Social Sciences

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

Oral presentation, analisys of texts and group discussion.

Learning Outcomes

 This curricular unit aims to provide students with a solid knowledge of social sciences enabling them to:

- be able to understand and analyse the historical pathway of social sciences, with an emphasis on sociology.

- be able to show competencies of analysis and debate of current theories of social sciences.

- be able to carry out a critical analysis of social phenomena in contemporary societies on the basis of theoretical tools of social sciences.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Epistemological issues about the study of social Sciences. A global vision about Social Sciences. Common sense on Social Sciences.

2. Historical roots of the development of Social Sciences

3. Classical Sociological Theories:

3.1. European Sociology.

3.1.1. French Sociology (Saint-Simon; Comte; Durkheim).

3.1.2. German Sociology (Marx; Weber; Simmel).

3.1.3. British Sociology (Spencer).

3.1.4. Italian Sociology (Pareto; Mosca).

3.2. North American Sociology:

3.2.1. Chicago School (Mead).

3.2.2. Harvard School  (Sorokin; Talcott Parsons).

4. Main modern theories on Sociology

5. Modernity and Post-Modernity .

Head Lecturer(s)

José Manuel Albuquerque Portocarrero Canavarro

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 30.0%
Exam: 70.0%

Bibliography

Botta, M. (n.d.). Exploration of external indicators of social change in postmodern communities. In EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF FUTURES RESEARCH (Vol. 3, Issue 1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40309-014-0061-6

Carter, M. J., & Fuller, C. (2015). Symbolic interactionism. Sociopedia, 1, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/205684601561

Costa, A. F. (1992). Sociologia (o que é). Difusão Cultural.

Durkheim, É. (1987). As Regras do Método Sociológico. Editorial Presença.

Giddens, A. (1990). Capitalismo e moderna teoria social: uma análise das obras de Marx, Durkheim e Max Weber. Editorial Presença.

Giddens, A. (2004). Sociologia. Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.

Ritzer, G., & Douglas, J. G. (2003). Modern Sociological Theory. McGraw-Hill.

Santos, B. de S. (1995). Introdução a uma Ciência Pós-Moderna. Edições Afrontamento.

Silva, A. S., & Pinto, J. M. (1986). Metodologia das Ciências Sociais. Edições Afrontamento.