2017/18 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SLSP1190 Identities, Inequalities and Policy in Contemporary Society

20 creditsClass Size: 200

Module manager: Nick Piper
Email: n.piper@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

Module replaces

SLSP1100 Identity, Difference and Inequalities

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module will engage students in debates centred around the key research areas in the School of Sociology and Social Policy. It is based around three strands of, identity, inequalities and policy. The content of the module will focus on specialist debates within these broad areas. In this way students will benefit from interaction with active researchers and contemporary agendas.

Objectives

By exploring key, prominent research themes in sociology and social policy, on completion of the module student should be able to:
- Demonstrate their understanding of the main theoretical and policy perspectives relating to the sociology of identities and inequalities and the policy process;
- Contribute to informed debate in relation to issues surrounding sociology and social policy
- Enhance their critical thinking skills by developing their sociological imagination in relation to the topics covered

Learning outcomes
On completion of the module students should have provided evidence of being able to:
- demonstrate a familiarity with the basic concepts, social implications and means of researching social identities, inequalities and evidence-based policy
- utilise expertise and evidence on the social conditions which give rise to and the social implications of particular cultural identities and inequalities in the status, capital and opportunities afforded to distinctive social groups and to evaluate the effects of social policies on these processes
- communicate the results of their work in a structured and coherent sociological argument; to interpret and evaluate the underlying sociological concepts and theories of identity, inequality and social policy; to demonstrate an ability to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches within the study of identity, inequality and social policy
- appreciate their strengths and weaknesses as learners and demonstrate an awareness of the relationship between sociology and social policy as disciplines

Syllabus

This module will be comprised of three inter-related blocks, each block will also draw on a particular research methodology

Week 1 – Introduction

Weeks 2-4 Students will be introduced to evidence-based policy, practice, and regulation and a general understanding of how policies are made and evaluated Content could be based around a range of examples including in the areas of health, sexuality, crime, race & ethnicity, labour markets, disability and will draw on examples of how researcher’s in the School have engaged in and with the policy process. Weeks 5-7 With a strong focus on the ‘lived experience’ of inequalities, this block will engage students in the study of contemporary society in relation to citizenship, city regions, class, social transitions and social justice. The content could be based on a range of issues for example with respect to poverty, life-course, education, including in the areas of youth, generations, ageing, disability, gender, sexuality and will draw on studies using in qualitative longitudinal methods. It will engage in ‘myth busting’ on the rhetoric and reality of inequalities in 21st century society

Weeks 8-10 With a broader focus on political sociology, in this block students will focus on identities and draw on research that is principally concerned with culture, values, performativity and subjectivities. The content could relate to embodiment, cosmopolitanism, biopolitics, in the areas of gender, sexuality, ageing, race & ethnicity, disability, health, and will draw on expertise in contemporary methodology and historical sociology.

Week 11 – Revision and moving on.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	22	1.00	22.00
Tutorial	10	1.00	10.00
Private study hours			168.00
Total Contact hours			32.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Independent reading is essential to the successful completion of the module. For each week, students are expected to undertake 12 hours of private study or independent learning (total of 132 hours for the module). This will mainly entail keeping up to date with the relevant readings for the week, but also keeping on top of media debates and commentaries. Students will have the opportunity to blog and use social media throughout the module as part of this 12 hour independent study. The remainder of the time should be spent preparing for the assessment around 36 hours in total.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Contribution at tutorials – this will typically take the form of verbal presentations and discussions. Students will also have the opportunity to gain practice in assessment by taking in part in formative exercises or by going through exam preparation techniques.

Methods of assessment

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Open Book exam	2 hr	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: 07/06/2017

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