1. Develop a new  pre research project in the field of Sociology, with a starting issue, goals, brief review of State-of-the-art and methodological level

2. Consult bibliographical databases and national and international indicators

3. Articulate in-depth reviews of the State of the art in the field of research with the emergence of relevant and innovative scientific  issues

The fundamentals objectives of the unit are the following: reflect and discuss the dynamics of  late capitalism and the fragmentary nature of modernity; analyze the new globalisation by stressing the increased risk and uncertainty; understand the social policies within a framework of social and reflexive monitoring action; seize social reconfiguration logics, in Europe and in Portugal. 

Analyze the main epistemological and theoretical questions about the sociological thought
Knowledge on major contemporary sociological theories
Analyze the similarities and differences between sociological theories
Understanding the potentialities and limitations of sociological theories for the analysis of complex contemporary social dynamics

1. Develop a new  research project in the field of Sociology, with a starting issue, goals, deep review of State-of-the-art and methodological design

2. Consult bibliographical databases and national and international indicators

3. Articulate in-depth reviews of the State of the art in the field of research with coherent methodological plans 

The objectives are:
- To analyze, in an international comparative approach, the development of the different Welfare States in their political, social and economical contexts.
- To reflect about the Portuguese Welfare State model and about the contemporary conditions of the social policies design.
- To discuss contemporary processes in the social policies domain, about specific issues: demographic trends and planning; privatization and decentralization of the Welfare State; tax crisis and social security’s funding problems; dynamics of the national and European labor market; urban issues; family policies.

The overall goal is to consolidate methodological skills that help students plan for a research project while being fully aware of its components and of the different research paradigms available. The specific goals encompass: acquiring advanced knowledge on how to put into practice the hermeneutic and the explanatory research paradigms; building a critical and reflexive stance towards the different research paradigms; getting in touch with innovative approaches to sociological research.