CONCEPTUALISING THE SOCIAL WORLD - 2021/2

Module Overview

This FHEQ Level 4 module will look at some of the major theorists and schools of thought in the history of sociology over the last two hundred years. We will begin with an overview of the development of the idea of ‘society’, before moving on to look at the work of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim. Each of these theorists was living at a time when the world was undergoing dramatic – and often bloody – change. As we encounter each theorist we will ask a series of questions: i) what do the offer in terms of a methodology for sociology?; ii) how do they conceive of ‘society’?; and iii) how do they explain the history of society and the changes going on around them? Towards the end of the course, we will begin to explore some critical issues.

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

SEAL Alexander (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

1. Understanding the rise of scientific ways of thinking and its relationship to sociological thinking. We begin to understand that, without the enlightenment period, we would not be able to conceptualise the social world in the ways in which we do today.

2. Durkheim, Marx and Weber – with each thinker we initially discuss their approach to sociology and therefore how each of them attempted to conceptualise the social world. We then turn to examining
recurring themes in their work, including: (i) the development of capitalism; (ii) class/division of labour within capitalist society. Through examining these themes, we see how each thinker laid the foundations to conceptualise the fabric of social life we experience today.

3. Critical Issues – where are the female thinkers? We examine the historical conditions that led to sociology becoming male dominated discipline and ask the question of how many historical female thinkers have been erased from the foundations of the discipline. Why also ask the question of how sociology should adapt and evolve in light of these issues.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate that they have developed an understanding of the core classical thinkers’ conceptualisations of the social world and can critically think and reflect with this knowledge.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

One individual five minute video presentation

One 1500 word essay.

Formative assessment and feedback:

In addition to the individual feedback on each assessment component, students receive class feedback in addition to further, in person, 1:1 feedback by request.

Module aims

• To introduce students to the ‘founding fathers' of sociology/sociological theory
• To encourage students to critically engage with these theories
• To begin to explore what it means to ‘think sociologically' and to be ‘reflexive’ about the world around us (and the discipline itself)

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: introduce students to these core ideas and encourage them to think about and explore these ideas.

The learning and teaching methods include:

Weekly lectures (1 hour per lecture x 11 weeks)

Weekly tutorials (1 hour per week) where ideas are explored in a more informal setting;

The provision of core readings on SurreyLearn (1 per week);

An open door policy.

At the end of each week, students are encouraged to reflect on their notes from lectures, tutorials, readings and notes about how they link. They are encouraged to ‘drop-in’ at the end of the week if things are unclear.

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.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SOC1052

Other information

N/A

Programmes this module appears in

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 2021/2 academic year.