Learning objectives
By the end of the course, students will have acquired knowledge of the main concepts, theories and research strands of the sociology of cultural and educational processes, as well as having articulated an in-depth reflection around the theme of inequalities and social reproduction in the educational field. The aim of the course will also be to provide critical tools for reflection on contemporary cultural representations and imaginaries around the themes of migration, borders and social movements.
Prerequisites
The course has no particular prerequisites. Students, in any case, enter the course with a basic knowledge of sociology, having already taken the course of General Sociology (SPS/07).
Course unit content
The course is an introduction to the Sociology of Cultural and Educational Processes, which is divided into three different thematic parts. The first part presents the main concepts and theories of the sociology of culture, specifying their fields and methods. The second part of the course deals with the main research strands and theoretical approaches of the sociology of education, focusing on the topic of inequalities and social reproduction, through the use of classical texts, as well as current research. Using the conceptual perspective of "border studies" already in the analysis of educational worlds, the course concludes with a focus on contemporary representations, imaginaries and cultural constructions related to migration, borders and social movements. The course can be taken either only for the duration of the first module (6 cfu) – which provides the basic knowledge – or in its entirety (12 cfu), with a second in-depth module (6 cfu).
Full programme
The two modules of the course are built on the following three different parts:
- An introduction to the sociology of culture: concepts, theories, fields and methods;
- An introduction to the sociology of education: research strands; inequalities and social reproduction; subaltern youth cultures;
- Cultural representations and imaginaries around migration, borders and social movements.
The course first introduces the basic elements of the sociology of cultural processes, covering the general concepts and theories of the relationship between culture and society, and the forms and methods of empirical research on cultural phenomena. The first part of the course provides a basic toolbox of the sociology of culture, which will be used in the course of teaching to reflect on contemporary cultural representations.
In the second part, the course presents the main research strands of the sociology of education. Concepts and theories of reference will be analysed, also through the reading of classical texts, as well as presenting current research on the themes of inequalities, social reproduction and subaltern youth universes, also through the viewing and discussion of documentaries and films on the subject.
Starting from the perspective of border studies, a third and final focus of the course will analyse the representations and imaginaries that have been generated in recent years around a central issue in today's public debate, such as undocumented migration, borders and social movements, exploring in particular the reality of solidarity networks for migrants in transit. Case studies of several European border nodes will be presented, including through visual tools and the return of ethnographic research currently underway.
The two modules include, to a lesser and greater extent depending on the texts chosen, the analysis of the three thematic parts proposed. In the second module, with the two thematic lists of books of their choice (one on the sociology of educational processes, the other on representations and imaginaries on migrations/borders/social movements), students can orientate a preference on the focus of the course most inclined to their own interests.
Bibliography
Module 1 (6 cfu)
Crespi F. (2003) Manuale di sociologia della cultura. Laterza: Bari-Roma, capitoli 1 e 2, pp. 96
Romito M., Antonelli F. (2018) Per un’etnografia dei processi di istruzione. Culture, disuguaglianze, dispositivi. In: Romito M. e Antonelli F. (a cura di) Etnografie critiche dei mondi scolastici - Special Issue della rivista Etnografia e Ricerca Qualitativa, 2/2018, pp. 205-224.
Bourdieu P. (1997) Le disuguaglianze di fronte alla scuola e alla cultura, In: Morgagni E. e Russo A. (a cura di) L’educazione in sociologia. Testi scelti. Clueb: Bologna pp. 107- 123.
2 essays of your choice from a list of essays on sociology of educational processes (indicated at the beginning of the course and uploaded on Elly):
2 essays of your choice from a list of essays on cultural representations and constructions related to migration, borders and social movements (indicated at the beginning of the course and uploaded on Elly). (NB: 4 essays of your choice in total)
Module 2 (6 cfu)
One book of your choice from the following on the topic of educational processes:
Romito M. (2016) Una scuola di classe. Orientamento e disuguaglianza nelle transizioni scolastiche. Milano: Guerini e Associati.
Caroselli A. (2022) Palestre di precarietà. Una etnografia delle pratiche conflittuali nella formazione tecnica e professionale. Verona: Ombre Corte.
Or one book among the following, on the topic of representations of migrations, borders and social movements:
Giliberti L. (2020) Abitare la frontiera. Lotte neorurali e solidarietà ai migranti sul confine franco-italiano. Ombre Corte: Verona.
Anderlini J., Filippi D. e Giliberti L. (a cura di) (2022) Borderland Italia. Regime di frontiera e autonomia delle migrazioni. DeriveApprodi: Roma.
(NB: Only one book to choose from the two lists).
4 essays of your choice: 2 from each of the two lists of essays already indicated for the first module (NB. For those taking both modules, there are 8 essays to choose in total, 4 for the first module and 4 for the second).
The programmes are the same for attending and non-attending students.
Teaching methods
The course favours an approach centred on participation and the co-production of knowledge, envisaging the use and integration of different teaching methods: frontal lectures; dialectical and interactive lectures based on moments of discussion; micro-group work on texts and/or research materials and presentation in the classroom; viewing of documentaries related to the topics in question and debate.
Assessment methods and criteria
The examination – both that of the first module and that of both modules – is sustained by means of an oral interview, in which the student must demonstrate that he/she has acquired the principal concepts and theories of the discipline, has understood and knows how to analyse the chosen research, and has matured the ability to reason critically about cultural frames and representations. The texts in the syllabus and the materials presented during the course (slides, documentaries, etc.) will be examined.
Other information
The course materials are uploaded on the Elly Platform, where the compulsory and elective essays for the examination can also be found.
