Sergio Clavero, PhD student of the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) of the University of Navarra, is carrying out a three-month research stay at the department of Sociology at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan, Italy). (Milan, Italy).

The researcher is doing a double doctorate in Philosophy and Sociology in the framework of a agreement that the University of Navarra and the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore maintain: "One of the requirements - he specifies - is that the doctoral students of Navarra, who have been formed initially in Philosophy, attend some seminars of Sociology in Milan. I will do them in the first semester of this year and, if all goes well, I will return in the second semester of next year".

Sergio says that at the Italian academic center he is approaching the most important works of the great sociologists of history (Durkheim, Weber) and is also working with some professors on the sociological part of his thesis . "As I have just started the doctorate I am still in the phase of defining the topic, for which I find your guidance very helpful financial aid ", he points out. On the other hand, at the Italian campus he will choose the co-director of his thesis , another of the requirements of the agreement.

An enriching stay

The PhD student of the project 'Emotional culture and identity', which finances Seguros Zurichemphasizes that the stay allows him to fill in his training "with a new perspective, the sociological one, and a deeper knowledge of great authors". In this sense, he notes that he is adopting "a more interdisciplinary approach ". He also emphasizes the opportunity to "learn first-hand a new language, Italian, and to study and read at leisure".

"Stays give you another perspective, especially if you choose a place that allows you to complement what you find on your home university. In addition, you can create contact with important professors and researchers with whom to debate and who give you more direct access to the latest discoveries, the major lines of discussion at the international level, etc.," he adds.

Regarding life in Milan, Sergio emphasizes that "it is a pleasant city, with wide streets, parks... It has interesting places to see, without being overwhelming. You can visit them more calmly than in Rome, for example". He also assures that "the contact with a different culture and diverse people is enriching".