This learning unit is not open to incoming exchange students!
Teacher(s)
Language
French
Content
In general, the course aims to introduce students to sociology and its approach. The course offers three types of content :
Course outline
- The presentation of the main paradigms of sociology and the introduction to the classical authors of sociology ;
- The presentation and discussion of a selection of emblematic research of the discipline on a certain number of social phenomena:
- An introduction to the main elements of the sociologist's approach.
Course outline
- Introduction to sociological thought ;
- The paradigms of sociology ;
- Presentation of authors and research of reference ;
Teaching methods
The courses will be given face-to-face. Lectures by the teacher will alternate with time for individual and group work (exercises, analysis of texts). A teaching contract is communicated to students at the beginning of the course and posted on Moodle. It contains a detailed schedule, content and instructions for the assessments
Evaluation methods
TAssessment will take place throughout the semester, through both formative and summative activities, individually and collectively (in groups).
Individual summative assessment (graded on 3 points):
The final grade is the arithmetic total of these different tests and assignments.
For both sessions, the language of assessment is French.
More generally, regarding the use of AI in assignments, the following guidelines apply in this course:
Artificial intelligence has rapidly become an unavoidable tool. As a tool, it must be handled carefully and skillfully, and it can in no way replace the learning process that is your responsibility. It can indeed be a useful aid if mastered and critically assessed. However, work generated automatically without verification and personal reappropriation is prohibited and will result in the cancellation of the assignment. AI cannot replace your brain and your own skills of analysis, interpretation, and writing. You must be able to “tame the beast” and not be tamed by it.
If AI is to be used, I recommend limiting its use to:
The use of AI does not exempt students from demonstrating their personal appropriation of course content (principle of authenticity). Since this appropriation must be verifiable (principle of traceability), any use of AI must be declared where applicable, and the student must be able to show their capacity to use it reflexively and to improve upon it in relation to their own understanding of the subject matter.
Individual summative assessment (graded on 3 points):
- Each student will search scientific databases for a sociological article dealing with the topic of work and write a synthetic reading note summarizing the research question and the author’s reasoning, the main concepts and analytical propositions, as well as how you believe this article sheds light on your own research problem (4 points).
- A knowledge test on the main concepts and propositions of the theoretical approaches studied in class (date to be scheduled around session 7 or 8).
- Group work on a current or recent issue to be analyzed sociologically.
- An introduction, including a presentation and justification of the choice of topic, its social and sociological relevance; as well as a reflective statement written individually by each student about their “pre-notions” and positionality regarding this topic.
- A description of the chosen phenomenon and the social problem it raises, based on documentary sources (note: this does not yet mean sociological articles, but data—quantitative or qualitative—or secondary sources such as documentaries, podcasts, reports, and grey literature). These should help you describe the chosen phenomenon and identify a question or angle for analyzing the “problem.”
- The sociological problematization of the phenomenon based on ONE paradigm or theoretical approach studied in class (with justification of this choice). This section should draw on class materials as well as an additional sociological article read by each student (see individual reading note above).
The final grade is the arithmetic total of these different tests and assignments.
Skills Targeted by the Group Work
- Assess whether the student, through readings and class participation, has learned to problematize a social phenomenon using sociological concepts and by adopting the essential elements of the “sociological approach” (breaking with common sense and pre-notions, decentering from one’s own position, ability to deconstruct established categories, etc.).
- Ability to formulate research questions that are both socially relevant and theoretically framed.
- Ability to “empirically document” a phenomenon and list relevant sources, based on secondary sources.
For both sessions, the language of assessment is French.
Note on Plagiarism and the Use of AI in Learning and Assignments
Plagiarism (using sources literally without proper and explicit citation) is considered cheating and carries severe sanctions, ranging from the cancellation of the work, to repeating the year, up to expulsion. All assignments are checked with the software Compilatio to detect plagiarism. The unreferenced copying of entire paragraphs generated by AI tools (such as Deepl, ChatGPT, or others) is also considered plagiarism.More generally, regarding the use of AI in assignments, the following guidelines apply in this course:
Artificial intelligence has rapidly become an unavoidable tool. As a tool, it must be handled carefully and skillfully, and it can in no way replace the learning process that is your responsibility. It can indeed be a useful aid if mastered and critically assessed. However, work generated automatically without verification and personal reappropriation is prohibited and will result in the cancellation of the assignment. AI cannot replace your brain and your own skills of analysis, interpretation, and writing. You must be able to “tame the beast” and not be tamed by it.
If AI is to be used, I recommend limiting its use to:
- As a search tool, among others, for finding documents and relevant sources—bearing in mind that AI sometimes generates “invented” sources. Such use does not relieve students of the obligation to systematically verify sources according to academic research standards.
- As linguistic assistance, for correcting spelling, syntax, or even reformulating ideas. Even in these cases, students are advised to exercise great caution, as AI tools do not master sociological vocabulary. Students should always reread and adjust such contributions to ensure proper appropriation of the concepts studied in class.
The use of AI does not exempt students from demonstrating their personal appropriation of course content (principle of authenticity). Since this appropriation must be verifiable (principle of traceability), any use of AI must be declared where applicable, and the student must be able to show their capacity to use it reflexively and to improve upon it in relation to their own understanding of the subject matter.
Other information
This activity takes place according to pedagogical, timetable and organisational modalities adapted to the specific public of the FOPES. We refer the students to the pedagogical contract.
Online resources
Course material and information on the course Moodle site and/or in the teaching contract.
Bibliography
Des repères bibliographiques sont disponibles dans le support du cours (Powerpoint) et en annexe du contrat pédagogique.
Teaching materials
- Un PowerPoint est fourni par l’enseignant et certains textes (lectures obligatoires) seront déposés au fur et à mesure sur Moodle.
Faculty or entity