Training Models and Practices in Sociology

Abstract

At the possibility of this special issue, one of us recollected a situation that occurred some 25 years ago when he was about to have his first contact with Sociology, at the beginning of his first year as a Bachelor's of Sociology student. In a social chat in an extra-academic context, someone asked him what his field of study was, and the well-audible answer was given with enthusiasm: "Sociology". The reply was: "Very good, surgery is very important". The then-Sociology freshman was silent and this part of the conversation ended here. However, the young student never forgot the discomfort he felt on realizing that he himself did not know what Sociology was or exactly what it was for. As a result of this episode, this young man resolved to learn what Sociology really was, so as not to feel this sense of limitation in his knowledge. Later, throughout his professional academic career, this now less-young man has sought to clarify this issue with his students.We dare to consider that, with variations, many of those who teach and learn Sociology can identify with the episode described above. Indeed, the world of Sociology is fascinating to sociologists. However, it is not always accessible to those who are not, as it focuses on social practices and representations formed by shared mind-sets that appear to be purely "natural", "normal", and unavoidable. Added to this is the fact that Sociology is a multi-paradigmatic science. At the same time, it also has great methodological diversity, which is often not taught in an integrated and meaningful way whereby the student can foster his/her increasingly sociologically-based criticism [1]. This raises several hindrances in achieving learning in which "The first set of learning goals involves designs, methods, and techniques. Students learn to select and follow procedures of empirical inquiry, and hopefully to question, disrupt, and innovate these procedures. The second set of learning goals focuses on theories, and involves identifying major theories in their original historical contexts and then experiment with reapplying them to contemporary phenomena. This approach helps students to observe and explain social reality, and to assist them in seeing what has changed and what has remained the same" [2]. (p. 5) There is the need for space to approach the topic of the teaching and learning of Sociology, both in a theoretical dimension and in an empirical and/or reflective dimension, focusing on several dimensions of this problem in different learning contexts, so as to better understand and improve the educational practice of the teaching and learning

Sociology as Scientific Knowledge

“…As an example on our part, the digital is unavoidable in Sociology, both in research and in its teaching (Oglensky, 2016;Serpa & Ferreira, 2018).…”

Mobilization of the Classics in Sociology

“…Sociology is acknowledged as a scientific discipline that views social reality in its own way by elaborating plural theoretical problems, formulating research problems in the context of these problems, and developing methodical strategies that guide empirical research (Ferreira & Serpa, 2017;Serpa, 2017;Serpa & Ferreira, 2018a, 2018b.…”