

Course contents

The first part of the program concerns the relationships between the sociology of deviance and the other human sciences putting into evidence the existence of different and sometimes opposing paradigms. Afterwards we will examine the historical and developing aspect of this discipline in order to focus our attention on the specific theoretical contributions which have fostered a debate in the criminological field.

Within this historical excursus, some aspects about the crime dynamics will be illustrated with a particular reference to the interaction between the offender and the victim.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Balloni A., Bisi R., Sette R., Criminologia e psicopatologia forense, Wolters Kluwer, Milano, 2019 (da escludere i seguenti capitoli: XIII, XIV e XV).

Matza D., Come si diventa devianti, Meltemi, Milano, 2019. A cura di C. Rinaldi.

Teaching methods

The course is organized through lectures taught in presence. The number of students allowed in class is determined on the basis of class capacity and by the health and safety provisions that deal with the pandemic emergency. In case more students want to attend classes in presence than permitted by the rules, a system of shifts will be organized so to allow students to participate in presence/online. Regardless of the health-related conditions and the specific organization of the course, students will be able to follow the lessons of the entire course (also those taught in presence) remotely on MS TEAMS.

Assessment methods

The final exam aims to verify the achievement of the following goals:

1) knowledge of the main criminological theories;

2) the ability to use these theories in order to analyze crime.

For attending students: two mid-term written tests. Each test includes a multiple choice quiz (20 questions: right answer +1; wrong answer 0) and an open question (0-10 points).

A last written test on the book by D. Matza (2 open questions - max. 15 points for each answer)

Attending students with insufficient intermediate tests will adopt the exam methods provided for non-attending students

For not-attending students, the exam will consist in a written text (4 open questions - max. 7.5 points for each answer) on the tests proposed (bibliography).

Teaching tools

PC and videoprojector. Web resources.

During lectures, the professor will use Power Point presentations that will be published on the website: https://iol.unibo.it

These documents do not substitute the compulsory reading materials, but they are supplementary and constitute a study guide to help gain a better understanding of the course contents.

Office hours

See the website of Sandra Sicurella

SDGs

Quality education Peace, justice and strong institutions

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.