Accreditations
Tuition fee EU nationals (2026/2027)
Programme Structure for 2026/2027
| Curricular Courses | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Year | ||
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Classical Sociological Theories: Major Works
6.0 ECTS
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Sociological Research in Portugal
6.0 ECTS
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Intensive Methodologies: Selected Sociological Researches
12.0 ECTS
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Research Project Seminar in Sociology
18.0 ECTS
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Contemporary Sociological Theories: Major Works
6.0 ECTS
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Extensive Methodologies: Selected Sociological Researches
12.0 ECTS
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| 2nd Year | ||
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Phd Thesis in Sociology
180.0 ECTS
|
Classical Sociological Theories: Major Works
The main objective of this UC is to contribute to the advanced education in Sociology through deep reflexion on classical theories. Reference works of founders and classical authors are studied to promote a clearer understanding of specificities, divergences and affinities in sociological theories. Contemporary authors'appropriation of classical theories is also evaluated, like the role of classical work in social reflexivity processes and in the construction of contemporaneity.
Program1. Classical theories: antiquity and contemporaneity
1.1. Modernity and social science
1.2. Sociological theories and social reflexivity
2. Reference works
2.1. Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville (1835-40)
2.2. The German Ideology, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (1846)
2.3. The Philosophy of Money, Georg Simmel (1900)
2.4. The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, Émile Durkheim (1912)
2.5. Economy and Society, Max Weber (1922)
3. Sociological theories: diversity and elaboration processes
3.1. Specificities and articulations
3.2. Innovation and cumulativity
The evaluation is done throughout the semester following the development of the knowledge and skills targeted in the objectives of the UC. It involves a final written individual text, the presentation and debate of sociological texts, the frequency of presence in seminars and participation in class. These evaluation elements have the following weight in the final classification: assiduity and participation in class: 20%; presentation and debate of sociological texts: 30%; final written individual text: 50%.
There is no final exam in this course.
Durkheim, Émile (2002), As Formas Elementares da Vida Religiosa, Oeiras, Celta Editora.
Marx, Karl, e Friedrich Engels (1975), A Ideologia Alemã, Lisboa, Livraria Presença.
Simmel, Georg (1982), The Philosophy of Money, Boston, Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Tocqueville, Alexis de (2008), Da Democracia na América, col. Antropos, Lisboa, Relógio d'Água.
Weber, Max (1971), Économie et Societé, Paris, Plon.
Waters, Malcolm (1994), Modern Sociological Theory, London, Sage.
Turner, Jonathan (2003), The Structure of Sociological Theory, Belmont (California), Wadsworth.
Turner, Jonathan H. (2013), Theoretical Sociology: 1830 to the Present, Newbury Park, CA, Sage.
Turner, Jonathan H., Leonard Beeghley, e Charles H. Powers (2002), The Emergence of Sociological Theory, Belmont, Wadsworth Thomson Learning.
Turner, Jonathan H. (org.) (2001), Handbook of Sociological Theory, New York, Kluwer Academic.
Turner, Jonathan H. (2014), Theoretical Sociology. A Concise Introduction to Twelve Sociological Theories, Londres, Sage.
Turner, Bryan S. (org.) (2000), The Blackwell Companion to Social Theory, Oxford, Blackwell.
Scott, John (2011), Conceptualising the Social World. Principles of Sociological Analysis, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Ritzer, George (org.), (2003), The Blackwell Companion to Major Classical Social Theorists, Oxford, Blackwell.
Ritzer, George, e Douglas J. Goodman (2004), Sociological Theory, Nova Iorque, McGraw-Hill.
Jenks, Chris (org.) (1998), Core Sociological Dichotomies, London, Sage Publications.
Giddens, Anthony (2005 [1972]), Capitalismo e Moderna Teoria Social, 6ª ed., Barcarena, Editorial Presença.
