OVERVIEW

The lectures aims to provide an overview of the main sociological theories of deviance and criminality, also with the support of case studies regarding the legal and social professions directly involved in the mechanisms of definition and government of the “abnormal”.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

To know and to handle oneself in a critical way regarding the main paradigms of sociological description of deviance and criminality, as well as social control dispositives.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

In particular, the lectures aims to:

- reconstruct the main theories of deviance and criminality;

- investigate social control and marginalization devices of individuals;

- reflect on policies and intervention strategies.

Critical and gender perspectives will be privileged in all three directions.

At the end of the course, the students will acquire adequate knowledge and interpretative tools to critically analyze deviant phenomena and social exclusion, and to develop empirical research and interventions in this field.

TEACHING METHODS

- Frontal and remote synchronous lessons;

- Exercises/small groups activities;

- Classroom discussions on the topics dealt with, starting from the analysis of case studies.

Students with disabilities or DSA are allowed to use specific modalities and supports that will be determined on a case-by-case basis in agreement with the Delegate of the Law  courses in the Committee for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities. Students are invited to contact the teacher of this course and copy the Delegate (https://unige.it/commissioni/comitatoperlinclusionedeglistudenticondisabilita.html).

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Introduction: theories of deviance and criminality;
• The origins of criminal sociology: moral statistics and positivist criminology;
• The functionalist model: theories of anomie and of sub-cultures;
• Criticism of functionalism: learning theory and neutralization techniques
• The social construction of deviance: the Chicago School, symbolic interactionism, ethnomethodology, labeling approach;
• The neo-classical and new-positivism paradigms;
• Critical Perspectives.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Textbooks and recommended reading materials for students attending:

• Notes made in the class;
• The reading materials indicated during the course;
• One of the following books by choice: I. Fanlo Cortés, D. Ferrari, a cura di, I soggetti vulnerabili nei processi migratori. La protezione internazionale tra teoria e prassi, Giappichelli, Collana del Corso di Laurea in Servizio sociale, Torino, 2019; F. Vianello, a cura di, Maternità in pena. L'esecuzione penale delle donne con figli minori, Meltemi, Milano, 2023.

Textbooks and recommended reading materials for not attending students:

- F. Prina, Devianza e criminalità. Concetti, metodi di ricerca, cause, politiche, Carocci, Roma, 2019;

- One of the following books by choice: I. Fanlo Cortés, D. Ferrari, a cura di, I soggetti vulnerabili nei processi migratori. La protezione internazionale tra teoria e prassi, Giappichelli, Collana del Corso di Laurea in Servizio sociale, Torino, 2019; F. Vianello, a cura di, Maternità in pena. L'esecuzione penale delle donne con figli minori, Meltemi, Milano, 2023.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LAURA SCUDIERI (President)

ISABEL FANLO CORTES

REALINO MARRA (President Substitute)

GABRIELLA PETTI (President Substitute)

GIULIA ARENA (Substitute)

SEBASTIANO BENASSO (Substitute)

MATTIA VOLPI (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

February 2025

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The examination will be in oral form.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exercises, the small group activities, the classroom thematic discussions and finally the oral interview will aim at evaluating the learning and the reworking of the contents from the candidates, as well as their critical reasoning skills and their public speaking ability.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION