57860 - Sociology Of The Third Sector

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide the essential elements of the analysis of the sphere of society called "Third Sector" The Third Sector collects a plurality of actors, entities, organizations, institutions and enterprises that share the following distinctive features: they are private entities, endowed with a degree of legal formalization; they are subject to a partial or total constraint on profits redistribution; they pursue civic, solidarity and social utility purposes and carry out activities of general interest. At the end of the course, the student will be able to: - explore and understand the different theories and approaches of social sciences about the birth, the presence, the evolution and the perspective of development of the Third Sector organizations; - understand the main definitions in the international context (with particular attention to the European context) concerning Third Sector organizations; - know the history, the evolution, the statistical data and the distinctive features of the different types of Third Sector organizations operating in Italy; - learn about the main Italian and European institutional framework and regulatory acts concerning Third Sector organizations; - applying the "Case Study" technique to Third Sector Organizations or to inter-organizational networks involving several types of organizations (public, private, non-profit); - critically compare the different approaches to the study of the Third Sector and discuss their implications for public policies.

Course contents

1. The origin of the discipline;

2. Main approaches and schools of thought;

3. Methodological tools to study the organizations;

4. Case studies;

5. Third Sector organizations: some definitions;

6. Third Sector organizations: theories and approaches;

7. Third Sector organizations: typologies and characteristics.

Readings/Bibliography

1) Cordery C., Bassi A., Aquino Alves M., (Edited by) (2024), The Third Sector research: the construction of a field of study, Springer, New York.

2) Baines Susan, Wilson Rob, Fox Chris, Aflaki Inga Narbutaité, Bassi Andrea, Aramo-Immonen Heli, Prandini Riccardo (edited by) (2024), Co-creation in Public Services for Innovation and Social Justice, Policy Press, Bristol. ISBN 978-1447367161.

Readings

1) Bassi A. (2023), The Relationship Between Public Administration and Third Sector Organizations: Voluntary Failure Theory and Beyond, in “Nonprofit Policy Forum” 2023; 14(4): 385–404. 

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/npf-2022-0049/html

2) Bassi A. (2023), A Pact with the Third Sector. Between Co-Production and Civic Participation. The Italian Case, in “Polish Political Science Yearbook”, Vol. 52, Special Issue, December 2023, p. 69-83.

https://czasopisma.marszalek.com.pl/en/10-15804/ppsy/11645-ppsy202354s

 

3) BASSI, Andrea and FABBRI, Alessandro. “Co-production paradigm: Threat or Opportunity for Social Economy? / Chapter 5”. In: BANCE, Philippe, BOUCHARD, Marie-J. and GREILING, Dorothea (eds). New perspectives in the co-production of public policies, public services and common goods. Liège: CIRIEC, 2022. (CIRIEC Studies Series; 3), pp. 99-123.

https://www.ciriec.uliege.be/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CSS3CHAP5.pdf

4) Bassi A. e Fabbri A. (2020), Under pressure: Evolution of the social economy institutional recognition in the EU, in “APCE - Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics”, Vol. 91, Issue 3, 2020; 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1111/apce.12264

5) Bassi A. e Fabbri A. (2019), Workers Buyout: Why Employee-owned Enterprises are more resilient than corporate business in time of Economic and Financial Crisis? The case of Emilia-Romagna Region, CIRIEC Working Paper No. 2019/13, p. 3- 23;

http://www.ciriec.uliege.be/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/WP2019-13.pdf

6) Bassi Andrea, Baines Susan, Csoba Judit and Sipos Flórián (2019), Social Investment in theory and praxis: a ‘quiet revolution’ in innovative local services?, in Baines Susan, Bassi Andrea, Csoba Judit and Sipos Flórián (2019) (edited by), Implementing innovative social investment: Strategic lessons from Europe, Policy Press, Bristol, pp. 195-213.

https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/25947/9781447351900_web.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

7) Bassi A. and Vincenti G. (2015), Toward a New Metrics for the Evaluation of the Social Added Value of Social Enterprises, «C.I.R.I.E.C. ESPAÑA», 2015, 83, pp. 9 - 42.

http://ciriec-revistaeconomia.es/wp-content/uploads/CIRIEC_8301_Bassi_and_Vincenti.pdf

Teaching methods

The lectures will present a general overview of the historical development of the discipline and an illustration of the main approach of the sociology of organizations.

The lectures will be supplemented with practical examples through short videos.

Assessment methods

The final examination consists of a colloquium that aim to ascertain students' understanding of the arguments presented during lectures.

The student must prepare the texts indicated in the above mentioned "Bibliography" and an argument chosen among the topics indicated in the "Readings" Section.

Teaching tools

Video projector, PC, overhead projector.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Bassi