2023/24 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

MODL5090M Social Movements across Cultures

30 creditsClass Size: 20

Module manager: Gregorio Alonso
Email: G.Alonso@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2023/24

Pre-requisite qualifications

None

This module is mutually exclusive with

MODL3630

Social Movement Across Cultures

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

Global in perspective, this module explores historical and contemporary social movements from across various geographic regions and with a comparative focus on discernible cross-cultural and cross-regional similarities and differences.

Objectives

This module engages students with the key concepts and theories on social movements and examines how they emerge, what shape they take, what they seek to achieve and whether they succeed in driving forward societal change. It homes in on local manifestations of social movements as they emerge across cultures in response to global challenges and includes the study of anti-colonial, environmental, student, sex/gender-based, anti-globalisation and religious social movements in Europe, Latin America, East Asia and the Middle East and North Africa. Comparative in focus, the module investigates discernible cross-cultural and cross-regional similarities and differences in social movement organisation and activism.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
1. deploy relevant theory, including amongst others theories on collective behaviour, opportunity structures, resource mobilisation and framing to the study of contemporary social movements.
2. appraise related cultural theories/concepts, including (but not limited to) cultural relativism, ethnocentrism and critical theory, and their significance for the comparative study of social movements;
3. explore the context, emergence, development, activism and framing of social movements through social movement theoretical lenses; and
4. demonstrate a comparative understanding of the diverse sociocultural and historical contexts of social movements globally.
5. demonstrate advanced research skills in the reading before seminars and in the writing of their essays.

Syllabus

This module is structured around 4-5 thematic clusters, including:
Defining Social Movements & Social Movement Theory
Anti-Colonial Movements
Culture and Class
Climate and Religious Movements
Social Movement Institutionalisation

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Seminar	11	1.00	11.00
Private study hours			278.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative feedback will be provided in oral format in class and in one-on-one meetings on the review and research essay submissions. Feedback on overall progress throughout the semester can be obtained during Advice and Feedback Hours or by email.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Poster Presentation	5-10-minute oral	40.00
Essay or Dissertation	2,500-word research essay	60.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Oral Presentations: M-level students are required to give individual poster presentation exploring the communication strategy of a social movement of their choice. Depending on the number of students on the course, presentations will last between 5-10 minutes, followed by a student-led Q&A. Research Essay: M-level students are required to write a research essay on two social movements from different cultural/geographic contexts or eras. Engaging critically with relevant SMT literature, students will be asked to examine the two social movements and highlight how contextual factors affect(ed) movement organisation and activism.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 08/06/2023

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