Degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Bachelor in Philosophy, Politics and Economics

What if understanding the world helped you transform it?

Basics of Sociology

Description: 

The subject aims to provide students with a general vision of the raison d'être of sociology as a science: its object of study, the main theoretical perspectives and the fundamental concepts dealt with in the sociological discipline. It addresses various issues such as origins of sociology, sociology as a science, main sociological theories, the methods of sociology, fundamental sociological concepts, socialization and social control, stratification and inequality, social change, sustainability and globalization.

Type Subject
Primer - Obligatoria
Semester
First
Course
1
Credits
6.00
Previous Knowledge: 

Not Applicable.

Objectives: 

Sociology as an empirical social science aims to analyze and understand the relationship and interrelation of human beings in their various social contexts. This subject aims to provide students with a sociological perspective of analysis of reality, as a complementary prism of other disciplines such as philosophy, political science or economics. To this end, the work of sociology as a science and its main theoretical and methodological approaches will be deepened through key authors, both classic and contemporary. Likewise, we will work on key concepts of this discipline that will allow us to deepen our understanding of the functioning of society.

Contents: 

  • UNIT 01. Origins of Sociology. Sociology as a Science. The Object of Sociology.
  • UNIT 02. Methods of Sociology. Fundamental Sociological Concepts.
  • UNIT 03. Classical Sociologists, Major Schools of Thought, and Main Sociological Theories.
    • Functionalism: Durkheim, Parsons, Merton, Wright Mills.
    • Structuralism: Lévi-Strauss, Foucault, Durkheim.
    • Symbolic Interactionism: Mead, Blumer.
    • Social Phenomenology: Berger, Luckmann.
  • UNIT 04. Socialization and Social Control.
  • UNIT 05. Stratification and Inequality.
  • UNIT 06. Social Change.
  • UNIT 07. Sustainability and Globalization.

Methodology: 

The subject has a weekly operation with 4 teaching hours. 

The teaching methodology that will be used in the teaching of the subject will combine the presentation of theoretical contents, personal study and the preparation of tasks with the active participation of the students. Teachers will combine all or some of the following assignments: 

  • Classroom work:
  • Master classes: master classes refer to the presentation by the teachers of the theoretical contents of the subject, the orientation of the students on basic readings and complementary sources of information and the establishment of guidelines and keys for the performance of theoretical-practical tasks.
  • Seminars: seminars are spaces for students to work together where directed activities and debate sessions will be carried out based on work previously carried out by the students or questions proposed at the beginning of the seminar by the teachers. Throughout the seminars, the teachers will answer the doubts raised by the students. The topics addressed in these seminars will allow you to deepen the theoretical content worked on in the subject.
  • Continuous assessment: assessment is an integrated part of the teaching-learning process. In this subject, a continuous evaluation will be carried out that will combine the delivery and presentation of assignments with the development of objective (written) tests throughout the semester. At the same time, the teachers will give feedback on the student's progress. Failure to comply with the deadlines for submitting assignments will have a penalty in the final grade: assignments submitted after the deadline will have a maximum grade of 8/10.
  • Work or activities outside the classroom:
  • Autonomous work of students: the autonomous work of students consists, on the one hand, of reading selected texts and drawing up diagrams, summaries, concept maps, etc. from them; and on the other, in the preparation of individual work, especially essays, case analysis and reports, to be delivered and presented in the classroom/platform.

Tutorials: all students will have the possibility of requesting individual or group tutorials, by appointment, from the teachers. These tutorials may be aimed at resolving doubts both about the content and the elaboration of the tasks. 

Evaluation: 

The final grade of the subject will be calculated based on the grades obtained in the different evaluation activities. The subject will be considered approved if the student not only obtains an average equal to or greater than 5 in all these activities, but also has completed all of them.

  • Test (40%).
  • Homework (45%).
  • Participation and attendance (15%).

Evaluation Criteria: 

The final grade of the subject will be calculated based on the grades obtained in the different evaluation activities. The subject will be considered approved if the student not only obtains an average equal to or greater than 5 in all these activities, but also has completed all of them.

  • Test (40%): knowledge of concepts and authors, ability to relate ideas and argue them, clear exposition.
  • Tasks (45%): ability to relate ideas, ability to apply theoretical perspectives and concepts to practical cases in a reasoned and critical way.
  • Participation and attendance (15%): active participation, quality of contributions, class attendance. Students’ attitude during class sessions and the quality of their contributions will be assessed.

Basic Bibliography: 

  • BERGER, PETER & LUCKMANN, THOMAS (1967). La construcción social de la realidad. Buenos Aires: Amorrortu.
  • FLECHA, R., GÓMEZ, J., PUIGVERT, L. (2001) Teoría Sociológica Contemporánea. Barcelona: Paidós Ibérica.
  • GARCÍA. G.V. (2009) El oficio del sociólogo: la imaginación sociológica. 
  • GIDDENS, A. (2010) Sociología. 6º edición. Madrid: Alianza.
  • GINER, S. (2001) La Teoría Sociológica Clásica. Barcelona: Arial.
  • LUCAS, F – MURILLO DE LA CUEVA (1999) Lecciones de Sociología General. Madrid. Centro de Estudios Ramón Areces.
  • LUCAS-MARÍN, Antonio (2011) Sociología: el estudio de la realidad social. Navarra: Universidad de Navarra.
  • MACIONIS, J. J., PLUMMER, K. (2012) Sociología. 4º edición. Madrid: Prentice Hall.
  • REYES, ROMÁN (Dir.) (1988). Terminología científico-social. Aproximación crítica. Barcelona: Anthropos.
  • RITZER, G. (1993) Teoría Sociológica Clásica. México: McGrawHill.
  • RITZER, G. (1993) Teoría Sociológica Contemporánea. Mexico: McGrawHill.
  • SMELSER-WARNER (1991) Teoría Sociológica. Análisis histórico y formal. 3º edición. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe.
  • UÑA, OCTAVIO & HERNÁNDEZ, ALFREDO (2004). Diccionario de Sociología. Madrid: Universidad Rey Juan Carlos y ESIC.
  • VIDAL, FERNANDO (2018) La Última Modernidad. Guía para no perderse el siglo XXI. Cantabria: Editorial Sal Terrae.

