24546 - Sociology (10 Credits)

Learning outcomes

The course is aimed to provide basic knowledge about Sociology: its origins, its main paradigms and theories, its methods of analysis, its topics. A monographic part is dedicated to the analisys of the globalization, as one of the main aspects of contemporary society.

Course contents

The course is divided in three modules:

1. The 1st module will be dedicated to the origins of the Sociology and to the main sociological paradigms and theories. A strong emphasis will be placed upon its classic authors, its “founding fathers”: Comte, Marx, Durkheim, Simmel and Weber.
2. In the 2nd module the sociological theories will be linked to the society analysis: its structures,  institutions and processes. This part will be specially dedicated to the study of following topics: social interaction; gender and sexuality; families; crime and deviance; ethnicity and migration; class, social stratification and poverty; work; mass media and communications.
3. The 3rd module will be dedicated to the analysis of a one main aspect of contemporary society, globalization, that it is increasingly occupying the centre of sociological debates.

For the students of Social Work the course contents include only the first two modules.

The course is carried out in the 1st semester, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9,00 to 11,00 a.m. During the firsts lessons the 3rd module schedule will be comunicated to the students.

Readings/Bibliography

Reading list for the students of Political Sciences (10 ECTS) :

1. Jedlowski Paolo, Il mondo in questione, Carocci, Roma, 1998, Cap. 1-7, 10-12.
2. Giddens Anthony, Fondamenti di sociologia, il Mulino, Bologna, Nuova edizione a cura di Barbagli M., Baldini M., 2006, Cap. I-VIII, X e XII (in the previous edition: Nuova edizione 2000: Cap. I-IX, XI e XIII).
3. One of the following texts:

• Bauman Z., Dentro la globalizzazione: le conseguenze sulle persone, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2001.
• Beck U., Che cos'è la globalizzazione: rischi e prospettive della società planetaria, Carocci, Roma, 1999.
• Paltrinieri R., Consumi e globalizzazione, Carocci, Roma, 2004.
• Sen A., Globalizzazione e libertà, Mondadori, Milano, 2002.
• Singer P., One world. L'etica della globalizzazione, Einaudi, Torino, 2003.
• Stiglitz J., La globalizzazione e i suoi oppositori, Einaudi, Torino, 2003.

Attending students will have the opportunity to choose the third text from a larger list, that it will include further bibliographic references proposed during the lessons.

Reading list for the students of Social Work (6 ECTS):

• Jedlowski Paolo, Il mondo in questione, Carocci, Roma, 1998, Cap. 1-7, 10-12.
• Giddens Anthony, Fondamenti di sociologia, il Mulino, Bologna, Nuova edizione a cura di Barbagli M., Baldini M., 2006, Cap. I-VIII, X e XII (in the previous edition – Nuova edizione 2000: Cap. I-IX, XI e XIII.

Reading list for the ERASMUS students (9 o 10 ECTS)

1. Jedlowski Paolo, Il mondo in questione, Carocci, Roma, 1998, Cap. 1-7, 10-12.
2. One of the following texts:

• Bauman Z., Dentro la globalizzazione: le conseguenze sulle persone, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2001.
• Beck U., Che cos'è la globalizzazione: rischi e prospettive della società planetaria, Carocci, Roma, 1999.
• Sen A., Globalizzazione e libertà, Mondadori, Milano, 2002.
• Singer P., One world. L'etica della globalizzazione, Einaudi, Torino, 2003.
• Stiglitz J., La globalizzazione e i suoi oppositori, Einaudi, Torino, 2003.

Attending students will have the opportunity to choose the second text from a larger list, that it will include further bibliographic references proposed during the lessons.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons, including moments of discussion and comparison with the students.    

Assessment methods

The final assessment is an oral exam that consists in a conversation about the suggested reading list. The oral exam is aimed to assess the level of student knowledge of the topics treated during the course.

Teaching tools

Photocopies, Video-projector, PC, white board.

Office hours

See the website of Paola Parmiggiani