FAMILIES AND SOCIETY - 2023/4

Module Overview

A range of empirical data and theoretical perspectives on the family and its relationship to society will be drawn upon to explore topics such as marriage and partnerships, housework, parenting, and the intersection of families with the state and other social institutions. We will pay particular attention to the relationship between production and reproduction, specifically, examining the household division of labour and how this has varied over time and in relation to external pressures, especially the demands of paid work. The module will consider how family life is mediated by gender, class, ethnicity, and sexuality, and use contemporary, historical and cross-cultural material to highlight processes of change and development in contemporary family life.

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

HALL Matthew (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

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

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• What is a family?


• Historical and geographical variation in the family


• The household division of labour, housework and domestic labour


• Work-family boundaries and work-family balance


• Marriage and partnerships


• Parenting and caring


• Grandparenting


• The family, the state and other institutions


• Domestic violence

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate that they:

• Are able to critically evaluate a wide range of theoretical perspectives which seek to explain the social organisation of the family and roles within the family

• Have a thorough understanding of contemporary experiences of family life

• Are able to identify and analyse a range of empirical approaches to the family, the division of labour and household reproduction and to critically appraise these approaches

• Are aware of key debates and emergent trends in the sociology of family life

•  An individual media article 

•  An individual essay

•  Verbal feedback will be provided as part of class interactions and discussions.

Module aims

• To provide an overview of the role and composition of the contemporary family and of historical variation in the composition and role of the family
• To become familiar with a range of theoretical perspectives on family life and the familial division of labour
• To highlight the intersection of families and other social institutions

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

 

• Ensure students understand the role and composition of the contemporary family and of historical variation in the composition and role of the family


• Introduce students to a range of theoretical perspectives on family life and the familial division of labour


• Encourage students to explore the intersection of families and other social institutions

• Lectures, class discussions, group work, watching and discussing videos relevant to the course material and discussing news items.


• The precise format will differ from week to week, but all activities will be included in a two hour block (11 sessions)


• Assignment preparation guidance will also be provided within the sessions.

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: SOC3034

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 2023/4 academic year.