Learning outcomes

The course aims to present an overview of the main authors, concepts, thematic areas and epistemological paradigms of sociology. A specific attention will be paid to religious phenomena in order to understand the characteristics of sociological knowledge, differentiating it from other disciplines, as well as to reach an overall vision of the social and cultural transformations of modernity.

The course aims to develop student's critical thinking and learning skills. At the end of the course the student should demonstrate a general knowledge of the key concepts of sociology, the ability to connect them and to articulate a personal reflection on the social transformations of modernity.

Program

1) The sociological discipline (historical context, disciplinary boundaries, areas of investigation)
2) the sociological theory, epistemology and methodology
3) The classical sociologists and their contribution to the discipline
4) The main categories of sociology (culture, social structure, socialization, interaction, organizations, deviance and social control ...)
5) Religious, quasi-religious phenomena and transformations of the sacred in modern and contemporary society

The reference texts for attending and not attending consist in a manual plus a book chosen from those indicated.

Handbook:
• F. Crespi, “Il pensiero sociologico”, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2002

A book chosen from the following:
• B.R. Wilson, “La religione nel mondo contemporaneo”, Il Mulino, Bologna, 1996 (ed. orig. 1982, “Religion in sociological perspective”)
• A. Aldridge, “La religione nel mondo contemporaneo. Una prospettiva sociologica”. Il Mulino, Bologna, 2005 (ed. orig. 2000, “Religion in the Contemporary World: A Sociological Introduction”)
• N. Righetti, "Tra sacro e vegano", Ferrari Editore, Corigliano-Rossano, 2018
• N. Righetti, “Le forme materiali della vita religiosa”, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2018 (ebook)

Optional bibliography:
• R. Aron, “Le tappe del pensiero sociologico. Montesquieu, Comte, Marx, Tocqueville, Durkheim, Pareto, Weber”, Mondadori, Milano, 1989 (ed. orig. 1965, “Main Currents in Sociological Thought”)
• A. Bagnasco, M. Barbagli, A. Cavalli, “Corso di Sociologia”, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2007
• D. Secondulfo, “Alla radice delle medicine alternative: il concetto di energia”, in Secondulfo D. (a cura di), Il mondo delle medicine alternative. Immagini, percorsi, pazienti, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2009.

Examination Methods

The exam will consist of an interview on the concepts illustrated during the course. The bibliographical references will be the manual and one of the books indicated in the bibliographic section of this web page. The knowledge of the contents, the capacity of personal and critical link between topics will be evaluated.

Attending students have the opportunity to choose whether to take the exam by presenting and discussing a dissertation on a topic agreed with the teacher and based on the bibliography of the course, or by an oral interview on the topics related to the same bibliography.

For not attending students, the exam will consist of an oral interview on the texts indicated in the bibliography.