2011/12 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SLSP3432 Urban Regulation, Power and Difference

20 creditsClass Size: 45

Module manager: Rachael Dobson
Email: r.dobson@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2011/12

Pre-requisite qualifications

Normally 40 credits at level 2 in a social science or related subject

Module replaces

SLSP3431 Housing in Urban Society

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

Core 'issues' covered:- Identity and difference- Conceptualisations of social regulation - Theoretical frameworks associated with power- Research methods; issues and challenges- Contested debates in the academic community.

Objectives

- Using the 'urban', housing and homelessness issues as a way to illustrate issues of social regulation, power and difference.
- Exploring what 'social regulation' can mean, through consideration of conditionality in policy and practice, the management of urban spaces and 'problem' people, and the role of institutional cultures and 'gatekeepers'.
- Thinking through relationships between the organisers and users of urban spaces.
- Understanding that individual actors' identities and points of 'difference' (ethnicity, gender, disability, sexuality, faith) are influential for the spatial segregation of urban populations.
- Identifying that narratives of 'need' are influenced by emotional, social, situated and subjective factors. Recognising that responses to need are institutionally and culturally driven.
- Examining challenges associated with research methods for the identification and ‘treatment’ of social problems.

Learning outcomes
On completion of the module students should:

- understand the significance of regulatory bodies and actors and practices for our experiences in urban spaces.
- understand the role of identity and 'difference' for social actors’ experiences in urban spaces.
- be familiar with the range of actors, institutions and discourses which make-up UK policy and practice.
- recognise the importance of subjective, cultural and emotional experiences for the conceptualisation of key terms (eg 'need', 'home').
- have improved understanding of contested debates in both the academic community and creation of knowledge (eg challenges of research methods).
- identify the role of empirical research and academic commentary for critical discussion.

Skills outcomes
On completion of the module students will have:

- an enhanced a range of general analytic, communication and oral skills.
- improved presentation skills and confidence in exploring academic research.
- improved skills when identifying findings and critical ideas within and across scholarly sources.
- substantive knowledge of UK policy and practice processes (with specific reference to urban, housing and homelessness studies).
- an understanding of empirical research practice, how this relates to theoretical knowledges, practice fields and the experiences of end users.
- working with others and team-work skills.

Syllabus

Lecture topics:

1. Introduction lecture: teaching arrangements and coverage of the module
2. Identifying and understanding the fragmented city
3. The segregation and regulation of urban populations
4. The urban environment and 'problem' behaviour
5. The home in urban societies
6. Identity, difference and segregation; ethnicity and gender
7. Identity, difference and segregation; disability
8. Urban governance, welfare and power
9. Experiences at the grassroots; the service user
10. Social regulation, power and the private sector
11. Review and feedback session.

Teaching methods

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

Private study

- 100 hours preparation for lectures and tutorials
- 79 hours preparation for seen examination.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress will be monitored by tutorial performance.

Methods of assessment

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Exam with advance information on questions	3 hr 00 mins	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		100.00

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: 18/12/2012

Disclaimer

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