Donati Pierpaolo

Pierpaolo Donati (born in Budrio on 30 September 1946) is an internationally renowned Italian sociologist and philosopher. He is widely recognised for proposing relational sociology or relational theory of society, a general theoretical approach to the analysis of society that differs from previous and contemporary sociological theories.
From 1981 to 2016, Donati was Full Professor of Sociology at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Bologna. At that university, he held important positions as director of the Centre for Social Policy and Health Sociology Studies (CEPOSS), President of the Sociology Degree Course and Coordinator of the Ph.D. in Sociology.
His theory is based on the epistemological assumption that ‘at the beginning there is the relationship’. Donati defines social relations as the immaterial reality that exists between acting subjects, which constitutes them and guides their mutual actions. This perspective has led to the development of new concepts such as relational reason and relational goods, proposing solutions to problems such as multiculturalism and the commodification of welfare. His empirical research has demonstrated the applicability of relational sociology in legislation and social intervention programmes.
Donati has been a member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences since 1997 and of the Academy of Sciences of the University of Bologna. He chaired the Italian Association of Sociology (AIS) from 1995 to 1998 and was recognised by the UN in the International Year of the Family (1994). His numerous publications include Introduction to Relational Sociology, Relational Sociology: A New Paradigm for the Social Sciences and The Relational Subject (written with Margaret Archer).