Teaching code

4S003639

Teacher

Luigi Tronca

Coordinator

Luigi Tronca

Credits

6

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

SPS/07 - GENERAL SOCIOLOGY

Period

1° periodo lezioni - GEM dal Oct 3, 2022 al Dec 23, 2022.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning objectives

The learning outcomes of the course are the following: - supply the necessary expertise to define the features of the relational contexts to which individuals belong, including in particular those who have suffered the effects of a catastrophic event; - provide the necessary theoretical and methodological expertise for empirical analysis of the morphological qualities and content of social networks through the presentation of some methodological concepts and tools that aid social network analysis; - provide the skills needed for the use of social network analysis for knowledge of contexts affected by catastrophic events and relative social intervention. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to use their acquired theoretical and applied comprehension skills for cognitive and social intervention purposes in contexts affected by catastrophic events. Students should be able to use an analytical framework for social network analysis regarding relations between both individual and collective subjects, using egocentric and sociocentric perspectives as a starting point. Students should be able to analyze and evaluate the structural qualities of relational contexts, describe them in a methodologically appropriate manner and deepen the analysis of their special characteristics, also through the ability to query the reference scientific literature in an appropriate manner. In line with the Goal 11. "Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable" of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, students will also have to be able to find and propose action strategies aimed at resolving problems identified within relational contexts.

Prerequisites and basic notions

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

Program

In order to achieve the learning outcomes, the course program is subdivided into three sections:
1) Theoretical section:
- Society as a network.
- The concepts of relationship and network in sociology.
- Network paradigm: from the epistemological premise to the practice of social research.
2) Methodological section:
- Introduction to social network analysis.
- Relational sociology and social network analysis.
- Personal and whole network analysis.
- Relational data collection.
- Representation of social networks, graph theory and data matrices.
- Centrality and centralization.
- Breakdown and condensation of graphs.
- Analysis of positions and roles in social networks.
3) Empirical application section:
- The application of social network analysis to the study of catastrophic events: cognitive potential and directions for social intervention.
- Presentation, by way of example, of research carried out in contexts affected by catastrophic events, either of natural origin or connected to acts of terrorism, using both personal and whole network analysis, in the study of networks consisting of individual subjects and those made up of collective subjects.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

The program will be analytically presented in the course of lectures, involving the students present in determining the measures discussed, in order to allow them to mature the ability to identify and propose, where appropriate, strategies for intervention in relational contexts. There will also be the presentation of specific research experiences. 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 an oral discussion and is conducted in the same way for attending, non-attending, and Erasmus students. The course does not include intermediate tests.

Evaluation criteria

The examination is aimed at evaluating the theoretical, methodological, and practical skills acquired by the students. The content of the program is assessed. A mark will be given out of thirty.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

Not applicable.

Exam language

Italiano / Italian