Sociology of Family and Life Course

The course provides a general analysis of family changes and biographical paths at political, social, cultural and demographic level in the last decades. Then the course will target in particular two factors of family change: the first linked to the social policies, the second linked to the relational aspects. Demographic changes (ageing population, low fertility) and increasing in marital instability have changed households composition posing new challenges for policy interventions. As communication has become increasingly important with globalization, focusing the attention on social network use could facilitate an understanding of emotional changes. Social network use is often seen as responsible for interpersonal, emotional or relational decommitment. The aim of the course is to provide analytical tools and educational skills useful to recognize the origins and causes of modernization processes at family and emotional level. These tools and skills may be useful in some professional activities in the field of social research, communication, journalism and social organizations.

At the end of the course students should have developed knowledge and understanding of the family changing processes and of the social, political, demographic and cultural factors involved; Knowledge and understanding of relational changing in partnership and among generations; Applying knowledge and understanding of the long-term effects of changing on household. Autonomy of judgement, and students' communicative capabilities will be developed by reading of scientific articles and discussions during the lessons. The final exam aims to verify the expected learning outcomes in respect to the students' capacity of understanding, applying knowledge, developing a critical analysis of the theoretical perspectives introduced by the course.