General Sociology
Code: 102303 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | OT | 4 |
| Economics | OT | 3 |
| Economics | OT | 4 |
Contact
- Name:
- Maria Esther Fernandez Mostaza
- Email:
- mariaesther.fernandez@uab.cat
Teachers
- Maria Esther Fernandez Mostaza
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites.
Objectives and Contextualisation
This course aims to introduce Economics and Business students to the sociological perspective, working on its main characteristics and basic conceptual and theoretical tools through an innovative methodology that integrates visual thinking, social theater, and collaborative learning. The basic objective is to facilitate critical reflection on the social dynamics that shape markets and business organizations, promoting a sociological perspective that enriches economic and business education and enables students to analyze the realities of the business world rigorously and creatively from an interdisciplinary perspective.
The course seeks to develop solid theoretical competencies that allow mastery of the fundamental concepts of sociology and understanding of the main theoretical perspectives that have shaped contemporary sociological thought, establishing conceptual bridges with economic sociology and organizational sociology. Simultaneously, critical thinking is fostered to develop sociological imagination that connects individual economic decisions with broader social structures and economic systems, questioning market evidence and critically analyzing the processes of social construction of economic values, power dynamics in organizations, socioeconomic inequality, and transformations of contemporary capitalism.
The innovative methodology integrates Augusto Boal's Theater of the Oppressed as a tool to explore power relations in the workplace and organizational dynamics, visual thinking through mind maps and business case simulations to organize sociological content applied to economics and business, and collaborative dynamics that promote the analysis of different business models and collective construction of knowledge about corporate social responsibility. These pedagogical strategies seek to develop effective communication competencies for business leadership, skills for analyzing complex socioeconomic environments, and the ability to create business strategies that integrate diversity and social sustainability.
Finally, the course promotes business social consciousness and transformative action in the economic sphere, recognizing the potential of sociology as a complementary tool for responsible management and the development of an entrepreneurial mindset sensitive to contemporary social problems, cultural diversity in global markets, and economic globalization processes that affect local communities. These purposes are developed through a participatory methodology that places students at the center of the learning process, transforming the classroom into a space for critical reflection on the social impact of economic activities, creativity for business innovation, and active commitment to building a more just and sustainable economic model that promotes social equity and respect for human rights in the business sphere.
Competences
- Business Administration and Management
- Capacity for independent learning in the future, gaining more profound knowledge of previous areas or learning new topics.
- Capacity for oral and written communication in Catalan, Spanish and English, which enables synthesis and oral and written presentation of the work carried out.
- Demonstrate initiative and work individually when the situation requires it.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the structure of institutions and the state, their evolution and the consequences of possible changes, to be able to make a positive contribution to the debate about the role they play in current society.
- Identify improvements in the internal management process to stimulate company productivity.
- Identify the economic agents that make up an economy, understanding how they have been interrelated to date, how they are currently interrelated and forecast futures according to new circumstances and their influence on a specific company.
- Select and generate the information necessary for each problem, analyse it and take decisions based on that information.
- Work well in a team, being able to argue proposals and validate or reject the arguments of others in a reasoned manner.
- Economics
- Capacity for independent learning in the future, gaining more profound knowledge of previous areas or learning new topics.
- Demonstrate initiative and work individually when the situation requires it.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the structure of institutions and the state, their evolution and the consequences of possible changes, to be able to make a positive contribution to the debate about the role they play in current society.
- Identify improvements in the internal management process to stimulate company productivity.
- Identify the economic agents that make up an economy, understanding how they have been interrelated to date, how they are currently interrelated and forecast futures according to new circumstances and their influence on a specific company.
- Select and generate the information necessary for each problem, analyse it and take decisions based on that information.
- Show motivation for carrying out quality work and sensitivity to the consequences for the environment and society.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
- Value ethical commitment in professional practice.
- Work well in a team, being able to argue proposals and validate or reject the arguments of others in a reasoned manner.
Learning Outcomes
- A capacity of oral and written communication in Catalan, Spanish and English, which allows them to summarise and present the work conducted both orally and in writing.
- Analyse the role of regulation in the workplace in Spain.
- Apply sociological analysis to current social structures.
- Assess ethical commitment in professional activity.
- Assess the interrelationships between companies and activity.
- Capacity to continue future learning independently, acquiring further knowledge and exploring new areas of knowledge.
- Demonstrate initiative and work independently when required.
- Demonstrate motivation regarding the quality of the work performed and sensitivity regarding the consequences on the environment and society.
- Identify ways of improving labour relations.
- Interpret the basic principles of sociology.
- Select and generate the information needed for each problem, analyse it and make decisions based on this information.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
- Work as part of a team and be able to argue own proposals and validate or refuse the arguments of others in a reasonable manner.
Content
Block 1. The classics of the discipline
The great European classics: Marx, Durkheim, Weber. The main themes include social class and alienation; power and authority; labor and the division of labor; urban life and modernity.
Block 2. Social Relations and Cultural Practice
The main themes include: the presentation of the person in everyday life; cultural and social capital; and social trust in the context of globalization and transformation.
