| Unit name | Sociological Theory and the Concept of Culture |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPAIM0049 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. George Kyroglou |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important? [150 words]
This unit provides a broad grounding in contemporary sociological theory. It does so by paying critical attention to the concept of culture as it has been developed by social and cultural theorists in the contemporary era. The notion of culture has been a staple focus of sociological theory and is a useful lens through which to see different types of theory in operation, what separates them and what makes them still relevant.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study [100 words]
This unit is core to the MSc Social and Cultural Theory Pathway, and will be essential for that postgraduate taught degree programme. It will also be useful for students on other pathways too, who are interested in how culture permeates social life. Whilst the unit will not neglect empirical illustrations, it will primarily provide a theoretical scaffolding composed of competing modes of cultural and sociological analysis which will be useful for students who wish to address culture and sociological theory in a more direct ways in other units, in their dissertation, or else in work beyond university.
An overview of content
The unit will examine the contribution of particular theorists from particular theoretical perspectives. Important approaches or schools of thought within social/sociological/cultural theory will be analysed including perspectives from areas such as Marxism, critical theory, post-structuralism, feminism, postmodernism and post-colonial studies. Thinkers addressed may include Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu, Theodor Adorno and the Frankfurt School, Jean Baudrillard, Raymond Williams, Mary Douglas, Judith Butler, Paul Gilroy, Martha Nussbaum, Clifford Geertz, Gayatri Spivak and Edward Said.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
On completion of this unit, students should have a good understanding of some of the main theories and debates over how culture ought to be understood, and be well-equipped to critique and selectively synthesise the various approaches covered in order to perform their own independent sociological and cultural analyses. Students should emerge with a newfound appreciation of culture not simply as a supplementary zone or dimension of social activity, but at the core of social life in general.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
The method of teaching will be a form of blended learning which involves both asynchronous online student learning, synchronous weekly seminar/webinars, and in person teaching on campus.
The format for this unit is lectures and seminars. Each week there will be a lecture, plus a one-hour seminar where we will saturate the topic with critical thought. Students are expected to prepare for the seminar by reading through the key readings marked 'essential' (these are essential in the sense of being key for the seminar; it does not necessarily mean they are 'good' or 'indispensable' texts in some absolute sense). 'Recommended' texts are texts that are certainly worth looking at, whilst 'further' texts are for those who want to go further into the issues. These are a good start for your summative assignments. However, if you are planning to write on a particular topic you will need to go much deeper into the literature for yourself.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
When assessment does not go to plan:
You will normally complete the reassessment in the same format as outlined above. Students are expected to select a different question from the original list.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPAIM0049).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
