Society, Law, and Development
A.Y. 2020/2021
Learning objectives
The course's objective is primarily to explore the basic sociological concepts in the understanding of modern societies and their development, with a particular emphasis on sustainability. The workshop on Social mobility and social inequality will examine the theoretical approaches of the social sciences to inequalities.
Expected learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
- articulate orally and in writing an original and critical stance on the different social theories concerning the functioning of social groups and individual behaviour.
- understand and evaluating critically the core sociological and socio-legal concepts, which are relevant to sustainable development;
- understanding the methodology of formulating hypotheses and verifying testable propositions in the social sciences.
- articulate orally and in writing an original and critical stance on the different social theories concerning the functioning of social groups and individual behaviour.
- understand and evaluating critically the core sociological and socio-legal concepts, which are relevant to sustainable development;
- understanding the methodology of formulating hypotheses and verifying testable propositions in the social sciences.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
TEACHING METHODS
In the first semester, Monday's classes will be taught in a multimedia classroom
following the lessons timetable and will be live-streamed. Students will be able to
attend in person (within the limits required by the social distancing rules
applicable at the material time) or remotely.
The other classes will be live-streamed on Microsoft Teams, following the
lessons timetable. They may require prior readings and include pre-recorded
components. Live-streamed lessons will also be recorded and will be available
on the same platform.
The course will alternate and combine lectures and seminar teaching and will be
tailored to match the learning necessities of students attending physically and
remotely alike.
SYLLABUS
The course programme is unchanged. However, the specific contents of classes
will adapt to the teaching methods outlined above.
TEACHING RESOURCES
Reference materials for each class will be uploaded to the Ariel course website.
ASSESSMENT METHODS AND CRITERIA
No changes: see the relevant section.
In the first semester, Monday's classes will be taught in a multimedia classroom
following the lessons timetable and will be live-streamed. Students will be able to
attend in person (within the limits required by the social distancing rules
applicable at the material time) or remotely.
The other classes will be live-streamed on Microsoft Teams, following the
lessons timetable. They may require prior readings and include pre-recorded
components. Live-streamed lessons will also be recorded and will be available
on the same platform.
The course will alternate and combine lectures and seminar teaching and will be
tailored to match the learning necessities of students attending physically and
remotely alike.
SYLLABUS
The course programme is unchanged. However, the specific contents of classes
will adapt to the teaching methods outlined above.
TEACHING RESOURCES
Reference materials for each class will be uploaded to the Ariel course website.
ASSESSMENT METHODS AND CRITERIA
No changes: see the relevant section.
Course syllabus
(Prof. Cominelli) - Course topics (6 ECTS):
· Introduction: sustainability and society (week 1)
· Sociological concepts (week 2)
· Groups, classes and inequality (week 3)
· Organizations and bureaucracies (week 4)
· Law and Development (week 5)
· Conflict and violence (week 6)
· Law and social control - Deviance (week 7)
· Behavior and emotion (week 8)
· Behavior and emotion (week 9)
· Legal pluralism and globalization (week 10)
· Social Sustainability - Research methods in the social sciences (week 11)
Study Materials (available on ARIEL)
· Martinelli, Sociology in Political Practice and Public Discourse (week 2)
· Crozier, The Bureaucratic Phenomenon (week 4)
· van Schaik & Burkart, The evolution of human normativity (week 8)
· Tamanaha, Understanding Legal Pluralism: Past to Present, Local to Global (week 10)
---
Workshop on: Social mobility and social inequality - Course topics (3 ECTS)
1) In/equalitity: Theories and definitions in an interdisciplinary perspective (week 1)
2) Subaltern and post-colonial studies: Epistemology of the South (week 2)
3) From "Gender" and "Race" to "GendeRace" responses to inequalities and beyod: A field of intersectionality studies (week 3)
4) Forms of capital and social mobility (week 4)
5) Inequalities in global v local contexts: Linking the macro to the micro (week 5)
6) Agency, empowerment and civil resistance: trans/national movements and NGOs (week 6)
7) The Anthropocene: climate change and inequalities (week 7)
8) Group case study presentation and discussion, starting from student's selected cases (week 8)
9) Group case study presentation and discussion, starting from student's selected cases (week 9)
10) Group case study presentation and discussion, starting from student's selected cases (week 10)
Teaching resources (available on ARIEL)
Santos, Boaventura de Sousa, Epistemologies of the South and the future, in From the European South, 2016, 1, 17-29 (week 2)
Crenshaw, Kimberlé W., Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color, in Stanford Law Review, 43, 6, 1991, 1241-1299 (week 3)
Bourdieu, Pierre, The Forms of Capital, in J. G. Richardson (edited by), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education, New York: Greenwood Press, 1986, 241-58. (week 4)
Baxi, Upendra, Voices of Suffering and the Future of Human Rights, in Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems, 8, 2, 1998, 125-170 (week 6)
