| Unit name | Theory Matters |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SOCI10011 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Morgan |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit introduces you to foundational ideas that shaped sociological thought and contextualises them within global power relations. You examine the development of sociological thought through different stages, allowing you to recognise the importance of the social context that influenced thinkers of the time. You will learn to identify the omissions and blind spots in mainstream sociological thinking. You will be familiarised with key conceptual terms developed by foundational thinkers, and how they related to themes such as modernity, culture and ideology, and structure and agency, as well as with different sets of ideas about what constitutes the ‘social’ and ‘society’.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
In this unit, you will focus on fundamental theoretical orientations that have shaped the discipline and continue to be relevant in sociological debates today. In investigating these contextually and critically, you develop a critical understanding of the evolution of the discipline, including the social problems and shifts that previous significant figures sought to explain. You come to understand their relevance of this for contemporary theoretical debates that seek both to understand the social world as we find it today and which engage critically with earlier thinkers.
An overview of content
In this unit you encounter foundational ideas that shaped early sociological thought, situating them within the context of global power relations. You examine the generational development of sociological thought through different phases: initially, as it existed before the discipline became formalised; subsequently, during its institutionalisation during the 19th and early to mid 20th centuries. The unit will allow you to place these developments in sociological thought within the social context that influenced thinkers of the time, such as colonialism, revolution, rapid modernisation, racism, sexism, and the emergence of capitalism. Key conceptual terms developed by foundational thinkers are examined, showing their relevance to themes such as modernity, culture and ideology, and structure and agency. The unit engages with different sets of ideas about what constitutes the ‘social’ and ‘society’, as well as examining the fundamental purpose of practising sociology.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will critically examine some of the foundational orientations of the discipline, including through engaging with contemporary debates on them. This will help you begin to develop skills of critical reading, including of primary texts, and the importance of contextualising sociological ideas. You will develop analytical skills in assessing arguments and how they relate to one another in order to reflect on how the social world is structured and social change occurs. The unit therefore provides crucial resources for how you understand the social world, think about your place in it, and how acting in the social world can bring about change.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:
1. Identify a range of foundational thinkers and sociological concepts.
2. Recognise how historical and sociopolitical context shapes sociological thought.
3. Assess the adequacy of these thinkers and concepts in understanding the social world.
The unit is delivered through a combination of in-person lectures and small group seminars. Lectures are set out to provide students with a broader introduction of the various themes, concepts, theories and methods. Seminars offer the opportunity to explore, critique and deepen the students’ understanding and engage in discussion with peers and members of staff.
The combination of whole cohort and small group sessions offers students a variety of ways to achieve the unit ILOs and prepare students for the summative assessment.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Key Concept Glossary, 500 words. This will help students develop their ability to understand and summarise important sociological concepts in their own words. This will be important for the summative assessment as well as for future assessed work across their programme.
In addition to the formative task, students will receive feedback throughout the course as part of seminar discussions and group exercises
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
ILOs assessed: 1, 2, 3
When assessment does not go to plan
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, you may be offered an opportunity for reassessment in the failed element(s). This will comprise a task of the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SOCI10011).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
