FAMILIES AND SOCIETY - 2023/4
Module code: SOCM077
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 7
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Independent Learning Hours: 106
Lecture Hours: 11
Seminar Hours: 11
Guided Learning: 11
Captured Content: 11
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
Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
---|---|---|
Coursework | Media Article | 40 |
Coursework | Essay | 60 |
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
Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:
An individual media article
An individual essay
Summative feedback will be provided on all work submitted, highlighting both areas of strength within the work and areas that could be developed or strengthened further.
Formative assessment and feedback
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
Attributes Developed | ||
001 | Be 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 | CK |
002 | Have a thorough understanding of contemporary experiences of family life | CK |
003 | Be 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 | KPT |
004 | Be aware of key debates and emergent trends in the sociology of family life | K |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
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
The learning and teaching methods include:
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: SOCM077
Other information
N/A
Programmes this module appears in
Programme | Semester | Classification | Qualifying conditions |
---|---|---|---|
Sex, Gender and Sexualities MSc | 1 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module |
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.