Sociology of Law
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
This course is aimed at providing students with the conceptual and methodological tools of sociology of law, that is, the science that investigates legal phenomena with the methods of empirical sciences; the ultimate goal being the acquisition of adequate skills to the analysis of legal phenomena from a non-dogmatic perspective.
Within this framework, much time will be dedicated to the analysis of some fundamental concepts, such as the concepts of social action and social interaction, as well as the concepts of norm, law, right (including fundamental rights), social and legal change.
Within this framework, much time will be dedicated to the analysis of some fundamental concepts, such as the concepts of social action and social interaction, as well as the concepts of norm, law, right (including fundamental rights), social and legal change.
Expected learning outcomes
- the knowledge of the fundamental concepts and the research methods of sociology of law;
- the ability to apply the skills acquired during this course to the analysis of legal phenomena;
- the ability to critically and autonomously interpret legal phenomena in a legal-sociological way (rather than in legal-dogmatic way);
- the ability to use the acquired knowledge with argumentative consistency and an adequate command of the legal-sociological technical terminology;
- the ability to undertake—in the most possible autonomous way—in-depth studies concerning law as social phenomenon by making use of a method that should combine theoretical reflection and critical observation.
- the ability to apply the skills acquired during this course to the analysis of legal phenomena;
- the ability to critically and autonomously interpret legal phenomena in a legal-sociological way (rather than in legal-dogmatic way);
- the ability to use the acquired knowledge with argumentative consistency and an adequate command of the legal-sociological technical terminology;
- the ability to undertake—in the most possible autonomous way—in-depth studies concerning law as social phenomenon by making use of a method that should combine theoretical reflection and critical observation.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Surname A-L
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Sociology of law is that branch of sociology that studies legal phenomena critically and from a non-dogmatic perspective, paying particular attention to the distance between law in books and law in action. The course aims to offer students the conceptual and methodological tools of the discipline and an in-depth study of some areas of socio-legal research. The first part of the course is dedicated to framing the sociology of law within the social sciences and analyzing its fundamental concepts. The second part explores two relevant areas in the panorama of socio-legal research: globalization and its effects on the world of law and the relationship between law, rights and cultural diversity with particular reference to the European context.
Syllabus:
Sociology and sociology of law
The concept of legal system
Social norms and legal norms
Law between monism and pluralism
Functions of law
Legal action and its effects
The institutions between law and society: rights, the family, prison
Deviance and crime from a sociological perspective
Law and opinions
Social change and legal change
Globalization and its effects on law
Law and cultural diversity
Syllabus:
Sociology and sociology of law
The concept of legal system
Social norms and legal norms
Law between monism and pluralism
Functions of law
Legal action and its effects
The institutions between law and society: rights, the family, prison
Deviance and crime from a sociological perspective
Law and opinions
Social change and legal change
Globalization and its effects on law
Law and cultural diversity
Prerequisites for admission
No prior knowledge is required.
Preparatory Courses: Private Law, Constitutional Law.
Preparatory Courses: Private Law, Constitutional Law.
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons with active involvement of students, seminars.
Teaching Resources
Non-attending students:
- V. Ferrari, Diritto e società. Elementi di sociologia del diritto, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2012 (o ed. successive)
- F. Ost, Dalla piramide alla rete: un nuovo paradigma per la scienze giuridica?" (available on the Ariel platform)
- M.R. Ferrarese, "La globalizzazione del diritto: dalla 'teologia politica' al diritto 'utile'" (available on the Ariel platform)
- M.R. Ferrarese, "Il linguaggio transnazionale dei diritti" (available on the Ariel platform)
- L. Mancini, La diversità culturale tra diritto e società, Franco Angeli, Milano 2018 (o ed. successive)
Attending Students:
-V. Ferrari, Diritto e società. Elementi di sociologia del diritto, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2012 (or later ed.). Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, 7. Chapter. 4 only the paragraphs 1-3-5
- F. Ost, Dalla piramide alla rete: un nuovo paradigma per la scienze giuridica?" (available on the Ariel platform)
- M.R. Ferrarese, "La globalizzazione del diritto: dalla 'teologia politica' al diritto 'utile'" (available on the Ariel platform)
- M.R. Ferrarese, "Il linguaggio transnazionale dei diritti" (available on the Ariel platform)
L. Mancini, La diversità culturale tra diritto e società, Franco Angeli, Milano 2018 (or later ed.)
- Slides and materials indicated during the course
Erasmus Students: If required specific material may be provided.