Cruz, Manuel Braga da (org.) (1995), Teorias Sociológicas ? Os Fundadores e os Clássicos (Antologia de Textos), Lisboa, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
Collins, Randall (1994), Four Sociological Traditions, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Burawoy, Michael (2021), “Why is classical theory classical? Theorising the canon and
canonizing Du Bois”, Journal of Classical Sociology, 21 (3-4), pp. 245-259.
Alexander, Jeffrey C. (1987), “The centrality of the classics”, em Anthony Giddens e Jonathan H. Turner (orgs.), Social Theory Today, Stanford, CA, Stanford University Press, pp. 11-57.
Sociological Research in Portugal
In this course doctoral students must achieve the following learning objectives:
a) To be able to analyse sociology from a sociohistorical point of view
b) To know the main features of the history of sociology in Portugal.
c) To understand the concept of institutional generator of sociology (applied to Portuguese sociology)
d) To know the main themes and results of sociological reserach in Portugal in 16 specialized and institutionalized fields and to identify non-institutionalized fields
e) To be able do identify and analyse the external and internal borders of sociological research
Session 1. Sociological research in Portugal: towards a sociohistorical analysis
Session 2. The sociological field in Portugal: from pre-history to advanced institutionalization
Session 3. Two institutional generators of sociology
Session 4. Classical fields: sociology of social structure and social change, sociology of youth, sociology of education; sociology of classes and social inequalities
Session 5. New classical fields: sociology of work, organizationns and professions, urban sociology, political sociology, sociology of culture
Session 6. Modern fields (I): sociology of family, gender and sexuality, sociology of poverty and social exclusion, sociology of health, sociology of communication and the media
Session 7. Modern fields (II): sociology of science, sociology of immigration and ethnicity, sociology of cultural values, sociology of the environment
Session 8. Non-institutionalized fields. Relations and borders of sociological research
In order to be evaluated throughout the semester students must:
a) Write a 25 pages individual essay about the contents of the course to be delivered at the end of the semester (70% of the final grade).
b) Make two previouly prepared short interventions (30% of the final grade).
c) Take an active part in every session discussing the contents of it based on previous readings (an extra point may be added to the final grade).
Bourdieu, P (2006), Para uma Sociologia da Ciência, Lisboa, Ed 70.
Costa, A et al (2007), Sociedade e Conhecimento, Lisboa, Celta
Guerreiro, M et al (2007), Quotidiano e Qualidade de Vida, Lisboa, Celta
Machado, F (2022), Investigação Sociológica em Portugal, Porto, Afrontamento
Merton, R (1973), The Sociology of Science, Chicago, CUP
Pinto, J (2007), Ciências e progresso, Porto, Afrontamento
Santos, B (2001), Globalização: Fatalidade ou Utopia? Porto, Afrontamento
Santos, B (1999), ?Porque é tão difícil construir uma teoria crítica??, RCCS, 54
Silva, A (2006), A Sociologia e o Debate Público. Porto, Afrontamento
Viegas, J et al (2007), Instituições e Política. Lisboa, Celta
Ver observações
Contemporary Sociological Theories: Major Works
a) knowledge of key theories and theoretical controversies in contemporary sociology;
b) development of analytical skills to use those theories;
c) development of skills of theorization articulating concepts and statements of different theoretical origins.
