Learning objectives
The course aims to provide analytical tools to read sociocultural processes and communication in contemporary society.
At the end of the course, the student must have acquired the ability to:
• know and understand the main communication processes in different social forms;
• integrate different disciplines (sociology, economics and history) in coherent analytical arguments on contemporary
Prerequisites
No.
Course unit content
The course aims to frame the historical process and socio-cultural origin of the European welfare state.
In a first part, we frame the modern welfare as a "social construction" descending from the modernization process (institutionalization of the social ties, technical specialization of institutions, social differentiation etc.), that has taken different form in European contexts (the course adopts a comparative approach, in particular between Mediterranean and Scandinavian Europe).
A second part of the lectures will focus on the "transition age", the current phase of capitalism late-modern, "financial" and at the same time "cultural" and "wikinomic", on the consequences in terms of social vulnerability (change of conflict form and social unrest) and in terms of contraction of the welfare state (institutional changes).
During a third part of the lectures, we try to show possible new forms of governance involving a significant rethinking of the welfare state, with particular interest to the proposals of the welfare "participative" and "generative".
Full programme
The extended program with the arguments of each lesson will be given to students on the first day of class.
Bibliography
Required readings:
A) These paper to study, being reduced parts of texts, will be loaded as a pdf download at students
Letture obbligatorie:
A) lineamenti teorici (i saggi da studiare, essendo parti ridotte di testi, saranno caricati come pdf scaricabili dal sito studenti):
- Dispense del corso Sociologia dei processi culturali e Politiche Sociali, profssa Pellegrino (formato pdf scaricabile dal sito studenti);
- Frisby D., Modernità. Breve introduzione, da Enciclopedia Scienze Sociali, Treccani;
- Weber M., Considerazioni Intermedie, Armando editore, solo parte seconda;
- Harvey H., La crisi della modernità, solo capitoli "La postmodernità come condizione storica", e "Modernismo fordista e postmodernismo flessibile a confronto: la compenetrazione di opposte tendenze nel capitalismo visto nella sua totalità";
- Conti F., Silei G., Breve storia dello Stato Sociale, solo capitolo "Verso la fine dello stato sociale";
- Tognetti M., Lineamenti di Politiche Sociali, solo capitolo "Politica e Politiche Sociali";
- Rivista Animazione Sociale, inserto monografico "Welfare Bene Comune", solo saggi di: Montebugnoli A., Vecchiato T., de Leonardis O.;
- Mazzoli G., Nicoli MA, Pellegrino V., Ipotesi di fondo per la programmazione locale partecipata per un welfare di comunità.
B) A full text of choice (about the modern welfare state in the eyes of its users):
- Pellegrino V., L'occidente e il Mediterraneo agli occhi dei migranti, Unicopli, 2009 ;
- Pellegrino V., Follie Ragionate. Il male e la cura nelle parole dei pazienti psichiatrici, UTET, 2012;
- Nove A., Mi chiamo Roberta, ho 40anni, guadagno 250 euro al mese, Einaudi, 2006
Teaching methods
The course includes a first part of lectures (with the support of slides, videos, testimonies) and a second paret of interactive workshops.
The interactive workshops aims to deepen what was seen in precedent lessons by interactive methods of debate.
The intention is to create groups of fewer students, to encourage their involvement in a contexts where there are social and health workers also, other scholars, etc., in order to facilitate the comparison between students and social context.
Each laboratory will be considered for about 12 hours.
Lab a) "State, market and civil society in the future"
Seminars on the possible future structure of welfare: deepening of new paradigms with particular attention to proposals for welfare "participatory" and "generative", to constructs of "common good" and "experimentalist governance", etc.
Lab b) "the disappearance of the collective production of the future":
Seminars on the profound social and cultural transformation (acceleration of time, expansion of social spaces, .), analysis of social-cultural characteristics of this "no future" (hikikomori, neet, temporary workers) and the possible answers.
Lab c) "social changes and urban contexts"
Sociological laboratory on the urban spaces (the relationships between different social groups, the transformation of public spaces, the urban conflicts etc.). Introduction to the method of “neighborhood walks” and other possible social policies
Assessment methods and criteria
Verification of learning will be structured as follows:
- Written examination (considered for the 40% of the final mark);
- Written report on the text of choice (considered 30%);
- Written report on the laboratory chosen by the student and related materials (considered 30%)
It is possible to request an oral additional in case of wishing to improve their marks.
Other information
The course is "mutuato" (open also) to students of Social Work degree (Social Policy).
