Sociology

The course examines the main theoretical and conceptual approaches used in understanding the phenomena of poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. It discusses how these phenomena have changed over time and the related social policies and interventions.

This course introduces students to nineteenth- and twentieth-century French history through the lens of the Woman Question. Gender profoundly shaped the most urgent political controversies of this period, from the question of citizenship to the increasing liberalization of the way of life. Drawing upon recent scholarly debates concerning gender, this course demonstrates the continuing significance of women's participation in diverse aspects of social and economic life in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Each unit sheds light on women's place in the socio-political sphere by focusing on the actions of influential figures such as Olympe de Gouges or Louise Michel. By studying historical documents and using interactive media, the course examines the relationship between the history of France and the history of its women.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. There are two versions of this course; this course, UCEAP Course Number 180A and Bologna course number 81779, is associated with the LM in Language, Society, and Communication degree program. The other version, UCEAP Course Number 180B and Bologna course number 75074, is associated with the LM in Sociology and Social Work degree program.
By the end of this course, students are able to distinguish and analyze the different notions of globalization, and how information technologies affect everyday life, markets, and the process of consumption. In particular, the student is able to: develop an understanding of globalization through a sociological lens; understand the culture of the Internet and the relationship between globalization and web society; analyze the impact on individual behaviors and society at large within Social Networks & Online Communities through the mainstreaming of private information posted to the public sphere; frame the emergence of a new rhetoric of democratization and participation in the web society; understand the changing relationship between producers, consumers, and prosumers in the web society; recognize consequences and effects of the Digital Divide nationally and worldwide.

This course is organized around four interconnected thematic modules that explore the tensions, contradictions, and transformative potential of the digital age within a globalized context. Rather than merely offering a chronological or technical overview, the course engages students in a critical reflection on how digital technologies are reshaping contemporary society—bringing new opportunities for participation and innovation, but also exacerbating inequalities, eroding privacy, and consolidating new forms of control.

Module 1 – Globalization: Histories, Theories, and Social Transformations

Module 2 – Digital Society and Media: Platformization and the Reconfiguration of Social Life

Module 3 – Production, Consumption, and Prosumption in the Digital Economy

Module 4 – Digital Divides and Global Inequalities

This course contextualizes digital data to understand its benefits and limitations, particularly with generalizability. Students learn how inequality, institutions, and ideology may influence the transformation of the media, as well as Big Data (and small). The inequality segment examines class, gender, and race intersectionalities in digital data production and impact, such as online harassment. Corporate and civic institutions also influence digital data, so the course unpacks institutional effects, from Facebook to the State. Finally, political ideology shapes how data is created and seen, so political campaigns and movements are analyzed to understand how they produce and distribute digital data. The course interrogates the broader role of technology in society and ties current cases with long-standing sociological debates, methods, and theories.

This course examines an introductory overview of the field of migration studies. It covers why people move; theories of immigrant adaptation; immigration and citizenship; and how immigrant entrepreneurship is related to the adaptation and survival strategies taken by immigrants.

This course provides a study of sociology of the family. Topics covered include: introduction to theory and research in the field of sociology of the family; family, childhood, and life cycle; transformations in family models from a non-androcentric perspective; family diversity and sole parenthood; families, technologies, and assisted human reproduction; family policies in the context of welfare regimes; families, inequalities, and exclusion; gender-based violence and families. Focus is placed on data gathered relating to Spanish and European family units.