This course introduces students to core themes and debates in Sociology. In The Sociological Imagination (1959), C. Wright Mills described the capacity to connect individual experiences with broader historical forces and social structures. This perspective demonstrates how seemingly private troubles—such as unemployment, family conflict, or educational challenges—are shaped by wider social issues, including economic transformations, institutional arrangements, and cultural norms. Sociology equips us with analytical tools to make these connections visible. As the systematic study of society, it examines institutions, social practices, and forms of organization, as well as the meanings and power relations that structure everyday life. It highlights how individual choices and identities are both enabled and constrained by broader social, economic, and political processes. At its core, Sociology investigates the dynamic relationship between individuals and society, showing how personal lives are embedded within structural contexts. Rather than presenting Sociology as a homogeneous or exclusively Western tradition, this course approaches it as a plural and evolving field of inquiry. Particular attention is given to the analytical distinctions and interconnections between the Global North and the Global South. Students will explore how historical trajectories, political economies, and social inequalities shape different social realities across regions. By juxtaposing empirical cases and scholarly perspectives from diverse contexts, the module encourages comparative thinking and critical reflection on how knowledge is produced, circulated, and applied. Throughout the semester, themes such as class, race, gender, labour, religion, environment, migration, and social movements are examined across multiple geographic and social settings. The aim is not to create binary oppositions between “North” and “South,” but to understand their entanglements, asymmetries, and mutual influences within global processes.