Block 3. Identity, inequality and discrimination
Key themes include: Identity and diversity in the context of globalization; The construction and inequality of: gender, religious diversity and new educational inequalities.
Block 4. Citizenship and belonging
Key topics include: migration and integration; memory and, especially, socialization processes.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Class activities | 17 | 0.68 | 3, 1, 10, 17 |
| Course lectures | 32.5 | 1.3 | 3, 1, 10, 17 |
| Study, reading of texts | 75.5 | 3.02 | 3, 1, 7, 10, 16, 15, 14, 12, 13, 11 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Individual or small group meetings to resolve concerns and to supervise oral and written work | 10 | 0.4 | 3, 1, 6, 7, 10, 11 |
| Visual thinking and theory | 12 | 0.48 | 2, 3, 5, 1, 6, 7, 9, 10, 8, 16, 15, 14, 12, 13, 11, 17, 4 |
Methodology The methodology of this course combines different didactic strategies to promote meaningful and participatory learning, integrating innovative teaching methodologies that foster student autonomy and collaborative knowledge construction.
Methodological strategies (a) Lectures delivered by the faculty responsible for the course, oriented toward presenting the central concepts and arguments of the subject following the academic program content. These sessions do not necessarily follow a chronological order, but are structured to facilitate conceptual and thematic understanding.
(b) Participatory workshops that combine autonomous learning with public presentation of results. In this area, the Theater of the Oppressed (A. Boal) will be prominently deployed as an innovative learning teaching methodology, a transformative pedagogical strategy that allows students to explore complex social realities through critical theatrical practice.
(c) Practical exercises based on the lessons taught and assigned readings, which consolidate theoretical learning through practical application.
Development of formative activities
Lectures Theoretical sessions actively promote student participation through questions for debate and critical discussion. Visual thinking will be implemented as a learning tool through:
- Development of mind maps to structure and visualize content
- Character creation as a strategy for understanding and identification with sociological concepts
Workshops Workshops constitute collaborative work spaces on course content, building from theoretical classes and previously assigned readings. They are structured in three specific dynamics with an agreed-upon calendar:
-
Debates in "Book club" format around specific readings, which foster critical analysis and exchange of ideas among students.
-
Group presentations through theatrical pieces (approximately 5 minutes) in Forum Theater format, a modality of Theater of the Oppressed that allows active audience participation in resolving conflicts presented scenically.
-
Integrative group or individual work that synthesizes:
- The conceptual map developed
- Critical reflection around the theatrical piece
- An approach to a contemporary female sociologist linked to the central theme of the theatrical script developed
Innovative teaching methodologies implemented This course incorporates various innovative methodologies to enrich the formative experience:
- Theater of the Oppressed (A. Boal): Transformative methodology that combines art and critical pedagogy
- Visual thinking: Through mind maps and character creation
- Collaborative learning: Through workshops and group work
- Book club: To foster critical discussion and textual analysis
These methodological strategies favor active, critical, and participatory learning that connects sociological theory with reflective practice and creative expression.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conceptual map and presentation | 15% | 1 | 0.04 | 2, 3, 5, 1, 6, 7, 9, 10, 8, 16, 15, 14, 12, 13, 11, 17, 4 |
| Essay | 40% | 0 | 0 | 3, 1, 6, 7, 10, 11 |
| Participation and group presentation of conceptual map | 5% | 0 | 0 | 3, 1, 7, 10, 17 |
| Written examination | 40% | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 3, 5, 1, 9, 10 |
Assessment
The course is assessed through a continuous assessment system that integrates different instruments and formative and summative assessment strategies, coherent with the innovative teaching methodologies implemented and oriented toward competency-based assessment of students.
Continuous assessment system
1) Continuous participation and group presentation through portfolio (20%)
Activity description: Active participation in sessions and collaborative presentation of concepts or texts through the creation of a group portfolio that documents the learning process.
Characteristics:
- Assessment criteria will be explained in detail in class and disseminated through the virtual campus
- Evidence will be returned with formative feedback and comments to facilitate continuous improvement
- Submissions are made in teams with a minimum of three deliveries distributed throughout the academic course
- Weight in final grade: 20%
Competencies assessed:
- Active and reflective participation
- Collaborative and cooperative work
- Oral communication and public presentation
- Synthesis and organization of content
2) Original integrative essay (40%)
Activity description: Development of an original academic essay that integrates assigned readings, theatrical practices performed, and critical reflections developed throughout the course.
Characteristics:
- Will be developed from a list of guiding questions provided during the course
- Assessment criteria will be explained in class and disseminated through the virtual campus
- Evidence will be returned with comments to favor learning
- The work is not necessarily group-based, although collaborative work is encouraged
- Weight in final grade: 40%
Competencies assessed:
- Critical analysis and conceptual synthesis
- Academic writing and argumentation
- Theory-practice integration
- Cooperative work and group management
3) Written exams (40% total)
Activity description: Two individual written exams distributed temporally to assess progressive assimilation of theoretical content and practical application capacity.
