Problems of Sociological Research

Objectives

1. An integrative understanding of the application of concepts, theories and methods of sociological research, learned in other curricular units, which will be discussed through the operationalization of sociological research of social problems
2. Ability to formulate sociologically significant problems about topics and concrete situations
3. Abitily to operationalize objects of sociological research
4. Ability to design elementary projects of empirical sociological research
5. Ability to critically and sustainably reflect on a sociological problem from its conceptual and methodological dimensions
6. Ability to communicate in a rigorous and meaningful way the theoretical and methodological construction

General characterization

Code

711081062

Credits

6.0

Responsible teacher

Sara Dalila Aguiar Cerejo Leão

Hours

Weekly - 4

Total - 168

Teaching language

Portuguese

Prerequisites

To have accomplished a minimum of 48 ECTS credits

Bibliography

Berger, Peter & Luckmann, Thomas (1999). A Construção Social da Realidade. Dinalivro.
Boudon, Raymond (1992). Action. In R. Boudon (Ed.), Traité de Sociologie (pp. 21-55). PUF.
Bryman, Alan & Burgess, Robert (Eds.) (1994). Analyzing Qualitative Data. Routledge.
Corcuff, Philippe (1995). As novas sociologias. VRAL.
Durkheim, Émile (1980). As regras do método sociológico. Presença.
Elias, Norbert (2004). A Sociedade dos Indivíduos. Publicações Dom Quixote.
Giddens, Anthony (1993). New Rules of Sociological Method. Stanford University Press
Lisboa, Manuel (2016). As metodologias de investigação no estudo das desigualdades sociais: conhecimento científico, políticas públicas e cidadania. In M. Lisboa (Coord.), Metodologias de investigação sociológica: problemas e soluções a partir de estudos empíricos (pp. 43-62). Húmus.
Quivy, Raymond & Campenhoudt, LucVan (2005). Manual de investigação em ciências sociais. Gradiva.

Teaching method

Theoretical presentations, by the lecturers; Practical work: presentation and discussion in class, by the students, of texts provided by the lecturer. In each class, we will discuss thematic blocks; the students enrolled in this group will be divided so that one half will present the text, and the other half will present a critical counterargument.

Evaluation method

Evaluation Methodologies - Individual presentation / counterargument of texts(30%), Individual summary of the remaining blocks of texts provided by the lecturer (10%), Individual written assignment on a topic relating to the curricular unit, with previous agreement of the lecturer, to be presented during the examination period (maximum 10 pages)(60%)

Subject matter

1. Social problems and sociological problematics. Problem identification and the construction of problematics
2. Parameters of theory building: macro and micro
3. The object of sociology and the other social sciences
4. Old and false problems: quantitative versus qualitative, objectivity and subjectivity, empiricism and theorization.
5. Individual action and collective dynamics
6. Systems of values and institutions. Normativity, conformity and deviance

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: