Corso di studio in Economia

This course is aiming at giving a basic and fundamental knowledge in order to understand the main current social phenomena at local as well as national and international level. Its main goal is  to achieve the sociological point of view and the ability to use analytical tools to understand cultural diversity.

Expected Learning results (Dublin Descriptors): 1. Knowledge and understanding. Ability to recognize main social phenomena with reference to cultural diversity in international relationships and knowledge of the main theoretical sociological explanations. 2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. Knowledge of the main social mechanisms explaining phenomena within the so called transnational contexts  as far as intercultural relationships are concerned in the globalised  society and application of some research tools to develop a transcultural approach to diversity. 3. Judgement authonomy. This course is oriented to develop a critical analytical approach to cultural variety and diversity, inducing confrontation among different analytical approches and consequent esplicative perspectives. 4. Communication abilities. Abilities to give correct descriptions of social phenomena and processes concerning intercultural relationships in management and trade and to avoid misperceptions and failures in transcultural relationships. 5. Learning abilities.  Ability to develop a deeper sociological knowledge in the communicative and relational domain at theoretical as well as practical level as far as intercultural relations are concerned.

In order to achieve the expected learning results, the programme is divided into two parts.
The first part (about 25 hours) deals with general sociology and the following topics:
1. The sociological knowledge. The scientific basis of sociology to understand the global society. 2. The structure of social action. The social system and economic, political, cultural and integrative subsystems. Integrating and disintegrating processes. 3. Social inequalities. Classic and contemporary theories and research on social stratification and social mobility. The new social classes in the globalized society. 4. Economy and society: labour division, organizations, labour market. 5. Globalization and socio-cultural formations: from national to world society.
The second part  (about 38 hours) deals with socio-cultural diversity and cross-cultural communication: - Transnational contexts and cultural variety and diversity - Concepts of culture in social sciences; software of the mind, individuals and ingroups/outgroups dynamics, nations and cultures - Values, behaviors, institutions and organisations in different national societies and cultures, culture dimensions (Hofstede, Hall, Douglas) - Intercultural communication, cultural shock, the "third culture" theory - Crosscultural management, diversity management

Lesson attendance is recommended. Course materials (essays and slides) are forwarded on-line on Klips by the chair in English and Italian.