Sociology (S-E)

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AC Ciências Sociais > UC Obrigatórias

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Management > Management > 1º Ciclo > Unidades Curriculares Optativas > Sociology

Economics > Economics > 1º Ciclo > Unidades Curriculares Obrigatórias > Sociology

Nível

1º Ciclo (L)

Tipo

Estruturante

Regime

Semestral

Carga Horária

Aula Teórica (T): 0.0 h/semana

Aula TeoricoPrática (TP): 3.5 h/semana

Trabalho Autónomo: 114.5 h/semestre

Créditos ECTS: 6.0

Objectivos

This course provides a short introduction to the sociological endeavour as both an academic/scientific discipline and a perspective through which to view and analyse the social world. During the semester, the students will be exposed to classical and contemporary sociological theories, sociological concepts and basic social sciences vocabulary. The sociological framework will be applied to the study of social groups, organizations, social processes, institutions and common social problems. Sociology will give us tools do demystify taken for granted assumptions, clarify social paradoxes, illustrate the uses and misuses of social labels and common speeches. The entire course will be a work in progress application of the ?sociological imagination? to some of the social issues that dominate the current world.

Programa

- The Sociological Lexicon. Some important Concepts. Sociology as the science of social paradoxes. What is "Sociological Imagination".

- The rise of the sociological endeavour. Reacting against the contractual founding myths. The three revolutions and the shaping of a critical perspective.

- The first sociological generation: Tocqueville, Comte and Marx. Defining a new discipline. Methodological Issues.

- Basic antinomies. The "Gemeinschaft" discussion. Modernization and Anomie. The problems of power and inequality.

- The "Turn of the Century Generation": Social facts and Ideal Types. Durkheim vs. Weber. Causality between statistical regularities and ucronic reconstructions.

- Religion and Society. Historical and functional analysis. Elementary forms and the elective affinities between capitalism and Protestantism.

- The Microssociological turn: Affiliations, conflicts, social circles. Simmel and Modernity. The Tragedy of Culture and the problems of urban life. Prototypical social types.

- Becoming American: The Rise of Sociology in the New World: From Pragmatism to Structural Functionalism. Parsons "Big theory" and Merton´s modesty. The Relativization of functional analysis.

- The truth is not out there. The Day to day life and dramaturgy. The Presentation of Self and the Social Construction of Reality. Are Emotions mature for sociological analysis?

- Closing the Gap: Economics seduction and the Rational Choice Paradigm. Coleman's big picture. What is left to decide?

- "Civilization and Kultur". Social refinement, mimesis, and distinction. Macro approaches to today's societies. Risk, Uncertainty, and Globalization.

- The Frankfurt Children: Critical approaches to the study of late capitalism. A new type of Society?

- Thinking Sociologically: 10 Social Problems waiting for 10 sociological answers given by eager students.

Metodologia de avaliação

- Participation in classes is of foremost importance. 50% of the final grade will result from the answers to the short assignments and participation at class discussions.
- A group assignment will account for the remaining 50% of the final grade. This assignment will cover one of the subjects of the course.
- The students who choose not to participate in classes and fail to present the group assignment may opt for the final exam. The same situation applies to all students with grades inferior to 9.5 after weighting the group assignment and participation marks. No auxiliary means are allowed, during the final exam.

Bibliografia

Principal