Scotland: Social Structure and Social Change (SY0030)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : SPS-3-SYSCOT

Scotland has been part of the United Kingdom, a highly centralised and unitary state for nearly 300 years, yet has survived the Union of 1707 as a distinctive civil society. Scotland provides an important test case for the proposition that the quest for self-determination occurs in the context of major shifts in social and political arrangements at the global level. This course reviews the sociological concepts available to understand Scotland, examining issues such as social class and social mobility, gender, economic development, the media, language, identity and culture. Reading: D. McCrone Understanding Scotland, 1992

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Sociology, (School of Social and Political Studies, Schedule J)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
11/01/2008	14:00	15:50

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Friday	14:00	15:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

- Review the sociological concepts available to understand Scotland

- Examine and explain the features of economic development/capitalism in Scotland

- Discuss rural Scotland and the issues surrounding land tenure and reform

- Examine patterns of social mobility and class reproduction, with reference to social and educational ideologies

- Discuss religion, ethnicity and integration/exclusion

- Review issues of language and culture in Scotland

- Outline and account for the impact of the mass media in Scotland

- Assess the relationship between gender and Scottish identity

- Review the changing nature of social and national identity in Scotland

- Assess how Scotland is represented in cultural terms, with reference to heritage and tourism

The course thus meets most of the Programme Outcomes criteria set out in the Honours handbook in relation to sociological knowledge and understanding, general cognitive skills, discipline specific skills and key generic and transferable skills.