Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

Other pre-requisites may be accepted with the approval of Module Leader.

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module has the following aims:
-       to introduce students to social and cultural geographical approaches used to understand extant societal issues.
-       to engage students in an appreciation of the unique perspective that a social and cultural geographical lens brings to the study of space, society, environment and culture.
-       to teach them about social and cultural geography equipped conceptual terminology that will allow them to abstract out and examine real world issues in a critical and informed manner.
-       to encourage them to examine empirical case studies through an intersectional and global geographical perspective.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module will be organised in six teaching blocks each discussing ( but not limited to) the following themes:
I: Conceptual Foundations
II: Environment and society
III: Culture and landscape
IV: Emotions and everyday life
V: Digital spaces
VI: Our place in the world

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

By the end of the course students should be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key themes in contemporary social and cultural geography
- make connections between theories and concepts in social and cultural geography and utilize them to understand real world issues.
- critically engage with primary and secondary texts associated with social and cultural geography literatures.
- demonstrate an ability to synthesise information from a range of sources including non-textual sources such as cultural products and artefacts.
- to develop an appreciation of how concepts such as society and culture structure their life experiences.

Intended Skill Outcomes

By the end of the module students should be able to:
– assess and evaluate the utility of different concepts and theories in contemporary social and cultural geography.
- develop an enhanced ability to conceive, present and defend evidence-based arguments.
– enhance their writing and expression repertoire and be able to communicate their ideas in multiple formats.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures introduce, develop and illustrate the theory, policy and empirical substance of the course.

Workshops provide an opportunity for lecturer-led support in critical analysis of course material.

Scheduled contact time will take the form of two assessment surgeries for discussion and clarification of guidance and Q&A about assignments in Semester 1 and Semester 2.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessments have been designed to aid student learning in an incremental way, provide choice and opportunities for independent thinking and to cover both the social and cultural geography focus of the module.
The first assessment is designed to equip students with the skill of writing a literature review related to topics covered in the module. This assessment will help build their knowledge of extant research on a chosen topic and help them develop the foundational skill of critically analysing academic texts. Part 1 of the second assessment takes forward the learning gained from the first assessment and will require students to apply it to craft an argument via the medium of essay writing. Part 2 of the second assessment will further strengthen their critical analysis skills via a focus on exegesis of a text beyond monographs and journals. The focus on the use of non-conventional academic texts (such as film, TV series, vlogs, blogs, maps, videos, newspaper articles, novels, biography, autobiography, nature writing/other non-fiction forms, poetry, music, exhibition pieces, pieces of art and/or design) will expand their writing and expression repertoire to analysing cultural artefacts.

General Notes

N/A