Economic Sociology

Objectives

1. Knowledge and understanding of the main sociological approaches to economic phenomena;
2. Ability to problematise and analyse economic phenomena using sociological concepts and theories;
3. Ability to intervene in economic organisations critically and in an informed way;
4. Ability to communicate knowledge on economic sociology in an accurate and meaningful way.

General characterization

Code

711081069

Credits

6

Responsible teacher

Available soon

Hours

Weekly - 4

Total - Available soon

Teaching language

Portuguese

Prerequisites

Ter concluído um mínimo de 48 créditos ECTS no 1º ciclo.

Bibliography

Smelser, N.J. & Swedberg, R. (ed.) (2005). The handbook of economic sociology, 2.ª ed. Princeton: Princeton University Press. (Cap. seleccionados/selected chs.)
Peixoto, J. & Marques, R. (ed.) (2003). A nova sociologia económica. Oeiras: Celta. (Cap. seleccionados/selected chs.)
Portes, A. (2000). “Capital social: Origens e aplicações na sociologia contemporânea”. Sociologia, Problemas e Práticas (33), pp. 133-158.
Portes, A. (2010). Economic sociology: A systematic inquiry. Princeton: Princeton University Press. (Cap. seleccionados/selected chs.)
Steiner, Ph. (1999). La sociologie économique. Paris, La Découverte. (Cap. seleccionados/selected chs.)
Trigilia, C. (2002). Economic sociology: State, market and society in modern capitalism. Oxford: Blackwell. (Cap. seleccionados/selected chs.)
Yáñez Casal, A. (2005). Entre a dádiva e a mercadoria: Ensaio de antropologia económica. Lisboa: edição do autor. (Cap. seleccionados/selected chs.)

Teaching method

In class teaching.
Each syllabus topic is dealt with in one to three theoretical lectures, interpolated with one or two practical classwork sessions. Each lecture explains concepts and conceptual frameworks, as well as examples of research problems and results. Practical classes work on understanding, discussion and expression. Each is organised around one text, previously read by the students. Five of those texts are worked upon and discussed in groups of students, with teacher support. In other practical classes, students take individual written tests on the previously discussed texts, with consultation.

Evaluation method

Continuous assessment in classwork (50%): each student will take 5 individual written tests on the previously discussed readings. The classworkOne grade is the average of the best 4 assignments. One individual writen test in class in the end of the semester (50%).

Subject matter

0. Introduction
0.1. From the classics to New Economic Sociology
0.2. The notion of social embeddedness of the economy
1. Non-market integration in moder societies
1.1. Reciprocity
1.2. Redistribution
2. Institutional and political embeddedness of markets
2.1. State, institutions and markets
2.2. Economic Sociology and New Institutional Economics
2.3. A socioinstitutional analytical model of markets
2.4. Research problems
3. Embeddedness of markets in social networks
3.1. Inroduction to social network analysis
3.2. The theoretical proposal by Granovetter, criticism and developments. Social capital and market status
3.3. Social networks in the socioinstitutional analysis of markets
3.4. Research problems
4. Cultural and cognitive embeddedness of markets
4.1. Values and moral economy. Culture, cognition and performativity
4.2. Cultural capital, symbolic capital and market status
4.3. Culture and cognition in the socioinstitutional analysis of markets
4.4. research problems

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: