Postgraduate Course: Sociology of Emotions (PGSP11367)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course aims to develop students; understandings of how emotions are socially constructed and/or socially constituting, why sociologists have largely neglected emotions until recently and what a sociological approach can bring to our understanding of them. |
| Course description |
Feelings are things we usually think of as "natural", but sociologists are interested in how emotions are socially constructed and/or socially constituting. We examine why sociologists have largely neglected emotions until recently and what a sociological approach can bring to our understanding of them. This will enable us to explore how the sociology of emotions can challenge some of sociology's key premises and ways of thinking. The course will involve critically analysing debates about emotions and their changing role in social life. We examine how social life and social change make people feel about each other and their world and how those feelings have in turn shaped society.
The course will cover a range of topics such as a variety of sociological approaches to emotions, both theoretical and empirical. It will examine how emotions have changed, explore emotions as they relate to aspects of social life such as social inequalities, politics, and migration and there will be some attention to researching emotions.
The course will be taught through:
- One weekly, advanced level recorded mini-lecture (15-20 mins)
- One two-hour PG tutorial each week (starting week 1). Some of these will be student -led.
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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 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 24 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment will consist of a mark for:
* presenting the student-led tutorial (10%)
* short-essay (25%) 1,500-1700 words max (excluding bibliography)*
* a long essay (65%) 3000-3500 words max (excluding bibliography)*
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| Feedback |
Students will be offered the opportunity to discuss (in an online or in-person meeting) a short essay plan. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a high-level of knowledge about, and critical evaluation of, sociological approaches to understanding emotions.
- Critically compare the different ways in which emotions are expressed and represented in a variety of social and historical contexts
- Communicate their understandings of how emotions might play a role in different social spheres, social divisions and social processes
- Evaluate the strengths and limitations of sociological approaches to emotions
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Reading List
Patulny, R., Bellocchi, A., Olson, R. E., Khorana, S., McKenzie, J., and Peterie, M., (eds.) (2019) Emotions in Late Modernity. London: Routledge.
Burkitt, I. (2014) Emotions and Social Relations. London: Sage
Harris, S. (2015) An Invitation to the Sociology of Emotions. New York: Routledge
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Evaluation and critical analysis will be developed within class and through the assessment by debating and discussing the strengths and limitations of different sociological theories and sets of empirical data. Students will improve their communication skills though participation in class discussions and in essays where they will learn how to present effective arguments. Autonomy will be developed by teaching students to formulate as well as answer questions and to lead as well as participate in class activities. Some of these activities will involve working with others.
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| Additional Class Delivery Information |
- One weekly, advanced level recorded mini-lecture (15-20 mins)
- One two-hour PG tutorial each week (starting week 1). Six of these will be student -led.
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| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Miss Jingyu Mao
Tel:
Email: Jingyu.Mao@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Emilia Czatkowska
Tel: (0131 6)51 3244
Email: Emilia.Czatkowska@ed.ac.uk |
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