SOC1032 : Politics and Society
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Professor Alison Phipps
- Lecturer: Dr Lisa Garforth, Professor Tracy Shildrick
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module is designed to introduce students to the reciprocal influence between political and social life, via discussion of key concepts and major contemporary socio-political issues.
Outline Of Syllabus
The module examines the interaction between political and social factors. It is concerned with how politics can affect its social context as well as with how it can be affected by it. How do we conceive of social and political power? To what extent do political institutions and practices shape the nature and boundaries of civil society and social life, and conversely how do social relations (broadly defined to encompass cultural, economic and associational relations) influence political decision making? The module will also reflect on issues that are at the very centre of political debate and social mobilization in the contemporary era. By offering an overview of arguments and debates about topical issues in politics and society, the module will expose students to the analytical power of a sociological approach to politics.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | Interactive lectures (1 per week, PiP) |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 48:00 | 48:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 119:00 | 119:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Timetabled PiP (seminars) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | Assessment and skills workshops (online) |
| Total | 200:00 |
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 be interactive sessions introducing students to key theoretical approaches, public debates and empirical studies. Key readings will be explored and discussed in the student-led seminars. There will be online assessment workshops in which students can explore the key features of the assessment requirements and raise questions and concerns as appropriate.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 2880 | 2 | A | 50 | 48 Hour take-home exam. 180 minutes |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2 | M | 50 | Essay 2000 words |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 2 | M | One-page essay plan |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The take-home exam will offer students the opportunity to consider and explore a selection of concepts and ideas from across the module. Students will write an essay in which they will apply one of the concepts in the module to a contemporary sociopolitical issue. The one-page essay plan will be discussed in the assessment workshops and students will give each other peer feedback under facilitator guidance.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- SOC1032's Timetable