SO5003 - Contemporary Social Theory

You will be taught through a one hour weekly lecture and a separate, fortnightly, one hour, small group seminar for all students, supported by individual tutorials. You will be expected to engage in extensive, weekly independent and private study. In particular, essential readings must be read prior to the appropriate seminar. This will not only enable participatory discussion within seminars but it will also aid you greatly in their preparation for the assessment requirements of this module. The lectures will provide broad overviews of key concepts, theories, social theorists and debates, and will ensure the overall coherence of the module. Lectures will provide a general framework for independent reading and study. Seminars will be used to enable the exploration in greater depth of the concepts, theories, social theorists and debates introduced within lectures, and to develop students’ analytical and practical skills. We use range of teaching and learning methods in seminars including small group work and case study debates. Seminar discussions will help you work towards a critical evaluation and analysis of essential readings which will, in turn, directly prepare them for the assessment requirements of the module.

Tutorial time will be available to all students (on a group or individual basis) during staff ‘office hours’ or upon separate appointment (arranged by e-mail, telephone or in person) with the Module Tutor

You will have access to the e-learning portal with a dedicated internet site to support this module (currently via 'Blackboard'). The site will include electronic copies of module and lecture materials, further reading materials, important module announcements and tutor advice/guidance.

You will be expected to engage in private and self-directed study. The lecture/seminar programme, module guide, internet site and tutor prescription will provide a clear framework for this study.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Critically explain and evaluate key contemporary sociological theories, in relation to the changing nature of contemporary society and social life
2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the distinctive character of Sociology as a synthesising discipline which emphasises the significance of social context (relations of power, inequality and identity) for understanding aspects of contemporary society and social life

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
1. Assess the suitability of different sources for sociological analysis of the social world
2. Skills necessary for the workplace, including critical thinking and problem solving

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
1. Show critical awareness of different perspectives and approaches to understanding the global social world, and think independently and reflectively about them

The module will be summatively assessed by one 2000 word Critical Review of a piece of contemporary social theory and a 2000 word Written Essay .

Both assessments are designed to test students’ ability to demonstrate a critical understanding of some key contemporary social theories, as well as the ability to evaluate these theories in relation to the changing nature of contemporary society and social life. Both assessments will also test students’ ability to demonstrate a critical understanding of the distinctive character of Sociology as a discipline which emphasises the significance of social context for understanding aspects of contemporary society and social life, as well as transferable skills, such as written communication skills; analytical skills; ability to understand and de-construct complex theories and concepts; ability to construct and present an argument. Each assignment will be assessed according to specific module assessment criteria which will be provided to students at the beginning of the module.

Students will receive feedback on their seminar activities (formative – which will be directly related to the preparation of the assignments) and extensive written feedback on their summative assessments.

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Please find details of this module in the other sections provided.