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2014/15 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SLSP3741 Sociology of Capitalism and Modernity

20 creditsClass Size: 30

Module manager: Tom Campbell
Email: t.w.campbell@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2014/15

Pre-requisite qualifications

At least 20 credits at Level 1and 2 (40 in total) from a social science related discipline or the appropriate discovery theme.

Pre-requisites

SLSP2730

Central Problems in Sociology

Module replaces

SLSP2740 Sociology of Capitalism and Modernity: Reading the ClassicsSLSP3740 Reading the Calssics

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Do you want to carry out an in-depth analysis of the problems of capitalism and modernity that have underpinned classical and contemporary social theory over the last 150 years? The module considers 'classic' diagnoses of these intellectual problems as put forward by Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber and Georg Simmel, as well considering more contemporary analyses of these issues as offered by Norbert Elias and Zygmunt Bauman. These writers will be studied through in-depth, textual and contextual discussion led by specialist lecturers. The module will explore problems such as the ‘attitude of modernity'; the emergence of capitalist production; the increased rationalization of everyday life; the relationships between the complex of institutions that characterise modernity eg. the nation state, democratic institutions and the market economy. Contact Dr Tom Campbell t.w.campbell@leeds.ac.uk

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

1) demonstrate an in depth knowledge of the theoretical contributions to sociology of Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Simmel, Elias and Bauman and the intellectual contexts in which these contributions developed;

2) interpret and analyse the original texts of Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Simmel, Elias and Bauman, and their intellectual development as it pertains to the development of sociology as a discipline;

3) analyse and critically evaluate competing sociological interpretations of the original texts of Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Simmel, Elias and Bauman, their intellectual development, and the debates around their status as 'classical' sociological theorists;

4) further develop their skills of written and verbal communication of theoretical arguments in sociology.

Skills outcomes
Oral and written presentation skills, research skill, IT skills.

Syllabus

- Marx's early writings on alienation
- historical materialism
- capitalist development and class society
- the political economy of capitalism
- politics, ideology and the state
- problems in reading Marx.

- Durkheim's theory of social solidarity and division of labour
- Durkheim's Sociology and its method
- suicide and social integration
- sociology of religion and knowledge
- reading and re-reading Durkheim.

- Politics and sociology in the work of Max Weber
- the problem of capitalist development
- religion and capitalism
- Weber's sociological ideas
- modern politics
- social development
- the scope and limits of sociology
- the intellectual context of Weber's sociology.

- Simmel's sociology of modernity
-Money relations and modern life
- Ambivalence as the attitude of modernity
-Zygmunt Bauman's theories of modernity and liquid modernity
- Rationalisation and the holocaust
- Ethics
- Norbert Elias's theory of civilising processes

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Tutorial	11	1.00	11.00
Private study hours			178.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

- 40 hours preparing for lectures
- 60 hours preparing for tutorials
- 68 hours preparing for literature reviews and exams
- 10 hours on independent research for presentations.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

- Tutorial presentations.
- 10 x 500 word literature reviews.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Literature Review	10 x 500 word weekly literature reviews	10.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		10.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Exam with advance information on questions	2 hr	90.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		90.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 27/08/2015

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