Course teached as: B027110 - SOCIETA' E MUTAMENTO SOCIALE IN EUROPA Second Cycle Degree in SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Curriculum SOCIETA' CONTEMPORANEA, MUTAMENTO E GLOBALIZZAZIONE
Teaching Language
English
Course Content
The course analyzes the structures and change of European Societies in a comparative perspective,in the light of Europeanization and the rise of a European society. The main topics are European social models, labour market, social citizenship, social inequalities, quality of life, migration and European identity.
Non attendeing students must choose two books.
One of the following books: H.J. Trenz, Narrating European Society
Lexington Books.
C. Crouch "Society and Social Change in 21st Century Europe".
Palgrave.
And one of the following books:
Z. Bauman, Europe: An Unfinished Adventure, Polity Press.
L. Leonardi La società europea in costruzione, Firenze University Press.
G. Scalise "Il mercato non basta. Attori, istituzioni e identità
dell'Europa in tempi di crisi, Firenze University Press.
Students attending the course:
Readings for seminars will be distributed during the course and will be available on the Moodle Platform.
Learning Objectives
Knowledge: The course provides students with cognitive tools (theories, concepts, methodologies of empirical research, data sources) to interpret the social dimension of the process of European integration. It allows students to link social change with the political, economic and regulatory and cultural one characterizing contemporary European societies, in the light of the process of European integration.
The skills acquired during the course: a) enable autonomously conducting empirical research on the main social phenomena that characterize European societies; b) allow a critical approach to European policies, particularly in the social field; c) enable to autonomously produce contents related to the sociology of Europe, through a Wikipedia laboratory in which they are called to construct definitions of some key concepts. In addition, on a practical level, they develop the ability to make power point presentations on the topics covered by the course.The acquired knowledge can be applied in public and private research institutions, in organizational and managerial roles of non-governmental organizations and companies in the European social field (eg in the field of migration, employment, education, etc.).
Prerequisites
Basic sociological knowledge and English language skills are required.
Teaching Methods
so held by Italian and foreign guest professors and researchers. For some activities the Moodle platform is used. Students must make an oral presentation on one of the topics proposed in the course.
Further information
The course is included in the Programme of the European Jean Monnet Chair: "Social Dimension and European Integration". Many activities of the course (lectures, workshops, seminars) are organized within the "SharEU" Project (https://www.shareu.unifi.it) of the Jean Monnet Center of Excellence of the University of Florence.
Type of Assessment
Attending students: attendance and active participation in both lectures, seminars and workshops will be evaluated for 30% of the final exam. The oral presentation and the final report is evaluated for 70%.
Not attending: written exam in English lasting two hours on the topics covered in the reference texts of the course. The exam requires students to answer two open questions chosen from among three. In order to pass the exam, students must demonstrate that they have learned the concepts but also the critical ability to address the proposed topics. There is no mid-term exam (prova intermedia).
Course program
In the first part of the course we introduce the theories and basic concepts for the analysis of the social transformations
in a comparative perspective, in the light of the processes of globalization and European Integration. The aspects dealt with concern the European social model and solidarity, social inequalities, quality of life, social citizenship, European identity, demographic and institucional change concerning migration, work and education. Each theme is addressed with reference to the most significant empirical research conducted in the sociological field, providing students with methodological notions and use of data sources. In the second part of the course the same topics are deepened with laboratory activities and based on the autonomous research and interpretation of sources by the students.