Social Analysis II
| Module title | Social Analysis II |
|---|---|
| Module code | SOC1049 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Mr Stuart Scrase (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 120 |
|---|
Module description
The module introduces students to a range of sociologically significant contemporary phenomena and the ways in which sociologists have sought to research them. More specifically, it will introduce students to the kind of theoretical perspectives and conceptual tools sociologists have used, along with the issues they have raised, in their research of those phenomena. As such, both theoretical and empirical sociological work will be explored to understand the kind of questions sociologists ask, as well as the answers they provide, in their analysis of the social world.
Module aims - intentions of the module
You will be encouraged to develop both your own understanding of contemporary forms of social analysis and your capacity to engage critically with them, in such a way as to assess the relative relevance and usefulness of the various schools of thought for an analysis of some of key contemporary social issues and phenomena such as social order, inequalities, agency, inclusion and exclusion, marginalization, etc.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. explain and illustrate different modes of social analysis and their concomitant theoretical / conceptual frameworks;
- 2. exhibit awareness of the historical, social and political developments influencing social analysis;
- 3. think about social, psychological, personal and cultural issues in a specifically sociological manner;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. reason and construct written arguments in a sociological manner;
- 5. use evidence, analysis and argument in a sociological manner;
- 6. read classic and contemporary textual material both in terms of historical situatedness and wider significance to the discipline;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. formulate and discuss core theoretical ideas,and discussions and apply them to various social issues; and
- 8. challenge 'commonsense' assumptions about individual and social reality.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- The Social in Discussion
- The Interactionist Turn
- Phenomenology and Post-Phenomenologically Themes
- Post-Structuralism
- Risk Society, Individualisation, Transnational and Environmental Issues
- Migration, Dis/placement and Dis/abilities
- Cosmopolitanism and Cosmopolitics
- New Materialism
- Sociology and Art
- Transphenomena
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | 123 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 22 | 11 x 2 hours weekly lectures. Lectures provide students with a broad overview of types and ways of social analysis; they cover more ground than is possible in tutorials, and are designed to establish a context in which to think about the issues discussed in tutorials. |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 5 | 5 x fortnightly 1 hour tutorials. A specific reading is assigned, and students are provided with a list of key issues to identify and discuss for each tutorial. Texts are carefully chosen as classic exemplars of the core course themes. |
| Guided Independent study | 33 | Course readings |
| Guided Independent study | 45 | Preparation for essays, library, research |
| Guided Independent study | 90 | Preparation for essays, library, research |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 250 words | 1-8 | Written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | 40 | 1,500 words | 1-8 | Written |
| Essay 2 | 60 | 2,000 words | 1-8 | Written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | Essay 1 (1,500 words) | 1-8 | August/September reassessment period |
| Essay 2 | Essay 2 (2,000 words) | 1-8 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
General texts on contemporary social analysis:
P. Jones (2003) Introducing Social Theory
C. Calhoun et.al. (2002) Contemporary Sociological Theory
Harrington, A. (2005) Modern Social Theory
Some texts by key social theorists covered in the module:
Adorno, T.W. and Horkheimer, M. (1997) Dialectic of Enlightenment
Berger, P.L. and Luckmann, T. (1966) The Social Construction of Reality
Garfinkel, H. (1967) Studies in Ethnomethodology
Goffman, E. (1959) The Presentation of the Self in Everyday Life
Foucault, M. (1977) Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison
Millett, Kate (1971) Sexual Politics
Fanon, Frantz (1986) Black Skins, White Masks
Beck, U. (1992) Risk Society
Latour, B. (2005) Reassembling the Social
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 31/01/2013 |
| Last revision date | 06/05/2022 |