Characteristics:
- Mid-course exam: Individual and non-memoristic assessment focused on conceptual understanding and practical application of content worked during the first half of the course
- Weight in final grade: 20%
- Final exam: Individual and non-memoristic assessment that integrates content from the entire course, with special attention to synthesis capacity and conceptual relationships
- Weight in final grade: 20%
- Exams follow the Faculty's official exam calendar
- Assessment format based on understanding, critical analysis, and application of content rather than memorization
Competencies assessed:
- Conceptual and theoretical understanding
- Analysis and synthesis capacity
- Practical application of knowledge
- Academic written expression
Assessment criteria
General considerations of the assessment system
This assessment system operates exclusively through continuous assessment, without contemplating the option of single assessment. Students must necessarily participate in the complete follow-up of the assessment process to achieve the course objectives.
The assessment is structured in coherence with the innovative teaching methodologies implemented —Theater of the Oppressed, visual thinking, and collaborative learning—, prioritizing formative assessment with constant feedback return that facilitates progressive learning. The system activelypromotes collaborative learning and social construction of knowledge, assessing both learning processes and results obtained to guarantee comprehensive training.
Recovery regulations
Students may access recovery provided they have completed a minimum of 66% of continuous assessment activities. The maximum grade in recovery is not limited, except in specific cases justified in the teaching guide. To access recovery, a minimum grade of 3.5 points may be established as a requirement, without this threshold being able to be higher.
Conditions of non-assessability and academic irregularities
Students will be considered non-assessable when they have not submitted more than 30% of the programmed activities. In cases of plagiarism or fraudulent conduct, a grade of 0 points will be applied to the affected activity, and if various irregularities are detected, the final course grade will be 0 points, without possibility of recovery.
Regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), this is restricted and requires explicit identification of the tools used, accompanied by critical reflection on their use. Lack of transparency in AI use is considered plagiarism.
Final grade distribution
| Assessment instrument | Weight | Modality |
|---|---|---|
| Participation and group portfolio | 20% | Group |
| Original integrative essay | 40% | Group/Individual |
| Mid-course written exam | 20% | Individual |
| Final written exam | 20% | Individual |
| TOTAL | 100% | Mixed |
Single assessment is NOT contemplated
A Field Trip will be scheduled
Bibliography
BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bauman, Z. (2006). Modernidad y Holocausto (3ª. Ed.). Madrid. Sequitur. (seleccions).
Berger, P. (1986). Invitació a la sociologia: una perspectiva humanística. Barcelona. Herder.
Bourdieu, P i Wacquant L. J. (1994). Per a una sociologia reflexiva. (seleccions)
Cardús, S. (1999) . La mirada del sociòleg: què és, què fa, què diu la sociologia. Barcelona. Proa.
Dennis, Kingsley L. (2022), Asalto a la realidad, Barcelona, Blume.
Gracia, Carla (2022), Amb ulls de dona, Barcelona, Univers.
Marx, K i Engels, F. (1997) Manifiesto comunista. Madrid. Akal. (seleccions)
Porte A et al. (2006). La asimilación segmentada sobre el terreno: la nueva segunda generación al inicio de la vida adulta. Migraciones. (19):7-58 (selecció)
Putnam R. (1995). Bowling Alone: America’s declining social capital. Journal of Democracy. 65-78 (seleccions)
Putnam, R. (2003). El declive del capital social: un estudio internacional sobre las sociedades y el sentido comunitario. Barcelona. Galaxia Gutenberg.(seleccions)
Ritzer, G. (1996). La 'McDonalización' de la Sociedad: un anàlisis de la racionalización en la vida cotidiana. Barcelona. Ariel. (seleccions)
Roy, O. (2010). La santa ignorancia: el tiempo de la religión sin cultura. Barcelona. Ediciones Península. (seleccions)
Bajo Santos, N. (2007). Conceptos y teorías sobre la inmigración. Anuario jurídico y económico (40) 817-840.
Stolcke, V. i Wolfson, L. (2000). La 'naturaleza' de la nacionalidad. Desarrollo Económico, 40 (157), 23-24.
Sorvari, Marja. (2022). Travelling (Post)Memory: Maria Stepanova’s In Memory of Memory. 10.1007/978-3-030-95837-4_5.
Weber, M. (1994). L’ética protestant i l’espirit del capitalisme. Barcelona. Edicions 62. (seleccions).
RECOMMENDED READERS FOR CONSULTATION
Calhoun, C., Light D, Keller S (2000). Sociología. Madrid. McGraw Hill.
Giddens, A. (1993). Sociología. Madrid. Alianza Editorial.
Heller, A. (2006). Què és la “postmodernitat”? un quart de segle més tard. CCCB
Macionis JJ, Plummer, K. (2011). Sociología. Madrid. Pearson.
Rithchart, R. (2020). The power of making thinking visible.US: Jossey-Bass Inc.
Rocher, G. (1973). Introducción a la sociología general. Barcleona. Herder.
Sennet, R. (2000). La corrosión del caràcter: las consecuencias personales del Trabajo en el nuevo capitalismo. Barcelona. Anagrama.
Todorov, T. (2000). Los abusos de la Memoria. Barcelona. Paidós.
Vivas, R. (2021). Visual thinking works. Barcelona. Lunwerg.
Software
The Programme will be given in class
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | first semester | morning-mixed |