School of Sociology and Criminology  
 
 
SOC-10012 Researching British Society  
Co-ordinator: Dr Emma Head    Room: CBC0.012, Tel:33898  
Teaching Team: Ms Deborah  Tagg, Dr Lydia  Martens, Dr Andy  Zieleniec, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts, Miss Claire  Lewendon,  Garry  Crawford  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 1 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office:
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
Criminology Single Honours (Level 1)
Sociology Dual Honours (Level 1)
Sociology Major (Level 1)
Sociology Minor (Level 1)
Sociology Single Honours (Level 1)
Available as a Free Standing Elective
Yes
Prerequisites
None

Barred Combinations
None

Description

Researching British Society introduces you to the tradition of British Sociology from the post World War II period to the present day. Key topics, such as changes in family relationships, class structure, ethnic conflict, gender relations, and community integration are analysed through important texts which throw light on the issues under consideration, the historical shifts that have occurred, and the ways in which the discipline of sociology has understood them. The objective is to enable you to reflect on the ways that British society, like all societies, was and continues to be produced by particular social, political, economic and cultural constellations.

Why were these key studies done?
What was the social, economic and political background which framed them?
How did the social and economic conditions of the period alter?
What issues informed the politics of the time?
What influence did these key studies have on the world outside sociology?

The lectures will focus on
Sociology in a changing world: Britain since the 1950's
Citizenship and the post-war state
The Affluent Worker in the Class Structure
Race, Community and Conflict
Gender and social structure: Housewife
Work, consumption and the new capitalism
Changing families, households and intimacies
Social inclusion, exclusion and social structure
Ethnicity, migration and cummunity

Formative Assessment and Tutorial Activities
Tutorials are used to develop students' skills and through a range of structured activities provide them with opportunities to assess their weaknesses and develop their strengths.The class activities will include such elements as: demonstration of successful literature search; production of a bibliography; group presentations of review and critiques of articles; short quizzes testing knowledge of readings.
Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.

http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/soc-10012/lists
Aims
  • To develop students&© understanding of how society is structured
  • To increase students&© appreciation of the post WW2 development of sociology as a discipline
  • To enable students to see how the changing social, political and economic environment shapes individual experiences and lifestyles and generates new sociological research questions
  • To encourage students to engage with texts and begin to develop university level reading skills
Intended Learning Outcomes
  • Demonstrate ability to present sociological material, communicate said material orally, and respond as discussants
  • Show an appreciation of how the production of sociological knowledge in particular substantive areas relies on researchers&© engagement with methodological debates
  • Demonstrate an appreciation of the significance of key sociological studies, including an ability to demonstrate a comprehension of their influence in the discipline of sociology
  • Show competence in reading texts, incorporating the ability to demonstrate a comprehension of the connection between their time and place location and their sociological content
Study hours
10 hours lectures
10 hours seminars
36 hours assessment preparation to include reading (c24 hours), drafting essay (c10 hours), and completing essay (c2 hours)
36 hours examination preparation to include reading of books, articles and notes (c30 hours) and preparing mock answers (c6 hours)
58 hours preparatory work for lectures and seminars to include reading required for lectures (30 hours), additional preparatory reading for seminars (c10 hours), preparation of reports for seminars (c10 hours), and preparation for presentations for senminars (c8 hours).
Description of Module Assessment
01: Book Review weighted 50%
Critical review of a relevant monograph.
The critical review will have a length of 1500 words.
02: 2 Hour Exam weighted 50%
2 hour, 3 question exam
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 03/Oct/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.