Sociology

The course aims to conduct an articulated and in-depth analysis of the phenomena of poverty and inequality in their various dimensions and versatility. In particular, it appears increasingly clear that the complexity of contemporary sociological processes have profoundly influenced the dynamics of the processes of impoverishment, determining different models of poverty from context to context, with different variables involved in these dynamics. At the same time, eminent economists and sociologists have stressed the correlated emergence and deepening of social and economic inequalities, due on the one hand to the globalization of economic processes and on the other hand to increasing social and environmental risks (eg. Pandemic), developing intervention proposals aimed at sustainable development. The analysis of inequalities in Italy highlights a picture of increasing complexity and the urgency of more incisive actions, integrated with the sustainable development goals and the UN 2030 Agenda. The course aims to analyze the policy responses developed in the different territorial, national and / or local contexts, to be taken as good practices to be proposed as paradigmatic examples in class. It is a question of classifying and contextualizing on the one hand the sociological characteristics of the contexts in their dynamics of exclusion and, on the other hand, analyzing the answers provided to favor the processes of social inclusion. The idea is that experimenting with new modes of action in this sector can generate positive impacts capable of bringing about sustainable changes in the medium and long term in the communities and territories in which they occur. 1. Knowledge and understanding. After successfully taking the exam, the student will have to know: the difference and similarities between the concepts of impoverishment, poverty and poor; to characterize the forms of inequality in its various facets and dimensions; to analyze the indices developed at national and international level to measure poverty and count the poor; to deepen the main analytical approaches, methods and tools of the interpretative analyzes developed to decode the processes of impoverishment, economic and social inequality and those of sustainable social development; know the main explanatory theories of the processes of social exclusion and increase of social inequalities; the most recent theories on sustainable development, contrasting inequalities, inclusive public policies. 2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. From the point of view of empirical research, after passing the exam the student must have acquired the ability to: thematize a research problem with specific reference to the forms and contents of the processes and structures that favor or oppose social and economic development sustainable and the emergence or worsening of social and economic inequalities; build a research project based on the categories and tools of the approaches presented in the course, read and comment on texts on topics related to studies on: poverty and impoverishment; typologization of poor conditions; dynamics of social exclusion processes; build a research project on a case study, with particular attention to the identification of research problems and questions and to the definition of the research methodology. 3. The development of critical and judgment skills must be favored by activities aimed at: evaluating the main strengths and weaknesses of the various approaches to the study of sustainable development processes, the analysis of distributional phenomena that favor the emergence or worsening of social inequalities and poverty; identify and apply the research methods and tools most appropriate to the cognitive objectives of the survey with competence and critical ability. 4. The ability to communicate what has been learned must be developed through public display activities; the content of complex texts on the issues of welfare and sustainability policies, social exclusion and inequality, poverty and inclusion policies; the results of the analyzes carried out; of a research project and / or the main results of a research carried out. 5. The ability to autonomously pursue the study of the topics addressed must be fostered by learning to conduct a bibliographic research and write a literature review.