Sociology

This course offers a study of economic sociology, a perspective on economic behavior and knowledge of the sociological theories that are most relevant for the understanding of economic behavior. Economic sociology provides the ability to reflect critically on the core mechanisms and institutions influencing economic behavior and the ability to challenge conventional thoughts in economic theory. The course focuses mainly on contemporary economic sociology; however it explores classical economic sociology with an emphasis on Weber, Marx, Durkheim, and Simmel in order to create a foundation in classical theories to better understand contemporary economic sociological theories by Bourdieu, Giddens, and Habermas. The course reviews classical economic sociological analysis on the development of the modern society, and examines the contents and developments of economic sociology since Granovetter's reintroduction of the concept of embeddedness in the mid-1980s and the development of economic sociology with contributions from Gary Becker, Bourdieu, and others. The course discusses topics including the understanding of markets, the role of the state, the impact of social structures in relation to how modern society works and how it should be studied, sociological theory, economic sociology analysis on societal developments, and the analysis of modern society and individual actions. This course consists of lectures in which there are presentations and discussions of the texts. The course recommends that students have prior knowledge of economic theory as a prerequisite.

This is a graduate level course that is part of the Laurea Magistrale program. The course is intended for advanced level students only. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. This course analyzes the way the western media covers the developing world and the humanitarian emergencies. Specifically the course explores the emerging and historical humanitarian narratives, with particular reference to the way in which the activities of NGOs are reported; how we understand and explain faraway disasters; how the media representations of suffering and violence has changed in the post-cold war period and in the digital era; the relationship between media, aid, corporate communication, and branding; and the relationship between power, media, and migration. This course encourages students to think sociologically about a range of issues and “social problems” related to the different ways in which media is used to report on humanitarian situations, and what impact this has. It also serves as an introduction to some important themes and issues within humanitarianism and migration. Areas under study include: the construction of “social problems,” media, ethics, human rights, disaster relief, war, famine, refugee camps, social movements, and NGOs.  A special focus is dedicated to the mediated performances that contribute to create the spectacle of the humanitarian border, which is physically and symbolically enacted by the different actors involved in contemporary management of migration. Moving from the assumption that our awareness of nearly all humanitarian issues is defined by the media, this course looks at the literature associated with humanitarian organizations and the NGO narratives, tracing the imagined and real encounters between solidarity, participation, and citizenship in the context of larger social processes of mediation and globalization. Examining humanitarian communication through various forms of aesthetic activism - documentary, photojournalism, benefit concerts, celebrities, and live blogging, the course explores how the circulation of humanitarian images and narratives impact the peoples it aims to serve, and what can be learned about global inequality from the stories associated with it. The course also focuses on how several news media framed Covid-19 as an invisible enemy, using metaphor of war to describe the current situation. The definition of the emergency as a war conducts inevitably to the identification of an enemy. The hyper-visibility of the war against this invisible enemy leads to a generalized fear of ‘the others’ and to the identification of this invisibility in visible bodies. Finally, the course reflects on long-term implications of the pandemic on mobility justice and what Mbembe (2020) has defined the “right to breath.” There are two versions of this course; this course, UCEAP Course Number 169B and Bologna course number 75073, is associated with the LM in Sociology and Social Work and LM in Local and Global Development degree programmes. The other version, UCEAP Course Number 169A and Bologna course number 81782, is associated with the LM in Language, Society and Communication degree programme.

This course examines the parameters of the youth crime "problem" and the function of the Youth Justice System, while introducing a range of theories examining why young people engage in delinquent behaviors. Lectures explore key issues associated with young people, such as drug use, anti-social behavior, and gang membership.

This course introduces a field of sociology which is rapidly developing in France: ethnic and racial studies, the study of ethno-racial inequalities, and the process of racialization. The course provides an initial introduction to the field of race studies, as well as the main conceptual and methodological debates that are at the heart of this discipline, and more largely, in the public debate.

This course provides basic knowledge of social work in Sweden. The goal is to enhance theoretical and practical knowledge of social work in Sweden and highlight the different types of actors and contexts where social work operates (public, private, and voluntary sector). The course focuses on Swedish social work, but also embraces the students' prior knowledge and experiences of social work in different environments. In the first part of the course, students map their conception of social work in Sweden followed by a theoretical introduction to welfare and social work in Swedish society from a historical perspective to the present situation, including current changes. Legal aspects of the society and social work are highlighted. In the second part of the course, the focus is on practical social work. Students are introduced to different perspectives of social work through field studies and discussions with professional social workers and service users who represent different organizations and authorities.