00905 - Sociology (F-N)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student: - has a basic knowledge of Sociology: its origins, its main paradigms and theories, its methods of analysis, its objects of study; - possess tools for the analysis and understanding of contemporary social phenomena, such as globalisation, also functional to the reading and understanding of certain social contexts.

Course contents

Introduction and explanation of main sociological approaches, with specific reference to some classical authors and theories. Illustration of the theoretical, methodological and epistemological debate based on the necessity to introduce new approaches in order to cross the dichotomous distinctions which affected sociology in modernity (agency/structure; micro/macro; quality/quantity; individualism/collectivism). Focus on the importance of representation (literature, cinema, TV series) to understand the social reality we live in.

Readings/Bibliography

O’Byrne, D.
2013. Introducing sociological theory. London. Routhedge.

Heinich, N.

2021. La sociologia alla prova dell'arte. Milano-Udine. Mimesis (only chapter n. 6. La costruzione di una sociologia, pp. 103-130).

Laugier, S.
2019 Cultura popolare e immaginario morale, in Sociologia e Politiche Sociali, vol. 22, n. 2. https://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/SchedaRivista.aspx?IDArticolo=64754&idRivista=66

Teaching methods

The course is organized in lectures and seminars. Lectures aim to introduce students to the core tenets of the discipline. Seminars aim to provide occasions for in-depth discussions of class materials and exercises. The division into lessons and seminars is specified in the program that follows. For the seminar section, students will be divided into 4 groups according to their preferences and according to rules concerning the current pandemic emergency.

Lessons and seminars.

Methods of conducting the seminars. On the teacher's website, in the Useful Contents section, the TV series, stories and films subject to discussion of each seminar meeting will be indicated and those attending will be required to read and watch before each lesson! The teaching methods will be seminars and will involve the return of the students directly to the classroom, or in written form (attending students must send weekly, via email or through other university web channels) comments on texts, films and episodes. The teacher will rely on these findings to guide the teaching of subsequent lessons.

Assessment methods

NON ATTENDING STUDENTS

Written exam on the texts indicated. The task consists of closed and open questions and lasts 90 minutes.

ATTENDING STUDENTS

Intermediate test on the first text and the chapter 6 on the text by Nathalie Heinich after the central part of the course (common to all) + Short essay in which the article by Sandra Laugier can be used in the classroom as a useful source for writing one's contribution which will have as its object the film, the TV series or the novel that will have been treated in the classroom by the teacher in one of the weekly seminars attended within groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 and which the student can choose freely.

ATTENTION!

Those who do not take the intermediate test, do not pass it or do not accept the grade will not be able to take the final test relating to the seminars (which will be held on the last day scheduled for each group). Those who do not pass the final exam on the seminars will still have to take the final exam as NON attending students in full.

Teaching tools

PPT Presentation (slides).

Office hours

See the website of Luca Martignani

See the website of Paola Canestrini

See the website of