Sociology

FRANCESCA FARRUGGIA

1. Knowledge and understanding: on having passed the exam students will know the classical theories of Sociology (19th and 20th centuries), with particular attention to the epistemological dimension and the sociological lexicon.
2. Applying knowledge and understanding: on having passed the exam students should be able to use the epistemological fundamentals of sociology for the analysis of past and present social reality, in a diachronic and synchronic, specialized and integrated perspective
3. Critical faculties should be developed through classroom debates on the sociological issues considered, to encourage the acquisition of critical judgment, through the collective analysis of the texts and the debate with the professor and with the other students.
4. Communications skills. The ability to communicate what was learned should be developed through classroom discussions, in which to informally and preliminarily explain what students learned during the course
5. Learning skills. The ability to continue studying the topics should be developed through the acquisition of traditions of the discipline and its specialized lexicon. These skills will allow them to independently investigate other issues related to the social sciences

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

- Recognize and explain the main concepts and theoretical approaches of classical and contemporary sociology, with specific reference to social institutions and processes of socialization (theoretical knowledge).
- Apply sociological concepts to concrete cases and phenomena of contemporary society, critically interpreting issues such as inequality, identity, and the transformations of institutions (applied skills).
- Analyze short texts and scientific articles, identifying their main arguments and linking them to the sociological categories learned during the course (critical understanding of materials).
- Communicate contents and reflections effectively using the specific language of the discipline, both in written form (reports, tests) and oral form (discussions, interviews) (communication skills).

Work in groups to develop and present short sociological analyses, demonstrating collaboration skills, organizational autonomy, and critical thinking (transversal competences).

No specific prior knowledge is required. However, it is useful to have:

- good skills in reading and understanding theoretical and argumentative texts;
- a basic background in general culture (historical and social);
- an aptitude for critical reflection on contemporary social phenomena.

The course is designed as an introduction and is accessible even to students approaching the discipline of sociology for the first time.