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History, Politics and International Relations

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POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY

Academic Year 2024/2025 - Teacher: GIOVANNI PIAZZA

Expected Learning Outcomes

The course aims to provide the theoretical and empirical knowledge, and the analytical tools related to the main concepts, actors and processes studied by the political sociology. In addition, the course aims to stimulate reflection and the ability of critical interpretation by the students concerning the contemporary political phenomena, also by using the computer media and audio-visual devices (internet links, projections of graphs, tables, pictures and videos).

Course Structure

Frontal/traditional teaching

Required Prerequisites

No mandatory prerequisites. It is preferable to have basic knowledge of general sociology and political science

Attendance of Lessons

Not mandatory but recommended

Detailed Course Content

Politics and political sociology. The modern state, nation, nationalisms and theories, governance and authoritarian neoliberalism. Political violence: police power, terrorism, armed struggle, wars and revolutions. Participatory and deliberative democracy. Political participation: the actors (parties, groups) and the conventional and non-conventional forms. Social movements: approaches, identities, emotions, networks, action repertoires and political context; territorial movements and globalization. Ideologies and political cultures; right/left, populism. Communication and political processes: languages, rituals, mediatized politics, electoral campaigns. Territorial movements (No Tav, No Muos, No Tap, No Grandi Navi). Movements in schools and universities. The movements of occupations of houses and social centers at the national and transnational level. 

Textbook Information

-de Nardis F. (2023), Sociologia politica. Per comprendere i fenomeni politici contemporanei. Milano, 2° edizione. McGraw-Hill:

cap. 1 (par. 1.1, 1.2), pp. 1-13; cap. 5, par. 5.1, 5.4.2, 5.4.3, 5.4.4: pp. 149-158, 181-192;

cap. 7, par. 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, pp. 231-258; cap. 8, par. 8.1.3, 8.2, 8.2.1, 8.2.2, pp. 288-310; cap. 10, pp. 375-419; cap. 11, par. 11.1, 11.2, 11.4, pp. 421-439, 456-462; cap. 12, pp. 463-488.

 - della Porta D., Piazza G., Bertuzzi N. and Sorci G. (2019), “LULUs movements in multilevel struggles: A comparison of four movements in Italy”, in Rivista Italiana di Politiche Pubbliche, n. 3, dicembre, pp. 477-513..

 -Piazza G. (2018), “Not only students, but also not enough: the waves of protest in the higher education in Italy”, in International Review of Social Research, Vol. 8 n. 1, pp. 64-73.

 -Piazza G. (a cura di) (2012), “Il movimento delle occupazioni di squat e centri sociali in Europa. Una introduzione”, in Partecipazione e Conflitto, n. 1, Franco Angeli, Milano, pp. 5-18.

 -Frazzetta, F. e G. Piazza (2022), “L’evoluzione del movimento dei centri sociali in Italia: dalle occupazioni “polivalenti” (multitasking) agli spazi con specifica destinazione d’uso”, in Criticity (a cura di), Futuri Urbani: Città Viva - Vol. III, Contrabbandiera editrice, Firenze, pp. 48-63. .

 

PART OF THE TEXTS AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON STUDIUM DURING THE COURSE

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Oral exam

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

All topics of the program