I. Theoretical Debates
01. A Conceptual Map of Sociological Theory
02. Synthesis and Overcoming
II. Major Works
04. Pierre Bourdieu – Le Sens Pratique (1980)
05. Anthony Giddens – The Constitution of Society (1984)
06. Norbert Elias – The Society of Individuals (1987)
07. Margaret Archer – Realist Social Theory (1995)
08. Bruno Latour – Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory (2005)
09. Bernard Lahire – Les structures fondamentales des sociétés humaines (2023)
Assessment is based on the following components:
- Group Presentation – 25%
- Individual Essay – 75%
Pierre Bourdieu – Le Sens Pratique (1980)
Anthony Giddens – The Constitution of Society (1984)
Norbert Elias – A Sociedade dos Indivíduos (1987)
Margaret Archer - Realist Social Theory (1995)
Bruno Latour - Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory (2005)
Bernard Lahire – Les structures fondamentales des sociétés humaines (2023)
Craig Calhoun et al 2002 - Contemporary Sociological Theory.pdf
Craig Calhoun et al 2007 - Classical Sociological Theory.pdf
George Ritzer (2003) Major Contemporary Social Theorists.pdf
George Ritzer (2010) Sociological Theory 8th edition.pdf
George Ritzer Barry Smart (2003) - Handbook of Social Theory.pdf
John Scott (2007) - fifty key sociologists the contemporary theorists.pdf
Jonathan H Turner - Handbook of Sociological Theory (2006).pdf
Jonathan H. Turner - Theoretical Sociology, A Concise Introduction to T...
Jonathan H. Turner (2012) Theoretical Sociology 1830 To The Present.pdf
Ritzer Stepnisky (2018) - Sociological Theory.pdf
Recommended optative
Optional courses will only be held if they achieve a minimum number of enrollments.
Objectives
- To train researchers, professors of higher education and other professionals who are highly qualified in the analysis of social problems;
- To provide doctoral candidates with advanced education in sociological theory and methodology, as well as in-depth knowledge of the research done in Sociology in Portugal and internationally;
- To ensure that throughout the programme, doctoral training occurs in a real research context, maintaining direct connection between the PhD and the Centre for Research and Studies of Sociology (CIES), the entity responsible for the academic coordination and management of the programme;
- To contribute to the international dissemination of Portuguese Sociology by attracting foreign doctoral candidates and welcoming the collaboration of international professors and researchers in the activities of the PhD programme.
Upon finishing the PhD programme in Sociology, students should:
· Have the ability to understand the scientific field of sociology systematically;
· Have skills, ability and research methods associated with sociology;
· Have the skills to conceive, design and execute original sociological research of high scientific quality;
· Be able to critically evaluate, analyze and synthesize new and complex ideas;
· Be able to communicate with peer scientists and the community in general about their scientific domain and publish their scientific works;
· Be able to contribute to the ends of social progress and wellbeing for all people in an academic and professional context.
This programme utilizes a variety of operating methods, content and procedures to fulfill these objectives:
i) The programme is integrated into as well as coordinated academically by an excellent research centre in the field of Sociology (CIES);
ii) In the first year, doctoral candidates only attend lectures, acquiring advanced sociological skills on theoretical, methodological and technical levels, as well as knowledge of the current state of research in Sociology in Portugal and internationally;
iii) The programme provides a “Research Project Seminar in Sociology,” in which doctoral candidates start constructing their thesis projects, which are later elaborated with the support of an advisor and submitted for formal approval on the basis of the opinions of two specialists;
iv) Candidates also benefit from a “Doctoral Research Seminar in Sociology,” which supports the development of already approved thesis projects. In this seminar, doctoral candidates present and discuss their work before their peers and a larger audience of professors and researchers at multiple points.
v) All doctoral thesis projects are supervised by experienced researchers from CIES and other research units;
vi) The programme introduces doctoral candidates to well-regarded Portuguese and international researchers through the annual doctoral conference cycle.
courses.thesis
This component of the programme also includes attending:
- International Conference Cycle in Sociology
- Doctoral Research Seminar in Sociology
Notes:
1) To enroll in the thesis unit, candidates must present an approved research project and their registration.
2) Thesis preparation must include the completion of a research project in the Centre for Research and Studies of Sociology (CIES) or, with the authorization of the directors of the doctoral programme, in another research centre.
3) As an alternative of equivalent requirement to the thesis, doctoral candidates may opt to produce a coherent compilation of relevant research publications that fall under the framework of public policy. These papers must have already been published in scientific journals with internationally recognized selection committees.
4) Either the preparation of the thesis or the compilation of articles must be supervised by an advisor with a PhD named by the programme directors for this purpose.
