1. Cities, patrimony and turism.

The focus of this research line is contemporary cities. This line has the goal of the study of urban cultures, of sociability’s forms, and consumer’s practices regarding to gentrification process, patrimonialization and turification. With an analytical focus that stimulates interdisciplinary dialogue between sociological matrix and immaterial and material cultural heritage studies, the process production of urban narratives, that blend consumer forms and economic development.

Professors: Prof. Dr. Carlos Fortuna; Prof. Dr. Marcelo Alário Ennes; Profª. Drª Mariana Selister Gomes; Prof. Dr. Rogerio Proença Leite.

2. Economic, Development and Technique Sociology

Focusing on economics, development, and technique, the objectives of this line of research is the approach of economic, development phenomena and the relations between science and technique. Analytically focused on sociological approaches with an overture to other knowledge areas, studies about science and technique, market, and development are developed, considering the bias of its genesis, trajectories, transformations, and consequences since its authors and institutions, narrative disputes, and political-cultural tools. Their studies rely on sociology theories as the means to explain the challenges placed by market advances and their valuation, by environment politics and the development idea.

Professors: Prof. Dr. Antony Peter Mueller; Prof. Dr. Franz Josef Brüseke; Prof. Drª Marina de Souza Sartore; Prof. Drª Tânia Elias Magno da Silva; 

3. Intellectual itineraries, professions, and labor market.

This line of research includes studies that aim to understand the relations between knowledge and society based on investigations about the conditions, social processes, and production of knowledge in their diverse forms (intellectual, artistic, cultural, scientific, etc.) and conduct approaches on system education development, superior education, professional groups, and labor market. The line of research contemplates three axes: a) Knowledge production, intellectual sociology, and Brazilian social thought; b) Professional groups formation; the role of academics title for the knowledge to legitimated professions and carriers (sociology, medicine, legal, engineer, etc.) and news carriers or not institutionalized or with fragile social credibility careers; c) Organizations forms and labor world dynamics, regarding recent changes, conflicts around occupations, especially those involved with sociology teaching and the agents involved in labor relations.

Professors: Prof. Drª Fernanda Rios Petrarca; Prof. Drª Tânia Elias Magno da Silva; Prof. Dr. Rogério Proença Leite; Profª Drª Vilma Soares de Lima Barbosa; Prof. Dr. Ivan Fontes Barbosa; 

4. Institutions, social movements, and public politicians.

This line of research aims to develop studies and researches regarding the current advances and the analytics possibilities available to study politics in contemporary society. As part of political sociology, this research line is centered on the examination of institutions, social movements, and public politics. In such a context, a diverse set of themes is involved: Legal order and state control institutions; Compared politics and international politics; State and public administration; Forms of political participation, International contestation, and social movements; Rights revindications and defense of public interest causes; Ruling classes, political parties, and public policies. The investigations and analyzes prioritize the articulations and comparisons between local, national, and international dimensions to account for the particularities and regularities of the Brazilian case and its relations with various international experiences.

Professors: Prof. Drª Fernanda Rios Petrarca; Prof. Dr. Frank  Nilton Marcon; Prof. Dr. Júlio César C. Rodriguez; Prof. Dr. Paulo Sérgio da Costa Neves; Prof. Dr. Wilson José F. de Oliveira; Prof. Dr. Ivan Fontes Barbosa; Prof. Dr. Petrônio José Domingues.

5. Social minorities: Difference, inequalities, and social conflicts

Starting with debate and sociology questions of domination and inequalities, this line of research aims to analyze the conditions, mechanisms, and processes of social, political, and cultural definitions of stigmatized and excluded groups. Considering different theoretical perspectives and multiple empirical approaches, this line of research aims to emphasize critical thinking and the knowledge about citizens, human rights, power and identities, body and consumption, lifestyles, violence, gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, migrations, youth, etc.  

Professors: Prof. Dr. Frank Nilton Marcon; Prof. Dr. Marcelo Alario Ennes; Profª. Drª. Mariana Selister Gomes; Prof. Dr. Paulo Sérgio da Costa Neves; Prof. Dr. Wilson José F. de Oliveira; Prof. Dr. Petrônio José Domingues.