Course 2017-2018 a.y.

30197 - SOCIOLOGY


CLEAM - CLEF - CLEACC - BESS-CLES - WBB - BIEF - BIEM - BIG

Department of Social and Political Sciences

Course taught in English

Go to class group/s: 23 - 31
CLEAM (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SPS/07) - CLEF (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SPS/07) - CLEACC (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SPS/07) - BESS-CLES (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SPS/07) - WBB (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SPS/07) - BIEF (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SPS/07) - BIEM (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SPS/07)
Course Director:
IAN ROSS MACMILLAN

Classes: 31 (II sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: IAN ROSS MACMILLAN



Course Objectives

The course provides the students with an introduction to the discipline of sociology.
  • The first part of the course focuses on the macro-contexts of life and includes issues of social structure and culture and their relation to social organization. Specific topics covered include social structures, the nature of social order, capitals and capitalization processes, and social networks.
  • The second part of the course focuses on the political and social dimensions of group life with a specific focus on citizenship and political participation, race and ethnicity, migration, and assimilation.
  • The third aspect of the course considers issues of economic organization and its consequences. Topics include economic activity, markets, social mobility, and poverty and inequality.
Throughout the course, we draw upon three core themes.
  • First, how does the nature of social organization and social life shape who one is and the immediate circumstances of social life?
  • Second, how do the interconnections of social and historical context, human development and agency influence life chances?
  • Third, how has globalization shaped the nature of contemporary social life and what impact has it had on both action and experience?

Intended Learning Outcomes
Click here to see the ILOs of the course BESS-CLES

Course Content Summary

First Part
  • World population and its implications.
  • Social action.
  • Social structures.
  • Capitals and capitalization.
  • Social networks.
Second Part:
  • Citizenship and political participation.
  • Race and ethnicity.
  • Migration.
  • Assimilation.
  • Economics, economic action and markets.
  • Stratification and social mobility.
  • Poverty and globalization.

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

There are two written exams consisting of both short-answer and essay style questions and a short empirical project.
The first partial exam and the written project are valid until the end of the academic year.


Textbooks

  • A set of readings available for download.
Exam textbooks & Online Articles (check availability at the Library)
Last change 23/03/2017 10:40
BIG (7 credits - I sem. - OB  |  SPS/07)
Course Director:
FRANCESCO CANDELORO BILLARI

Classes: 23 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 23: FRANCESCO CANDELORO BILLARI



Course Objectives

The course provides the students with an introduction to the discipline of sociology, the eclectic social science.
The first part of the course focuses on what sociology is about, depicting the main sociological perspectives and research methods.
The course then focuses on a series of domains that are central subjects in sociological research. Topics covered include globalization, environment, socialization, life course, health, stratification, and poverty, social inequality, gender and sexuality, education and the digital revolution.

Intended Learning Outcomes
Click here to see the ILOs of the course

Course Content Summary

First part
  • What is Sociology?
  • Sociological perspectives.
  • Asking and answering sociological questions.
  • Research methods.
  • Globalization.
  • Environment.
  • Cities and urban life.
  • Work and The Economy.
Second part:
  • Socialization and social interactions.
  • The life course.
  • Families.
  • Health.
  • Stratification and social class.
  • Poverty.
  • Global inequality
  • Gender and sexuality.
  • Race and ethnicity.
  • Religion.
  • Education.
  • Crime and deviance.
  • Digital revolution.

Teaching methods
Click here to see the teaching methods

Assessment methods
Click here to see the assessment methods

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

Students can choose between two options:
  • Two mid-term exams (each with a 2/5 weight towards the overall grade), plus a short paper, written individually or together with another student (with a 1/5 weight 1/5 towards the overall grade).
  • A written exam, either taken through two mid-term exams (each with a 1/2 weight towards the overall grade) or one general exam (with a 100% weight towards the overall grade).
  • Written exams include both short answers and essay-style questions.
The paper is valid until the end of the academic year.

Textbooks

  • A. GIDDENS, and P.W. SUTTON, Sociology, Polity, 8th Edition.
  • Papers to be specified in the detailed syllabus.


Exam textbooks & Online Articles (check availability at the Library)
Last change 13/04/2017 11:55