2024-2025 / GEST3053-1

Social sciences and ethical issues

Duration

50h Th

Number of credits

 Bachelor in economics and business management5 crédits 

Lecturer

Adelaïde Blavier, Christophe Dubois, Olivier Dubouclez

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This humanity course comprises three parts while pursuing cross-cutting objectives.

 

One of its goals is to raise students' awareness of current societal, economic, political and ecological challenges through concrete examples relating to all three parts.  

The lecturers' aim, besides, is to help them develop critical thinking and scientific rigour as well as sound general knowledge so as to enable them to make ethical and appropriate judgements about the societal challenges to rise to and provide the basic general knowledge (historical, artistic etc.) to be expected of university-level executives. 

Philosophy: 

The course will offer an introduction to philosophical thought, dealing with two questions directly correlated to the uncertainties at work in the present time. 1) The first chapter, "What is the truth?", will study the contemporary phenomenon of fake news from an epistemological and political point of view and will endeavor to describe the mutations of the relation of humans to the truth in the age of social networks. 2) The second chapter, "The self-image", will reflect on the individual's relationship to image, and more specifically to the image he or she has of him- or herself. Where does this image come from? Is it really one's own? How is it created, and how does it respond to the need to be unique? Ethical questions are involved in these chapters: shall we always seek for the truth? How does the self-image modify one's behaviour and freedom?

Sociology: 



The course will begin by clarifying two key sociological concepts: those of interest and value. The works of Machiavelli, Montesquieu, and Weber will be used to this end. The course will then use two seminal case studies to provide an introduction to sociological approaches to bureaucratic organisations and to scientific knowledge. These two case studies will enable us to understand how collective action is regulated in bureaucratic organisations, and to grasp the translation process of 'facts' into scientific 'statements'.



Psychology: 

The course broaches some major psychological fields: 1. Introduction to psychology: definition, objectives, currents and key concepts. 2. Work psychology: psycho-social risk prevention (professional stress and burn-out). 3. Work psychology: the ergonomic approach as enhancing quality, security and well-being. Individual integration in a work team. 4. the psychology of ageing: the influence of stereotypes, aged worlers and retirement. 5. social psychology: social attitudes and influences, interpersonal relations and intra-group behaviour. The course consists of lectures and/or debates. 

 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

Philosophy:
The course mainly aims at inviting students to conduct a philosophical and critical reflection upon the contempary world and its transformations. 
Sociology: 
This introduction to sociology mainly aims at giving students a command of some basic sociological concepts. 
Psychology:
This introduction to psychology mainly aims at giving them an understanding of the human being, its functioning, reactivity, social and professional adaptability.   

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Good level of French required (Erasmus students not accepted)

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Additional information:

The course is taught in the second quarter. 

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Philosophy:
The course outline and its text material are accessible on the virtual platform ahead of the lectures. 
Sociology:
The didactic support mainly consist of the following book: Kuty, O., & Dubois, C. (2019). De la valeur à la norme: Introduction à la sociologie. De Boeck Supérieur. Some powerpoints will also be accessible via eCampus.
Psychology:
The powerpoints used in class are accessible on the virtual platform. 

June session :

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire )

- Remote

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire )

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred remote

August-september session :

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire )

- Remote

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire )

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred in-person


Additional information:

The exam consists in a MCQ and covers the whole course (45 h).

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

The course, Introduction to the Humanities, includes three chapters: Philosophie, Sociology and Psychology. Students are assessed in a single exam and receive a single final score amounting to 5 ECTS. 

Good level of French required (Erasmus students not accepted)

Contacts

Partim philosophie :

Olivier Dubouclez

Histoire de la philosophie moderne
Place du 20-Août 7
4000 Liège
Tél : 04/366 56 56
olivier.dubouclez@uliege.be

Partim sociologie :

Christophe Dubois 
c.dubois @uliege.be 


Partim Psychologie :

Adélaïde Blavier

Centre d'Expertise en Psychotraumatisme et Psychologie Légale
Faculté de Psychologie, Logopédie et Sciences de l'Education
Université de Liège
Place des Orateurs, 1 - Bât. B33 - Quartier Agora
4000 Liège
Tél : 04 366 2386 - 3177
adelaide.blavier@ulg.ac.be

Manon.Delhalle@uliege.be

Association of one or more MOOCs