Beck, Ulrich, Remapping social inequalities in an age of climate change: for a cosmopolitan renewal of sociology, in Global Networks. A Journal of Transnational Affairs, 10, 2, 165-181. (week 7)
· Introduction: sustainability and society (week 1)
· Sociological concepts (week 2)
· Groups, classes and inequality (week 3)
· Organizations and bureaucracies (week 4)
· Law and Development (week 5)
· Conflict and violence (week 6)
· Law and social control - Deviance (week 7)
· Behavior and emotion (week 8)
· Behavior and emotion (week 9)
· Legal pluralism and globalization (week 10)
· Social Sustainability - Research methods in the social sciences (week 11)
Study Materials (available on ARIEL)
· Martinelli, Sociology in Political Practice and Public Discourse (week 2)
· Crozier, The Bureaucratic Phenomenon (week 4)
· van Schaik & Burkart, The evolution of human normativity (week 8)
· Tamanaha, Understanding Legal Pluralism: Past to Present, Local to Global (week 10)
---
Workshop on: Social mobility and social inequality - Course topics (3 ECTS)
1) In/equalitity: Theories and definitions in an interdisciplinary perspective (week 1)
2) Subaltern and post-colonial studies: Epistemology of the South (week 2)
3) From "Gender" and "Race" to "GendeRace" responses to inequalities and beyod: A field of intersectionality studies (week 3)
4) Forms of capital and social mobility (week 4)
5) Inequalities in global v local contexts: Linking the macro to the micro (week 5)
6) Agency, empowerment and civil resistance: trans/national movements and NGOs (week 6)
7) The Anthropocene: climate change and inequalities (week 7)
8) Group case study presentation and discussion, starting from student's selected cases (week 8)
9) Group case study presentation and discussion, starting from student's selected cases (week 9)
10) Group case study presentation and discussion, starting from student's selected cases (week 10)
Teaching resources (available on ARIEL)
Santos, Boaventura de Sousa, Epistemologies of the South and the future, in From the European South, 2016, 1, 17-29 (week 2)
Crenshaw, Kimberlé W., Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color, in Stanford Law Review, 43, 6, 1991, 1241-1299 (week 3)
Bourdieu, Pierre, The Forms of Capital, in J. G. Richardson (edited by), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education, New York: Greenwood Press, 1986, 241-58. (week 4)
Baxi, Upendra, Voices of Suffering and the Future of Human Rights, in Transnational Law & Contemporary Problems, 8, 2, 1998, 125-170 (week 6)
Beck, Ulrich, Remapping social inequalities in an age of climate change: for a cosmopolitan renewal of sociology, in Global Networks. A Journal of Transnational Affairs, 10, 2, 165-181. (week 7)
Prerequisites for admission
None
Teaching methods
The first part of the course will deal with the most influential theories of power, status, social stratification, justice, development and bureaucracy, with references to the latest empirical research and the support of selected readings of the classics of sociology and social sciences. With the theoretical foundations and concepts of sociology, we will review the methods of social research, to understand the capabilities and limitations of field research. In the second part, the course will explore the social foundations of development, underdevelopment and inequality, with its dynamics of social change, both inter-state and inter-individual. In the third part, the course will analyze the reciprocal interactions between society and the legal system, that is, how the law affects and is affected by the most important social processes. We will address in particular the issues of law as a social institution, the perception and the sense of justice, the management and resolution of conflicts, and the processes of globalization and migration.
Teaching Resources
TEXTBOOK:
Elwell, Sociocultural Systems (https://www.aupress.ca/books/120219-sociocultural-systems/)
READINGS
Sociology - Study Materials (available on ARIEL)
· Martinelli, Sociology in Political Practice and Public Discourse (week 2)
· Crozier, The Bureaucratic Phenomenon (week 4)
· van Schaik & Burkart, The evolution of human normativity (week 8)
· Tamanaha, Understanding Legal Pluralism: Past to Present, Local to Global (week 10)
Elwell, Sociocultural Systems (https://www.aupress.ca/books/120219-sociocultural-systems/)
READINGS
Sociology - Study Materials (available on ARIEL)
· Martinelli, Sociology in Political Practice and Public Discourse (week 2)
· Crozier, The Bureaucratic Phenomenon (week 4)
· van Schaik & Burkart, The evolution of human normativity (week 8)
· Tamanaha, Understanding Legal Pluralism: Past to Present, Local to Global (week 10)
Assessment methods and Criteria
1. Course attendance and class discussion of reading assignments: 30%
2. A mid-term oral/written test (October/November): 30%
3. A final-term written test with open-ended questions (January): 40%
2. A mid-term oral/written test (October/November): 30%
3. A final-term written test with open-ended questions (January): 40%
Modules or teaching units
Society, law, and development
SPS/12 - SOCIOLOGY OF LAW, DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CHANGE - University credits: 6
Lessons: 42 hours
Professor:
Cominelli Luigi
Workshop on: Social mobility and social inequality
SPS/12 - SOCIOLOGY OF LAW, DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CHANGE - University credits: 3
Lessons: 21 hours
Professor:
Bello Barbara Giovanna
Professor(s)
Reception:
Office hours: Tuesday 10,30 am-12,30 pm (online on MS Teams, Team code 7kv5eto)
Room 2011 - Dept. Cesare Beccaria - Sect. Philosophy and Sociology of Law