Catalogo dei Corsi di studio

1. Knowledge and understanding. Students will develop knowledge of the essential concepts and topics of epistemological and methodological debate in social sciences, understanding the specificity of sociology and its traditions of empirical research
2. Applying knowledge and understanding. Students will be able to identify different theoretical and methodological streams and relate them to theories, approaches and research methods.
3. Making judgments. Students will develop the ability to critically assess and evaluate different research strategies and designs through readings, and critical analysis of sociological research.
Critical faculties should be developed through text reading and presenting well supported opinions
4. Communications skills. Students will develop analytic reading, writing, and speaking skills, including the ability to do oral presentations and participate in peer discussions.
5. Learning skills. Students will have the ability to autonomously search for relevant information, evaluate different sources and navigate through different research approaches, also in consideration of further studies on techniques for data collection and analysis.

Programme

The course addresses epistemological approaches in social science contemporary debate e the relationship between theory and research. It covers the main paradigms that orient empirical knowledge of social reality, highlighting advantages and limits, differences and possible interactions. It illustrates research design in standard and non-standard approaches, discussing specificity and different levels of formalization and structure.
The knowledge of approaches, methods and language of social research will be acquired through the reconstruction of sociological researches, classical and contemporary, selected for their ability to offer useful didactic cues and to stimulate critical reflexivity.

Adopted texts

The exams will be on three mandatory readings:

1. Corbetta P., La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche. Vol 1, I paradigmi di riferimento. Bologna, Il Mulino, 2003.
2. Di Franco G., Introduzione alla sociologia empirica. Metodo e tecniche della ricerca sociale. Milano, Franco Angeli, 2020. (capp da 1 a 4)

3. One of the followings :

a. Becker Howard S. Outsiders. Saggi di sociologia della devianza. (ed or. 1943), tr. it., Meltemi, 2017 (oppure precedenti traduzioni/edizioni).
b. Durkheim, Émile. Il suicidio. Studio di sociologia. (ed. or. 1897), tr. it. BUR Biblioteca Univ. Rizzoli, 2014 (oppure altre edizioni/traduzioni).
c. Inglehart, Ronald. La società postmoderna. Mutamento ideologia e valori in 43 paesi,tr. it. 1998, Editori Riuniti (capp. I-V e Appendici).
d. Katz E. e Lazarsfeld, Paul F. L'influenza personale in comunicazione. (ed. or. 1955) Tr.It. Armando Editore, 2012
e. Putnam, Robert D. La tradizione civica nelle regioni italiane. (ed. or. 1993), tr. it. Milano, Mondadori, 1993 (oppure altre edizioni).
f. Whyte, William F. Street corner society. Uno slum italo-americano. (ed or. 1943) Tr. It. Bologna, Il Mulino, 2011 (Parte prima e Appendice OPPURE Parte seconda e Appendice).

Prerequisites

No requirements.

Exam modes

At the end of the course, students are supposed to do:

1) one written test;
2) one written essya that synthesize and systematizes individual/group activities carried out during the year, to be discussed in a oral colloquium.

Final marks will be the average between the two.

Students non participating in class will be evaluated trough an oral exam.

Programme

The course addresses epistemological approaches in social science contemporary debate e the relationship between theory and research. It covers the main paradigms that orient empirical knowledge of social reality, highlighting advantages and limits, differences and possible interactions. It illustrates research design in standard and non standard approaches, discussing specificity and different levels of formalization and structure.
The knowledge of approaches, methods and language of social research will be acquired through the reconstruction of sociological researches, classical and contemporary, selected for their ability to offer useful didactic cues and to stimulate critical reflexivity.

Adopted texts

Textbooks:

1. Corbetta P., La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche. Vol 1, I paradigmi di riferimento Bologna, Il Mulino, 2003. (mandatory)

2. 2. Di Franco G., Introduzione alla sociologia empirica. Metodo e tecniche della ricerca sociale. Milano, Franco Angeli, 2020. (capp da 1 a 4)

3. One book selected among the following ones:

a. Becker Howard S. Outsiders. Saggi di sociologia della devianza. (ed or. 1943), tr. it., Meltemi, 2017 (oppure precedenti traduzioni/edizioni).
b. Durkheim, Émile. Il suicidio. Studio di sociologia. (ed. or. 1897), tr. it. BUR Biblioteca Univ. Rizzoli, 2014 (oppure altre edizioni/traduzioni).
c. Katz E. e Lazarsfeld, Paul F. L'influenza personale in comunicazione. (ed. or. 1955) Tr.It. Armando Editore, 2012
d. Goffman E, La vita quotidiana come rappresentazione (ed. or. 1959), tr. It. Bologna, Il Mulino, 1997.
e. Merton R.K., Social theory and social structure (ed. or. 1949); tr.it. Teoria e struttura sociale. Vol. 1: Teoria sociologica, Bologna, Il Mulino 2000.
f. Adorno T.et al, The authoritarian personality, (ed. or. 1950); tr.it. La personalità autoritaria, 4 voll, Milano, Comunità 1997.

Prerequisites

No specific requirements.

Exam modes

At the end of the course, students are supposed to do:

1) one written essay discussing topics addressed in the course;
2) one oral presentation that synthesize and systematizes individual/group activities carried out during the year.

Final marks will be the average between the two.

Students non participating in class will be evaluated through an oral colloquium based on textbooks.
The oral is expected only after the teacher required to resolve doubts about the script compilation.