Face-to-face , second term, 30 hours of theory.

Second term
Tuesday from 14:00 to 16:00 at 43 Botanique 4

French

The general aim is to familiarize the students with a general approach of political sociology that focuses on a major social issue in the Western world: the inclusion/exclusion role of labour in society.

This topic will be studied in the belgian context through a general perspective of political sociology that has drawn on the scientific work, which has addressed this subject in terms of "social question". This expression marks a double analytical ambition: contextualize the current problems linked to work in a historical perspective, and relate their existence to the general processes of integration, especially through work, which are implemented in the modern Western societies in order to insure their cohesion.

For the Bachelor in Information and Communication :

For the Bachelor in Economics and Management :

For the Bachelor in Political Sciences: General :

For the Bachelor in Sociology and Anthropology :

None

The course is divided into 3 more or less equal parts.

In the first part, we will first introduce briefly to the analytical framework. Then we will give a general overview of the contemporary situation in Belgium in a sociological as well as in a legal perspective. Phenomena as employement/unemployment, incomes, poverty, social dialogue, social protection will be scrutinized.

The second part will focus on the first social question that has been addressed in the 19th century, during the industrialization. It is concerned with the nature of the then problematic phenomena, with their relation to work, with the main ways that have been proposed to solve them and with the social, political and legal processes that have lead to their structural resolution thanks to the institutionalization of the Welfare State, at the end of the Second World War and during its expansion during the « Trente Glorieuses ».

The third part of the course will focus on the resurgence of problematic phenomena related to work during the last thirty years. These show characteristics that are partially similar to those of the problems that aroused the original social question, and justify therefore the fact that some political sociologists call it « the new social question ». After having determined the importance and the origins of these new problems related to work in our society, we will discuss the measures that have been adopted against it by public power and the main solution mode that are currently taken into account and/or effectively implemented to curb these new problems.

Even if this course is a lecture, it is open to any debate and students' participation.

Lecture notes, including the ppt presentation, will be at the disposal of students at the beginning of the course.

There will be also a course web site which will contain i.e. examples of questions and answers of last years examinations.

The final assessment is a written examination that lasts three hours. It is made of two questions, each one counting for ten points.

The two questions require an analysis of discourses, facts or current devices relating to the « new social question » in which the students have to show their capability to use appropriately the general elements of knowledge that have been developed in this course, but also in other courses or contexts (personal general knowledge of the students). This analysis must be as rich as possible.

Each question should be answered on 2-3 pages maximum.

Robert CASTEL, Les métamorphoses de la question sociale. Chronique du salariat, Paris, Gallimard (Folio. Essais 12, n°349), 1999.
Jacques COMMAILLE, Les nouveaux enjeux de la question sociale, Paris, Hachette, 1997.
Andrea REA, La société en miettes. Epreuves et enjeux de l'exclusion, Bruxelles, Labor (Quartier libre), 1997.
Pierre ROSANVALLON, La nouvelle question sociale. Repenser l'Etat-providence, Paris, Seuil, 1995.

A more detailed bibliography is to be found in the syllabus that serves as support for the course.