Aims

The module familiarises students with the theoretical perspectives that social researchers use as they engage with social worlds. It outlines the disciplinary stories of sociology and social anthropology with an emphasis on lively debates in the present. It takes students through a range of theoretical and conceptual lenses which are rooted in our teaching team’s research expertise. It will show how theories matter in practical sociological sense-making as well as demonstrating the importance of engaging with big ideas to enrich our sociological imagination.

The module explores the lineage of concepts and their role in diverse traditions within social theory. It considers how key perspectives have been conceived but also expanded in response to absences, critique and new challenges. With this emphasis, the module delivers a focused introduction into the world of ideas that underpin social research. It encourages students to develop their own theoretical sensitivity and acquaints them with some of the most important conceptual and theoretical tools of social research. The module thus gives students the skills and confidence to begin to evaluate the relevance of social-theoretical toolkits for their own research.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module introduces the ideas that social theorists employ and the perspectives they adopt as they engage with important sociological and social-anthropological issues. Students will gain a historical sense of the emergence and development of theoretical frameworks in sociology and have the opportunity to look more deeply and critically into selected paradigms, theorists and perspectives. The module offers:

- a broad chronological overview that will familiarise students with attempts to establish, consolidate and defend, but also expand, reject and revise, the body of social theory that is considered authoritative.
- key thematic blocks enabling deeper engagement with key texts, major controversies, ongoing developments and the range of applications of selected bodies of social theorising.

Across the two elements, students will learn how to consider gaps and examine contextual limitations, but also how to broaden social theory beyond its contexts of emergence and engage with dialogue across different horizons of theory.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The combination of lectures, workshops and seminars is suitable to offering an in-depth understanding of the topics covered in the module. The lectures will introduce students to key theoretical approaches. These will be explored and discussed in more detail in the workshops and student-led seminars. Seminars and workshops will consider key sources and encourage students to consider the application of ideas to relevant case material. There will be assignment workshops in which students can explore the key features of the assessment requirements and discuss ideas and raise questions as appropriate. There will also be feedback sessions offered (1:1 and in group workshops) to enable students to receive detailed feedback on assignments.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Students will be encouraged to produce a series of critical theoretical reflections as they engage with various traditions over the course of the module, and given support through module workshops to select a case study or contemporary issue or debate to explore in their assignment. The combination of these two elements gives students a wide-ranging opportunity to broaden their critical understanding, apply theory in practice, and develop an independent analytical voice. Through the formative assessment students will have access to support in selecting material and an overall direction for their summative piece.