- V. Ferrari, Diritto e società. Elementi di sociologia del diritto, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2012 (o ed. successive)
- F. Ost, Dalla piramide alla rete: un nuovo paradigma per la scienze giuridica?" (available on the Ariel platform)
- M.R. Ferrarese, "La globalizzazione del diritto: dalla 'teologia politica' al diritto 'utile'" (available on the Ariel platform)
- M.R. Ferrarese, "Il linguaggio transnazionale dei diritti" (available on the Ariel platform)
- L. Mancini, La diversità culturale tra diritto e società, Franco Angeli, Milano 2018 (o ed. successive)
Attending Students:
-V. Ferrari, Diritto e società. Elementi di sociologia del diritto, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2012 (or later ed.). Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, 7. Chapter. 4 only the paragraphs 1-3-5
- F. Ost, Dalla piramide alla rete: un nuovo paradigma per la scienze giuridica?" (available on the Ariel platform)
- M.R. Ferrarese, "La globalizzazione del diritto: dalla 'teologia politica' al diritto 'utile'" (available on the Ariel platform)
- M.R. Ferrarese, "Il linguaggio transnazionale dei diritti" (available on the Ariel platform)
L. Mancini, La diversità culturale tra diritto e società, Franco Angeli, Milano 2018 (or later ed.)
- Slides and materials indicated during the course
Erasmus Students: If required specific material may be provided.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral exam (maximum score: 30\30 cum laude). The final assessment takes into account active participation during the course. The evaluation criteria will consider the knowledge of the fundamental issues of the sociology of law, the skills of critical analysis and the clarity of exposition.
IUS/20 - PHILOSOPHY OF LAW - University credits: 6
Lessons: 42 hours
Professor:
Mancini Letizia
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Mancini LetiziaSurname M-Z
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Sociology of law is the general empirical science of law. During the classes the instructor will explain and discuss some parts of Max Weber's "Fundamental Sociological Concepts [Soziologische Grundbegriffe]" e Edoardo Fittipaldi's "Norma. Una concettualizzazione per la scienza e la sociologia del diritto." The discussion of the topics addressed in these books will make it possible for the students to realize, on the one hand, how difficult it is to conceptualize social phenomena, on the other, who heuristically fruitful is the cross-fertilization of social and psychological sciences.
Prerequisites for admission
None
Teaching methods
Inverted teaching method (i.e., the students have the obligation to study assignments about 20/30 pages long PRIOR TO each class, which pages will be indicated on ARIEL). Classes will be basically a discussion of those assignments in which THE INSTRUCTOR WILL DIRECTLY ASK QUESTIONS TO THE STUDENTS to the goal of checking that they actually studied the assignements and of stimulating their speaking and critical skills. The thorough study of the assignments, along with the active participation in classroom discussions, will be taken into account in order to determine the final grade; without implying any reduction of the total amount of pages to study, as compared with non-attending students (nor any other distinction as to the program).
Teaching Resources
All students, with no distinction between attending and non-attending students must study the following texts:
(1) Max Weber (Pietro Rossi ed.), "Concetti sociologici fondamentali [Soziologische Grundbegriffe]", available on ARIEL: 52 pp. Students shall replace this translation with that by Olimpia Giuliana Loddo, as soon as it is available either on ARIEL or in bookstores. This piece of information will be posted on ARIEL. As an altenative, students shall replace it with Edoardo Fittipaldi, "I 'Concetti sociologici fondamentali' di Max Weber. Una parafrasi petrażyckiana" (provisional title), as soon as available on ARIEL or in bookstores (in this latter case, the following text shall also be studied: Paolo Manfredi, "Più digitali, ma più poveri: la cucina contemporanea come regressione del gusto", that will be uploaded on ARIEL, 2 pp.
