2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SLSP3885 Identity, Self and Society

20 creditsClass Size: 52

Module manager: Richard Kilminster
Email: r.c.j.kilminster@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2008/09

Pre-requisite qualifications

Normally 40 credits at level 2 from programmes of study within the Faculty of ESSL or related disciplines.

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

Who am I? Who are we? These questions cannot be answered with anywhere near the certainty of even 30 years ago. As the result of globalization, society has become more fluid and mobile, with people facing more choices. With the rise of flexible working and the service sector and more women in employment, older occupational identities have been transformed. These developments have changed the relations between men and women. Meanwhile, the gay and lesbian movements have legitimated further sexual identities. Is there now a new 'post-modern' person, who is informal, flexible and 'reflexive' - perhaps narcissistic? How credible is the idea that people are choosing between 'I' or 'we' identities at will? What are 'neo-tribes'? Why are ethnic and national identities redoubling in strength whilst other identities are declining? SLSP3885 uses the longer-term perspective of the sociology of modernity and draws upon the psychoanalysis of identity formation from Freud onwards to aid understanding of contemporary theories. The module also tackles the grave question of how ethnic identifications can spill over into disidentification, resulting in attempted genocides, as in the Holocaust and the Rwanda atrocities. Contact: Dr Richard Kilminster r.c.j.kilminster@leeds.ac.uk or undergradsociologysocialpolicy@leeds.ac.uk

Objectives

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

* Understand the main theoretical approaches to social identity and self-formation, including symbolic interactionist; phenomenological; psychoanalytic; mass society; neo-Marxist; structurationist; 'postmodern'; constructionist; and figurational.

* Use the above-mentioned theories to interpret empirical materials about changing sources of identification in contemporary society, compared with earlier periods and simpler societies.

* Demonstrate an understanding of the multiple ways in which social processes shape the self and individual identity.

* Demonstrate a broad sociological understanding of the links between social interdependencies, power and individual self-regulation.

* Appreciate the multi-dimensional character of social identity in contemporary societies, involving at least familial, gender, generational, community, ethnic, regional, national, religious and global aspects.

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

Syllabus

Theoretical approaches to social identity and self-formation presented and analysed will include: symbolic interactionist; phenomenological; psychoanalytic; mass society; neo-Marxist; structurationist; 'postmodern'; constructionist; and figurational. The relevant works of, amongst others, the Frankfurt School, Berger, Lasch, Giddens, Beck, Chodorow, Sennett and Elias, contemporary critics and selected empirical studies will be discussed in a long-term perspective. Themes include identification and power; identity in simpler and in more complex societies; gender identity; national and ethnic identity; the 'authoritarian' personality; identity crisis; the 'culture of narcissism'; reflexive modernization and the autotelic self; changing sources of identification; globalization; civilization; and identity and postmodernity.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	16	1.00	16.00
Tutorial	5	1.00	5.00
Private study hours			179.00
Total Contact hours			21.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

40 hours preparing for lectures, 60 hours preparing for tutorials, 60 hours preparing for essays and exams, 13 hours on independent research for presentations.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Seminar attendance/participation, presentations in seminars.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	3,000 words	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		50.00

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

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 00 mins	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		50.00

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: 09/03/2010

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD