Unit SOCIOLOGY OF SOCIAL NETWORKS
- Course
- Social policies and social work
- Study-unit Code
- A001415
- Curriculum
- Progettazione delle politiche sociali
- Teacher
- Lorenzo Bruni
- Teachers
-
- Lorenzo Bruni
- Hours
- 60 ore - Lorenzo Bruni
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2024
- Offered
- 2025/26
- Learning activities
- Affine/integrativa
- Area
- Attività formative affini o integrative
- Sector
- SPS/07
- Type of study-unit
- Opzionale (Optional)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- The course on the Sociology of Social Networks aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the concept of social networks from a sociological perspective.
The first part of the course will focus on the sociological analysis of the concepts of social networks and social groups.
The second part of the course will focus on exploring specific sociological aspects related to the analysis of social networks and social groups, and on examining the relationship between social solidarity and social networks, with a particular focus on the empirical dynamics of building bonds of solidarity in the Umbrian region - Reference texts
- Required reading:
1) Stefania Vergati (2008), Social Groups and Networks: Between Theory and Research, Bonanno Editore, Acireale-Rome. For attending students: Chapters 1–2.
For non-attending students: the book must be studied in its entirety, with the exception of Chapter IV.
2) Lorenzo Bruni (2021), Critical Solidarity. Neoliberal Pathologies and New Forms of Sociality, Meltemi, Rome.
As part of the course, further texts will be studied in depth and discussed during seminars in the classroom. The lecturer will provide all bibliographical references relating to the aforementioned texts as the course progresses. - Educational objectives
- 1) Assess the acquisition of content: theories, concepts, rules, procedures and methods. 2) Apply knowledge and expertise to complete tasks and solve theoretical or practical problems. 3) Demonstrate the ability to independently transfer knowledge and skills to different contexts. 4) Demonstrate the ability to present, analyse and critically discuss topics related to the course content.
- Prerequisites
- A basic knowledge of sociology is desirable.
- Teaching methods
- Lectures. Classroom individual and group work. Seminar activities.
- Other information
- Obligatory attendance.
- Learning verification modality
- The assessment test will consist of an oral interview and will last no longer than 30 minutes.
- Extended program
- The first part of the course will focus on a sociological analysis of the concept of the network, with particular attention to its historical context, its theoretical manifestations and its empirical implications. In particular, the concept of the network will be examined alongside that of the social group, in order to demonstrate how the two dimensions are closely intertwined. This process of integration, which is feasible because there is no antithesis between the network and group approaches, is based not only on a technical and conceptual reorganisation of network studies, but above all on a re-evaluation of the great classics of social theory and research, without which the contribution of contemporary scholars would not be fully appreciated.
The second part of the course will focus on an in-depth thematic exploration of specific aspects of the concepts of social networks and social groups, through the organisation of classroom discussions, and on an examination of the relationship between social solidarity and social networks in the context of the Umbrian region. - Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile
- 3, 10, 11, 16