(2) Edoardo Fittipaldi, "Norma. Una concettualizzazione per la sociologia del diritto e le altre scienze sociali". Milano: LED 2012: 111 pp.
(3) Lorenzo Passerini Glazel, "La realtà della norma, le norme come realtà". Milano, LED, 2022: 100 pp.
(4) Edoardo Fittipaldi, "Psicologia giuridica e realismo: Leon Petrażycki". Milano: LED 2022: 129 pp. (As soon as available, pages 63-83 shall be replaced by a text that will be uploaded on ARIEL.)
(5) Morris L. Ghezzi, "Il diritto come estetica". Milano: Mimesis 2016: pp. 23-111, 88 pp.
(6) Edoardo Fittipaldi, "Convergenze: sviluppare l'eredità intellettuale di Morris L. Ghezzi", unpublished, available on ARIEL, 4 pp.
(7) Simonetta Balboni Ghezzi, "Due pensatori a confronto: Leon Petrażycki e Morris L. Ghezzi", unpublished, available on ARIEL, 8 pp.
All in all, it's 483 pp.
N.B. Also foot- and endnotes must be studied (except for texts quoted in languages other than Italian). Students who will not show to have studied EACH of these texts will not pass the exam.
(1) Max Weber (Pietro Rossi ed.), "Concetti sociologici fondamentali [Soziologische Grundbegriffe]", available on ARIEL: 52 pp. Students shall replace this translation with that by Olimpia Giuliana Loddo, as soon as it is available either on ARIEL or in bookstores. This piece of information will be posted on ARIEL. As an altenative, students shall replace it with Edoardo Fittipaldi, "I 'Concetti sociologici fondamentali' di Max Weber. Una parafrasi petrażyckiana" (provisional title), as soon as available on ARIEL or in bookstores (in this latter case, the following text shall also be studied: Paolo Manfredi, "Più digitali, ma più poveri: la cucina contemporanea come regressione del gusto", that will be uploaded on ARIEL, 2 pp.
(2) Edoardo Fittipaldi, "Norma. Una concettualizzazione per la sociologia del diritto e le altre scienze sociali". Milano: LED 2012: 111 pp.
(3) Lorenzo Passerini Glazel, "La realtà della norma, le norme come realtà". Milano, LED, 2022: 100 pp.
(4) Edoardo Fittipaldi, "Psicologia giuridica e realismo: Leon Petrażycki". Milano: LED 2022: 129 pp. (As soon as available, pages 63-83 shall be replaced by a text that will be uploaded on ARIEL.)
(5) Morris L. Ghezzi, "Il diritto come estetica". Milano: Mimesis 2016: pp. 23-111, 88 pp.
(6) Edoardo Fittipaldi, "Convergenze: sviluppare l'eredità intellettuale di Morris L. Ghezzi", unpublished, available on ARIEL, 4 pp.
(7) Simonetta Balboni Ghezzi, "Due pensatori a confronto: Leon Petrażycki e Morris L. Ghezzi", unpublished, available on ARIEL, 8 pp.
All in all, it's 483 pp.
N.B. Also foot- and endnotes must be studied (except for texts quoted in languages other than Italian). Students who will not show to have studied EACH of these texts will not pass the exam.
Assessment methods and Criteria
NON ATTENDING STUDENTS: oral exam (100%).
ATTENDING STUDENTS: participation in classroom concerning the PREVIOUS STUDY OF THE TEXTS ASSIGNED FOR EACH CLASS, ALSO WITH QUESTIONS DIRECTLY ASKED TO THE STUDENTS BY THE INSTRUCTOR, (85%) and oral exam (15%).
ATTENDING STUDENTS: participation in classroom concerning the PREVIOUS STUDY OF THE TEXTS ASSIGNED FOR EACH CLASS, ALSO WITH QUESTIONS DIRECTLY ASKED TO THE STUDENTS BY THE INSTRUCTOR, (85%) and oral exam (15%).
IUS/20 - PHILOSOPHY OF LAW - University credits: 6
Lessons: 42 hours
Professor:
Fittipaldi Edoardo
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Fittipaldi EdoardoEducational website(s)
Professor(s)