2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SLSP1010 Sociological Analysis of Contemporary Society

20 creditsClass Size: 550

Module manager: Bobby Sayyid
Email: s.sayyid@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2008/09

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

In this module we will explore key features of contemporary British society and culture from a sociological perspective. We will consider what aspects of our lives and the social world are changing and why. How are we to understand changing structures which shape our lives? For example: how are we to understand transformations in the world of work and in patterns of social participation and exclusion? How significant is the impact of globalisation? Do we live in a postmodern world? As well as exploring these general debates and linked evidence we will look at change in individual experience and social relationships: are we seeing a rise of individualism or the emergence of new kinds of solidarity? We will explore these questions through a focus on debates about change in the family; whether social class is still important and whether new social movements and forms of protest offer new visions for the future.Students without A level Sociology are at no disadvantage. Contact: Module Convenor: Ian Law, Rm.12.31, e-mail: i.g.law@leeds.ac.uk, tel 0113-343-4410. or undergradsociologysocialpolicy@leeds.ac.uk

Objectives

At the end of this module students should have:

- developed insights into a range of areas of substantive sociological inquiry; having explored a range of debates relating to continuity and change in contemporary society, at a macro level and at the level of interpersonal relations;
- developed insights into the importance of empirical evidence within sociological inquiry and its (complex) links to theories of social change;
- enhanced their confidence and skills in developing an 'analytic attitude' towards theory and evidence which will be extended significantly in levels 2 and 3.

Syllabus

In this module we will consider what aspects of our lives and the social world are changing and why. How are we to understand changing structures which shape our lives? For example: how are we to understand transformations in the world of work and in patterns of social participation and exclusion? How significant is the impact of globalisation? Do we live in a postmodern world? As well as exploring these general debates and linked evidence we will look at change in individual experience and social relationships: are we seeing a rise of individualism or the emergence of new kinds of solidarity? We will explore these questions through a focus on debates about change in the family; whether social class is still important and whether new social movements and forms of protest offer new visions for the future.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Tutorial	10	10.00	10.00
Private study hours			179.00
Total Contact hours			21.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

180 hours = 45 hours preparing for lectures, 55 hours preparing for seminars, 79 hours preparing for essay and exam.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Tutorial attendance.
Presentations in seminars.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,000 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: 10/03/2015

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