Undergraduate Course: Sociology 1B: The Sociological Imagination: Private Troubles, Public Problems (SCIL08005)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course is designed to explore sociological thinking with regard to a number of issues of contemporary concern. Recent topics included: structure and agency; the sociology of the body; race and society; deviance; economy and society; and social change. |
| Course description |
This course complements knowledge gained in Sociology 1A ¿The Sociological Imagination: Individuals and Society¿ and provides a basis for further study in Sociology 2A/B and Honours. The theme of the course is the relationship between private troubles and public problems, i.e. how the personal challenges many of us face in our lives are shaped and defined in ways that often appear to be beyond our direct control. The course will introduce students to the sociological perspective by examining four significant topics in the discipline of sociology. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify some of the social changes, problems, and issues facing modern societies.
Unit 1: What is social structure?
This unit helps students build up their tool kit of key concepts for sociological analysis and critical thinking through the examination of fundamental concepts in sociology (social structure, social organisation, social institutions and social identities).
Unit 2: Norms, order and normalisation
This unit challenges students to not take for granted the taken-for-granted, to unexpect the expected, and to explore how individual social-norm-following is sometimes more intricately connected to public issues and their histories than it might at first appear.
Unit 3: Understanding race and society
This unit introduces students to ways of understanding how ideas about race can shape society, and of the connections between what race means in one society and another. Lectures will address key topics and theoretical perspectives, current research, and public policy concerns.
Unit 4: What is social change?
This unit examines the key conceptual questions involved in the study of social change and compares selected explanations of social change.
The course is taught through lectures and tutorials. Tutorials provide an opportunity to discuss the ideas presented in the course with other students, test them out and get feedback from the tutor. We encourage students to participate fully in the tutorials to get as much out of the course as possible.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 500 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 9,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
167 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Midterm essay, 2000 words (50% of the overall mark)
Final essay, 2000 words (50% of the overall mark)
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| Feedback |
This course is assessed by a mid-semester essay and an end of course essay. Each are worth 50% of your final mark.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- develop their understanding of the sociological perspective and "sociological imagination"
- understand and discuss four areas of study which illustrate the relationship between private troubles and public problems.
- understand how sociological perspectives have adapted to contemporary changes in national and global society and culture.
- critically analyse and evaluate core sociological ideas.
- demonstrate the ability to understand, summarise and critically assess sociological work.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
One hour tutorials over ten weeks and starting in Week 2 |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Karen Gregory
Tel: (0131 6)51 1334
Email: K.Gregory@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Veronica Silvestre
Tel: (0131 6)51 337
Email: Veronica.Silvestre@ed.ac.uk |
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