Corso di studio in Economia Aziendale

To introduce students to the sociological understanding of economic interactions.

This aim is achieved through the development of a sociological sensitivity to everyday life.

It is expected the achievement of a sociological imagination on looking to the economic processes, combining conceptual schemes and empirical research outcomes with the experiential dimension.

Being able to interpret economic phenomena in the light of a situational and contextual awareness of them.

Front lecturing aims to focus students' attention on a set of conceptual and empirical elements preparatory to the sociological understanding of economic processes. Participants are encouraged to take part and draw upon their personal experience. Readings assigned at the end of some sessions are helpful to train students to the sociological reflection, both as individual and group experience. Classroom discussion of written assignments and reports aims to nurture the skills related to public communication, better focus the individual's attention on the social and economic reality and build a critical learning process.

The limits of a cognitive perspective to knowledge are described in the first part while the importance of the emotional work in knowing oneself and others and consequently in economic relationships is part of the whole course.

In the third part students experience a contemplative first-person perspective to knowledge; it is intended as an appropriate introduction to recent approaches to economic interactions based on mindfulness and wisdom.

Written assignments and reports at individual and group level during the course.

At the end of the course students will take a written test based on a set of open and closed questions.

Support work will be defined during the course.

First Part

- Knowledge and experience

Second Part

- Economic interactions according to the model of relational work, its relationship with the sociological tradition and the New Economic Sociology.

- Research examples: from life insurance for children to money as special money, the organ donation, intimate relationships, drug use and more.

- Individualization according to Ulrich Beck and its consequences on economic processes.

Third Part

- The traditions of wisdom anf the knowledge of modernity. Westernization and secularization of contemplative knowledge and practices. Experiences and studies.

Fourth Part

Co-production, do-it-yourself and the sharing economy. Conceptual definitions and references  to social practices of different fields, from health to social services and production of goods.

Articles, books and related materials will be suggested at the beginning of the course.