Society, Law, and Development
A.Y. 2023/2024
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 can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
SOCIETY, LAW, AND DEVELOPMENT (Prof. Luigi Cominelli)
(6 ECTS)
· Introduction: sustainability and society (week 1)
· Sociological concepts and social research methods (week 2)
· Social Action and Organizations (week 3)
· Groups, classes and inequality (week 4)
· Law and Development (week 5)
· Conflict and violence (week 6)
· Behavior and emotion (week 7)
· Behavior and sustainability (week 8)
· Law and social control - Deviance (week 9)
· Legal pluralism and globalization (week 10)
Sociology workshop "Social Mobility and Social Inequality" (prof. Valeria Verdolini) - Course topics (3 ECTS):
The course aims to tackle inequalities in contemporary society moving from structuralist and
post-structuralist approaches. The first three lessons will explore sociological theories on
inequalities, analysis of social mobilities, and the differences between the macro and micro
level.
The second part of the course will focus on specific topics and declinations of inequalities:
gender, migration, race, healthcare, and climate change.
The last lesson will approach possible instruments and solutions developed over time
and space.
Lesson 1: What is inequality?
Lesson 2: What social mobility is?
Lesson 3: Macro and micro inequalities
Lesson 4: Gender inequalities
Lesson 5: border inequalities and migration
Lesson 6: Race inequalities: the case of the prison system
Lesson 7: inequalities and climate change
Lesson 8: health inequalities: the case of the Covid-19 pandemic
Lesson 9: Possible solutions? Education, welfare, and decoloniality
Lesson 10: Possible solutions? Education, welfare, and decoloniality (part 2)
(6 ECTS)
· Introduction: sustainability and society (week 1)
· Sociological concepts and social research methods (week 2)
· Social Action and Organizations (week 3)
· Groups, classes and inequality (week 4)
· Law and Development (week 5)
· Conflict and violence (week 6)
· Behavior and emotion (week 7)
· Behavior and sustainability (week 8)
· Law and social control - Deviance (week 9)
· Legal pluralism and globalization (week 10)
Sociology workshop "Social Mobility and Social Inequality" (prof. Valeria Verdolini) - Course topics (3 ECTS):
The course aims to tackle inequalities in contemporary society moving from structuralist and
post-structuralist approaches. The first three lessons will explore sociological theories on
inequalities, analysis of social mobilities, and the differences between the macro and micro
level.
The second part of the course will focus on specific topics and declinations of inequalities:
gender, migration, race, healthcare, and climate change.
The last lesson will approach possible instruments and solutions developed over time
and space.
Lesson 1: What is inequality?
Lesson 2: What social mobility is?
Lesson 3: Macro and micro inequalities
Lesson 4: Gender inequalities
Lesson 5: border inequalities and migration
Lesson 6: Race inequalities: the case of the prison system
Lesson 7: inequalities and climate change
Lesson 8: health inequalities: the case of the Covid-19 pandemic
Lesson 9: Possible solutions? Education, welfare, and decoloniality
Lesson 10: Possible solutions? Education, welfare, and decoloniality (part 2)
Prerequisites for admission
None
Teaching methods
The course on Society, Law, and Development 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.
The Workshop on Social mobility and social inequality complements the Sociology course by delving into the specific topics of "social inequality" and "social mobility" as interrelated phenomena on the local/global scale, and into the role of law in producing and maintaining power relations based on such identity categories as gender, race, class and their interaction. It will address in/equalities and social mobility from the standpoint of a wide range of theories, e.g. postcolonial and critical literature.
The Workshop on Social mobility and social inequality complements the Sociology course by delving into the specific topics of "social inequality" and "social mobility" as interrelated phenomena on the local/global scale, and into the role of law in producing and maintaining power relations based on such identity categories as gender, race, class and their interaction. It will address in/equalities and social mobility from the standpoint of a wide range of theories, e.g. postcolonial and critical literature.
Teaching Resources
Selected chapters from the following textbooks, which are available on the UNIMI digital library or open-access:
- Frank Elwell, Sociocultural Systems (https://www.aupress.ca/books/120219-sociocultural-systems/)
- The Cambridge Handbook of Sociology
- The Cambridge Handbook of Environmental Sociology
- The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Sociology
- The Handbook of Sociological Science (Edward Elgar Publisher)
The complete list of readings is provided on Ariel
- Frank Elwell, Sociocultural Systems (https://www.aupress.ca/books/120219-sociocultural-systems/)
- The Cambridge Handbook of Sociology
- The Cambridge Handbook of Environmental Sociology
- The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Sociology
- The Handbook of Sociological Science (Edward Elgar Publisher)
The complete list of readings is provided on Ariel
Assessment methods and Criteria
1. Course attendance and class discussion of reading assignments: 20%
2. A mid-term written test (October/November): 40%
3. A final-term oral test (December/January/February): 40%
2. A mid-term written test (October/November): 40%
3. A final-term oral test (December/January/February): 40%
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:
Verdolini Valeria
Educational website(s)
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