Additional Material: 





  • ARIÈS, PHILIPPE (1977). El hombre ante la muerte. Madrid: Taurus (ed.1999).
  • BATTHYÁNY, Karina, CABRERA, Mariana (coordinadoras) (2011) Metodología de la investigación en Ciencias Sociales. Apuntes para un curso inicial. Montevideo: Departamento de Publicaciones, Unidad de Comunicación de la Universidad de la República.
  • BAUMAN, Zygmunt (1990) Pensando sociológicamente. Buenos Aires: Nueva Visión.
  • BAUMANN, ZYGMUNT (2000). Modernidad líquida. Ciudad de México: FCE (ed.2002).
  • BERGER, P. (1963) Invitación a la sociología. Una perspectiva humanística. Barcelona: Herder.
  • BERGER, P. eta LUCKMAN, T. (2006) La construcción social de la realidad, Buenos Aires: Amorrortu.
  • BERIAIN, J., ITURRATE, J. (2008) Para comprender la Teoría Sociológica. Estella-Lizarra: Verbo Divino.
  • BOURDIEU, Pierre, CHAMBOREDON, Jean-Claude, PASSERON, Jean-Claude (1975) El oficio del sociólogo. Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI.
  • CASTELLS, M. (2008) La era de la información: la sociedad red. Madrid: Alianza.
  • DE CHARDIN, TEILHARD (1950). El fenómeno humano. Madrid: Taurus.
  • DONATI, PIERPAOLO (2006). Repensar la sociedad. El enfoque relacional. Madrid: Ediciones Internacionales Universitarias.
  • DURKHEIM, E. (2001) La división del trabajo social. 4º edición. Madrid: Akal.
  • DURKHEIM, E. (2007) Las reglas del método sociológico, Buenos Aires: Losada.
  • DURKHEIM, E. (2008) El suicidio. 6º edición. Madrid: Akal.
  • DURKHEIM, E. (2008) Las formas elementales de la vida religiosa. Madrid: Alianza.
  • FOUCAULT, m (1976): Vigilar y castigar. Nacimiento de la prisión. México: Siglo XXI.
  • FRANKL, VIKTOR (1946). El hombre en busca del sentido. Barcelona: Herder (ed.2004).
  • GIDDENS, A. (2010) Sociología. 6º edición. Madrid: Alianza.
  • GINER, S., LAMO DE ESPINOSA, E., TORRES, C. (1998) Diccionario de Sociología. Madrid: Alianza.
  • GONZÁLEZ-ANLEO, J. (1998) Para comprender la sociología. 5º edición. Estella: Verbo Divino
  • HERNÁNDEZ, R., FERNÁNDEZ, C. eta BAPTISTA, P. (2007) Fundamentos de metodología de la investigación. Madrid: McGrawHill.
  • LUHMANN, N (1995) La creencia de la sociedad. México: Anthropos.
  • MAFFESOLI, MICHEL (1986). El tiempo de las tribus. Barcelona: Icaria.
  • MARX, K. (1959) El capital. Volumen I, II, III. Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Económica.
  • MARX, K. (2009) El dieciocho Brumario de Luis Bonaparte. Madrid: Alianza.
  • MARX, K., ENGELS, F. (1975) Manifiesto Comunista. Madrid: Fundamentos.
  • MEAD, G.H (1982): Espíritu, persona y sociedad. Barcelona: Paidós.
  • MERTON, R.K (1980) Teoría y estructuras sociales. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica.
  • MILLS, C. Wright (1959) La imaginación sociológica. XXX
  • MORIN, EDGAR (1973). El paradigma perdido. Ensayo de bioantropología. Barcelona: Kairós (ed.1974).
  • PARSONS, T. (1966) El sistema social. Madrid: Alianza.
  • SPIKINS, PENNY (2015). How compassion made us human. The evolutionary origins of tenderness, trust & morality. Barnsley (South Yorkshire, Reino Unido): Pen & Sword Books.
  • WEBER, M. (1985) ¿Qué es la burocracia? Buenos Aires: Leviatán
  • WEBER, M. (2002) Economía y sociedad, México: FCE.
  • WEBER, M. (2011) La ética protestante y el espíritu del capitalismo. Madrid: Alianza.
  • WEBER, M. (2012) El político y el científico. Madrid. Alianza.
  • XIRAU, JOAQUIM (1940). Amor y mundo. En Xirau, Joaquim (1998). Obras completas. Volumen I: escritos fundamentales. Edición de Ramón Xirau. Barcelona y Madrid: Anthropos Editorial y Fundación Caja Madrid.