The course will aim to train students in the fundamentals of contemporary sociology. The conceptual foundations of the discipline and its main theoretical approaches will be explored in depth. Thematic analysis will be privileged, starting from the elements of society, such as its structural organisation, processes of socialisation and interaction, the role of organisations, phenomena of deviance and control, processes of urbanisation; as well as the main social institutions and the dynamics that regulate social evolution and change. The educational objectives of the course respond to the need to provide students with a basis propedeutical to their Bachelor's degree study. Special attention will be paid to Anthony Giddens' perspective on structuration theory and Erving Goffman's order of interaction. The study will be conducted through the analysis of concrete cases. In this way, the theoretical knowledge acquired will find an empirical application.

Topic list:

• Social structure
• Socialization
• Social interaction
• Organizations
• Deviance and social control
• Community and urban life
• Inequalities
• Social institutions
• Economy and society
• Collective behavior and social movements
• Social and cultural change

1. Knowledge and understanding: students should have knowledge of the fundamental aspects of sociology and the main contemporary sociological perspectives.

1.1. Students reach these basic knowledge attending lessons and studying mentioned textbooks.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding: students should be able to apply the acquired knowledge to the analysis of contemporary social phenomena.

2.1. Students reach these skills by tests and laboratory activities during class hours.

3. Making informed judgments: students must be able to present and discuss the issues, concepts and explanatory logic of the main contemporary sociological theories.

3.1. Students reach and demonstrate these skills during debates with the Professor and with the class, during tests and during the preparation of the final exam.

4. Communication skills: students should have the necessary communication skills and basic competence in the specialist language of the discipline.

4.1. Students reach these skills organizing discussions and excercises.

5. Learning Skills: students must achieve the necessary learning skills which will serve as a basis for continuing their studies

5.1. Students strengthen these skills debating with the Professor and the rest of the class.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Theoretical lectures

Group work, exercises and film screenings

Attendance

Students must take part to at least the 3/4 of the classes

Study of assigned readings

Course books

• Smelser Neil J. (1991) Sociology, Pretice Hall Inc. (The chapters to be studied will be assigned during the course)

as an alternative:

• Conley Dalton. (2019) You May Ask Yourself. An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (6th ed.)(chapters 1, 4, 5, 6, 15 and 18).

The textbook will be supplemented with a series of short texts that the lecturer will upload directly to the blended platform

A monograph of your choice from the following:

• Becker H. (1963) Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance, New York: The Free Press
• Cartocci R. (2007) Mappe del tesoro. Atlante del capitale sociale in Italia, Il Mulino
• Elias; Scotson J.L. (1965) The Established and the Outsiders. A Sociological Enquiry into Community Problems, London: Frank Cass & Co.
• Giannini L. (2021) Siamo tutti volontari. Etnografia di una Festa de l'Unità, tra retoriche e pratiche, Franco Angeli
• Goffman E. (1961) Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates, New York, Doubleday
• Sennet R. (1988) The Corrosion of Character, The Personal Consequences Of Work In the New Capitalism, Norton, New York-London

Assessment

The exam will be held through an individual interview based on textbooks suggested. The aim is to evaluate both student's comprehension of the content and his ability in reworking concepts and in argumenting. 

Excellent grades will be given in presence of: a good critical perspective and in depth study; knowing how to link among them the main subjects addressed during the course; the use of an appropriate language.

Good grades will be given in presence of:  good mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relatively good critical perspective and connection skills related to the treated topics; the use of appropriate language.

Sufficient grades will be given in presence of: the achievement of a minimal knowledge on the treated themes, even in presence of some gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Negative grades will be given in presence of: a difficult orientation related to the the treated topics; knowledge gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Optional midterm test

The course will include an optional midterm test to be held on a date between Nov. 2 and Nov. 4.

The test will be written and will consist of two open-ended questions (test time, 45 minutes).

The questions will be based on the first part of the syllabus, i.e., textbook topics discussed up to the week prior to the test date; lecture content; group work and exercises conducted in class; additional content provided by the lecturer and uploaded to the blended platform; and any videos and films viewed and discussed in class.

Students who have reached 3/4 of the hours of attendance will be allowed to participate in the test.

The grade will be given in thirtieths, will contribute 1/3 to the final grade and will arithmetically average with the grade on the oral exam, which will be based on the rest of the syllabus and the monograph of choice.

Students will have the option of rejecting the test grade. In this case they will have to appear at the oral examination with the entire program. Same outcome for those who have received a failing grade.

The midterm test grade does not expire.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Course books

• Smelser Neil J. (1991) Sociology, Pretice Hall Inc. (excluding chapters 9 and 11).

as an alternative:

• Conley Dalton. (2019) You May Ask Yourself. An introduction to thinking like a sociologist (6th ed.)(chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 17, 18).

A monograph of your choice from the following:

• Becker H. (1963) Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance, New York: The Free Press
• Cartocci R. (2007) Mappe del tesoro. Atlante del capitale sociale in Italia, Il Mulino
• Elias; Scotson J.L. (1965) The Established and the Outsiders. A Sociological Enquiry into Community Problems, London: Frank Cass & Co.
• Giannini L. (2021) Siamo tutti volontari. Etnografia di una Festa de l'Unità, tra retoriche e pratiche, Franco Angeli
• Goffman E. (1961) Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates, New York, Doubleday
• Sennet R. (1988) The Corrosion of Character, The Personal Consequences Of Work In the New Capitalism, Norton, New York-London

An essay of your choice from the following:

• Augé M. (1995) "Non-Places: Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity", Verso, London-New York
• Bauman Z. (1997) "Chapter 4. Morality begiins at home: or the rocky road to justice" in "Postmodernity and its discontents", Polity Press, Cambridge
• Bonazzi G. (2002) "Capitolo 1. La burocrazia come organizzazione razionale e le sue varianti storiche" in "Come studiare le organizzazioni", il Mulino, Bologna
• Garfinkel H. (1967) "Passing and the managed achievement in an "intersexed" person, in "Studies in ethnomethodology", Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall
• Mauss, M. (2016). "The Gift". Jane I. Guyer. Chicago
• Simmel, G. (1971) "The Metropolis and mental life", in Levine, Donald (ed) 'Simmel: On individuality and social forms' Chicago University Press

Please note: monographs and essays delve into some of the topics covered in the textbook. Therefore, non-attending students are advised to choose them only after studying the textbook, so that they can direct their choice toward the topics they found most interesting.

(The student can contact the lecturer in case he/she has problems finding the texts)

Assessment

The exam will be held through an individual interview based on textbooks suggested. The aim is to evaluate both student's comprehension of the content and his ability in reworking concepts and in argumenting. 

Excellent grades will be given in presence of: a good critical perspective and in depth study; knowing how to link among them the main subjects addressed during the course; the use of an appropriate language.

Good grades will be given in presence of:  good mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relatively good critical perspective and connection skills related to the treated topics; the use of appropriate language.

Sufficient grades will be given in presence of: the achievement of a minimal knowledge on the treated themes, even in presence of some gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Negative grades will be given in presence of: a difficult orientation related to the the treated topics; knowledge gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.