Teaching code

4S02401

Teacher

Luigi Tronca

Coordinator

Luigi Tronca

Credits

9

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

SPS/07 - GENERAL SOCIOLOGY

Period

Sem. 1A, Sem. 1B

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning objectives

Knowledge and understanding 1. To know and to understand the main concepts of sociology, paying special attention to strategies and main subjects of sociological research and referring particularly to Italian society features. 2. To present a systematic introduction to techniques of structural analysis, known also well as techniques of social network analysis, first presenting their theoretical roots and secondly dealing with the relational concept of social phenomena. 3. To examine some subjects particularly relevant in education. These concepts will be presented through the analysis of some empirical researches that show to the students some operational strategies for the practical use of the social network analysis.
Applying knowledge and understanding 1. To define the most important concepts and issues for sociology, with methodological proficiency, command of terminology and with special reference to those regarding the fields of action of the educational services. 2. To use the acquired theoretical approaches to read social phenomena and be able to effectively define the most important characteristics of relational contexts, including social networks, and then to use the acquired abilities to make autonomous use of data regarding social contexts and analyse the characteristics of social networks, in particular in the educational field. 3. To use the acquired abilities, in terms of strategies for analysis and obtaining information, to confidently study the social aspect of educational phenomena.

Prerequisites and basic notions

Being a first-year, first-semester course, there are no specific prerequisites different from those required for access to the bachelor's degree.

Program

To achieve the learning outcomes, the course will take shape over the following three-part program:
First part:
1. Introduction to sociology.
2. Culture.
3. Social structure.
4. Socialization.
5. Social interaction.
6. Organizations.
7. Deviance and social control.
8. Community and urban life.
9. Inequality, stratification and social classes.
10. Ethnic inequality.
11. Gender and inequality.
12. Age and inequality.
13. Family.
14. Education.
15. Religion.
16. Economy and society.
17. Political system.
18. Population dynamics.
19. Collective behaviour and social movements.
20. Social and cultural change.
Second part:
1. Definition and utility of social network analysis.
2. Theoretical roots of social network analysis.
3. Social relation and its operationalization.
4. Methods for the data collection and organization.
5. Graphic representation of data.
6. Graph Theory.
7. Matrix representation of data.
8. Centrality and centralization.
9. Methods and techniques for partition of graphs.
10. Methods for reduction of graphs.
11. Positions, roles and structural equivalence.
12. Limits and prospects of development for social network analysis.
Third part:
1. The relational paradigms of social research: relational sociology, and social network analysis.
2. The joint use of the research methodologies.
3. The relational analysis of amoral familism.
4. The relational analysis of school social capital.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

The program will be analytically presented in the course of lectures, involving the students present in order to make them autonomous in relation to the use of data regarding social contexts and the characteristics of social networks, in particular in the educational field. Attendance is optional. All the topics in the program can be found in the reference texts.
METHODS OF TEACHING DELIVERY
The lectures will be held in presence. Audio and video recordings of the lectures will be made available for consultation by all students in the Panopto block of the Moodle teaching space, until the end of the first examination session following the completion of the course.

Learning assessment procedures

The examination consists of a written test with 31 multiple-choice questions potentially concerning any of the program content. The exam takes 50 minutes. The examination is conducted in the same way for attending, non-attending, and Erasmus students. The course does not include intermediate tests.

Evaluation criteria

The examination aims to check the skills acquired by students. The content of the program will be assessed. A mark will be given out of thirty.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

Not applicable.

Exam language

Italiano / Italian