Organization
The Department of Sociology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), created in 1985 as part of the Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology, is a research intensive department offering high quality teaching in sociology in undergraduate courses and degrees, Master degrees and PhDs.
Since its creation in the middle of the 1980s, the Department has grown considerably in terms of teaching and research capacity. At present, the Department of Sociology has nine research groups working in areas such as immigration and ethnic minorities; education and youth transitions; analytical sociology and institutional design; feelings and emotions; infancy and family; religion, identities and culture; everyday life and work; education and social policies; women and gender.
In relation to teaching, the Department coordinates the Degree in Sociology, as well as the teaching of sociology courses in different faculties of the UAB. The Department is also in charge of two master programmes, one on Social Policy, Employment and Welfare, and another one on Education Policies for Global Development (Erasmus Plus), and organises a PhD programme in Sociology. This PhD programme, which started in the academic year 1986-87, enjoys the “quality award” of the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness since 2006.
With the aim of disseminating original research and theoretical work in sociology and other related disciplines in the social sciences, the Department publishes the journal "Papers. Revista de Sociologia", a leading journal in the field of sociology, especially in the Spanish-speaking context.
The Departmental Council is the governing body of the Department of Sociology. It is made up of academic and trainee research staff, administration and services staff and two doctoral student representatives. The main responsibilities it holds are the following:
- Draw up and approve the Departmental regulations; elect a director.
- Approve the Annual Activities Report; approve the budget and its application.
- Plan and coordinate teaching activity in the Department and propose graduate programmes; Send relevant suggestions to faculty or school committees in relation to study plans.
- Promote the creation of university research institutes and other research centres.
- Organise specialist or dissemination courses, seminars and conference cycles within the area of knowledge and its specialisms.
- Promote the signing of contracts with public and private organisations to carry out scientific and technical projects.
- Propose vacancies for teaching and research staff.
- Create the appropriate committees to facilitate decision-making. Currently there are the following: Academic and Lecturer's Committee, Graduate Programme Committee, Research Committee and Economy and Services Committee.
The Director of the Department is responsible for day-to-day management functions. The Departmental Council is elected for a mandate of three years. It main responsibilities are:
- To represent the Department
- Direct, coordinate and supervise the activity of the Department; administrate the budgets; supervise the tasks of the administrative and services staff working for the Department.
- Call and preside over the Departmental Council meetings and implement the decisions made.
The Management Team is made up of the director plus five members of the Department: the secretary and the heads of the Academic Affairs and Staff Committee, the Committee for Graduate Studies, the Research Committee and the Economics and Services Committee. The team will assist the director in carrying out their tasks.
Units. As well as in the Faculty of Political Science and Sociology, the Sociology Department also gives classes in other UAB centres. It therefore has units made up of academic staff that are attached to it. These units offer teaching in corresponding centres, coordinate the teaching activities that are carried out and relations between the centre and the Department, and draw up budgets with a view to improving teaching at the centre. The Department of Sociology has the following units: Units of the Faculties of Education, Communication Science, Law, Economics and Business, Philosophy and Arts.
Area coordinators. These are responsible for drawing up the syllabus, ensuring coherence within the programmes and ensuring the quality of teaching in the subjects of the specialist area. The specialities or areas of the Department of Sociology are: theory; methodology and techniques; social structure; work and organisation; education; culture; social policy.
Chair: Sònia Parella Rubio
Secretary and Teaching and Staff Coordinator: Oscar Molina Romo
Coordinator of the Doctorate Program in Sociology and the Interuniversity Doctorate Program in Gender Studies, Cultures, Societies and Politics: Enrico Mora Malo
Budget and Services Coordinator: Helena Troiano Gomà
Research Coordinator: Avi Astor
Coordinator for the Departmental Unit in the Faculty of Educational Sciences: Aina Tarabini-Castellani Clemente
Representative of PAPERS. Revista de Sociologia: Sara Moreno Colom