CRITICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THINKING - 2020/1
Module code: SOC2071
In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and in a departure from previous academic years and previously published information, the University has had to change the delivery (and in some cases the content) of its programmes, together with certain University services and facilities for the academic year 2020/21.
These changes include the implementation of a hybrid teaching approach during 2020/21. Detailed information on all changes is available at: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/coronavirus/course-changes. This webpage sets out information relating to general University changes, and will also direct you to consider additional specific information relating to your chosen programme.
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Module Overview
This module builds upon the knowledge that students have developed at level 1, and focuses on some key issues within the critical side of sociological thinking. It examines differences between forms of critical sociological explanation discussed within their socio-historical context and in relation to such broad issues as the nature of social organisation, the workings of power, and modes of everyday behaviour, and such more specific issues as inequality, capitalism, the culture, social change and environmental degradation. It also considers the value of each past and contemporary critical sociological perspective and of the more general critical sociological enterprise.
Module provider
Sociology
Module Leader
EVERGETI Venetia (Sociology)
Number of Credits: 15
ECTS Credits: 7.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 5
JACs code: L300
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Module Availability
Semester 1
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
N/A
Module content
Indicative content includes:
The critical traditions of Marxism and Western Marxism
The critical tradition of feminism
Race critical theory
Environmentalist critiques
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | COMMENTARY | 20 |
| Examination | SEEN EXAM ( 2 HOURS ) | 80 |
Alternative Assessment
N/A
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate
knowledge of the differences and similarities between different forms of critical sociological thinking and a capacity to apply them to their own experiences as social actors
Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:
- A commentary giving students the opportunity to apply concepts and ideas covered on the module to a current social phenomenon (week 6)
- A seen exam including a question for each of the perspectives covered on the module (week 13-14)
Formative assessment and feedback
Verbal feedback in tutorials
Module aims
- Cover some key paradigms within sociological theory
- Consider the relevance today of these paradigms
- Compare and evaluate critical and descriptive forms of sociological thinking
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Have an understanding of some key theoretical traditions within sociology, and the points of contention between them | K |
| 2 | Have a sense of the relevance today of 19th and 20th Century sociological theory | KC |
| 3 | Be able to use sociological concepts and theories to question widely held cultural assumptions and critically assess aspects of social organisation | CT |
| 4 | Appreciate the different ways in which sociological thought can illuminate everyday life | CT |
| 5 | Have developed skills in writing, in exam conditions, on pre-prepared topics | PT |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Overall student workload
Independent Study Hours: 128
Lecture Hours: 11
Seminar Hours: 11
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:
Introduce students to different forms of sociological thinking and encourage them to assess their respective applicability to the world around them.
The learning and teaching methods include:
- 11 lectures and 11 seminars OR student-centred learning (weekly 2-hour bloc) depending on student numbers
- Weekly reading and seminar preparation
- Seminar discussions
- Summative commentary to encourage students to apply forms of sociological thinking to the world around them
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.