Comparative European Societies

Specific Foundation

The course is also offered to exchange programme students.

Upon successful completion of the course, students will: - Be able to identify the main issues arising from the debate on the transformation of European societies in relation to a wide range of social institutions - Be able to apply the main tools of sociological analysis to explain satisfactorily the diversity and similarities of European societies; - Be able to discuss the different interpretations of current social, cultural and political transformations in Europe and link them to some of the main sociological theories -apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the course by critically discussing the issues related to the social, political and cultural transformations taking place in Europe and the variety of systems of social organization and the various social components that are an integral part of these

This Course adopts a sociological perspective to analyse European societies and address the question of their homogeneity or heterogeneity. We ask about the existence of a single Europe or a variety of Europe(s), studying the question in the various social and cultural components that characterise it. Our teaching fully contributes to the formation of the profile of graduates in European Studies who are able to understand, analyse and interpret social, political and cultural phenomena in a comparative key. The purpose of the Course is to enable students to measure themselves against the historical roots and transformations that have taken place and are taking place in Europe in identities, family and cultural assets, in the economy and in the labor market, and in welfare state dynamics and political processes thanks to the tools proposed by comparative sociology. The teaching aims at systematically comparing the social, political and cultural transformations of the main European social institutions. In particular, the Course will analyse the similarities and differences that characterise European society or European societies, with the aim of understanding whether and how appropriate it is to talk about a specific form of European society or whether it is more appropriate to talk about many Europe(s) (North/South Europe, East-West, centre/periphery, countryside/city). TEACHING METHODS The teaching is divided into 3 parts: In the first part, we will address the topic of homogeneity and differentiation of European society by analyzing some of the crucial demographic and family transformations, with a focus on changing gender models. We will also look at labour market transformation, focusing on the increasing deregulation and flexibilization, in comparison also with other advanced societies outside Europe (such as the United States and Japan) In the second part, the transformations in the family, gender and working career models are linked to those in the welfare state and social citizenship, with particular attention to the micro-macro interweaving and the (re)production of social inequalities (of gender and class). The third part will deal with issues related to civic engagement, and collective action that have profoundly transformed contemporary European societies. We will pay particular attention to the similarities and differences between different cultural, political and institutional contexts. Moreover, we will analyze different models of regulation between economy and society and how these have faced the recent crises. In so doing, we will address the institutional change topic.

European societies, sociology, social structures

29-05-2023