SC201-5-FY-CO:
Power and Agency in a Global World

The details
2024/25
Sociology and Criminology
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 27 June 2025
30
06 June 2024

 

Requisites for this module
SC111
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

SC301

Key module for

BA LV31 History and Sociology,
BA LV32 History and Sociology (Including Placement Year),
BA LV38 History and Sociology (Including Foundation Year),
BA LV3C History and Sociology (Including Year Abroad),
BA LQ32 Literature and Sociology,
BA LQ33 Literature and Sociology (Including Placement Year),
BA LQ38 Literature and Sociology (Including Foundation Year),
BA QL23 Literature and Sociology (Including Year Abroad),
BA LV35 Philosophy and Sociology,
BA LV36 Philosophy and Sociology (Including Placement Year),
BA LV83 Philosophy and Sociology (Including Foundation Year),
BA VL53 Philosophy and Sociology (Including Year Abroad),
BA VL58 Philosophy and Sociology (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA CL83 Sociology with Social Psychology,
BA CL93 Sociology with Social Psychology (Including Placement Year),
BA CLV3 Sociology with Social Psychology (Including Year Abroad),
BA L2CS Social Sciences,
BA L2ES Social Sciences,
BA L300 Sociology,
BA L301 Sociology (Including Year Abroad),
BA L304 Sociology (Including Foundation Year),
BA L306 Sociology (Including Placement Year),
BA LM38 Sociology and Criminology (Including Placement Year),
BA LM39 Sociology and Criminology,
BA LMH9 Sociology and Criminology (Including Year Abroad),
BA LMHX Sociology and Criminology (Including Foundation Year),
BA LL23 Sociology and Politics (Including Year Abroad),
BA LL24 Sociology and Politics (Including Placement Year),
BA LL32 Sociology and Politics,
BA L3J9 Sociology with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA L3M9 Sociology with Human Rights,
BA LMJ9 Sociology with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA LCJ8 Sociology with Psychosocial Studies (Including Placement Year),
BA LJ8C Sociology with Psychosocial Studies (Including Year Abroad),
BA LJC8 Sociology with Psychosocial Studies,
BA P540 Journalism and Sociology,
BA P541 Journalism and Sociology (Including Placement Year),
BA P542 Journalism and Sociology (Including Year Abroad),
BSC L315 Sociology (Applied Quantitative Research),
BSC L316 Sociology (Applied Quantitative Research) (Including Year Abroad),
BSC L317 Sociology (Applied Quantitative Research) (Including Placement Year),
BA L332 Sociology with Counselling Skills,
BSC L310 Sociology with Data Science,
BSC L311 Sociology with Data Science (including Year Abroad),
BSC L312 Sociology with Data Science (including Placement Year),
BSC L313 Sociology with Data Science (Including foundation Year),
BA L350 Sociology and Health,
BA L351 Sociology and Health (including Foundation Year),
BA L352 Sociology and Health (including Placement Year),
BA L353 Sociology and Health (including Year Abroad)

Module description

This module situates different theoretical approaches within sociology in historical and contemporary context. We will explore the relevance and value of social theory for understanding global social, political and economic change.


To understand social theory, it is useful to have a good understanding of world-changing social processes and their history, including the rise of British empire and European and North American colonization, and the expansion of human rights over the past 200 years.


 

Module aims

The aims of this module are:



  • to understand social theory in historical, global context.

  • to critically explore the ideas of major 19th and 20th century social theorists through engagement with the primary writing of key sociologists.


 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:


1. situate the work of social theorists in historical context by exploring major historical developments including the racial, economic and imperial origins of European colonialism and the influence of gender, economic and racial equality movements from abolitionism in the 18th century to colonial independence movements in the 20th-century.


2. understand and critically analyse the ideas of major 19th and 20th century social theorists through engagement with the primary writing of key sociologists.


3. understand how social theorists have studied gender divisions, global inequalities, racial and ethnic identities and oppression over modern history, from the revolutionary era of the 1770s to 1790s to the present.

Module information

This module is divided into two sections. In the autumn term, we focus on major social and political developments during the 19th century. We offer a decolonial perspec-tive of the ideas of three pioneers of social thought: Marx, Durkheim, and Weber. Although we think that it is important and valuable to discuss some of these early thinkers' major concepts and theories, we also think that it is crucial to situate their own viewpoints in the context of their own racial, economic and national privilege, through reading critical reinterpretations of their work by Nicole Curato, Julian Go and others, and through considering whether economic, national and racialized ad-vantages contributed to their reputation as the leading 'fathers' of the sociological canon. We will ask: what is a scholarly 'canon' and why are some scholars seen as be-ing inside it, while other scholars are relegated to the periphery?


In spring term, we focus on important thinkers and sociological trends in the late 19th-century to early 20th century onwards, including Black feminist theory; neo-Marxist criticisms of capitalism; post-colonial theory, and theories of social stigma. The mod-ule's overarching aim is encourage you to engage in theoretical thinking, writing and discussion, not just report on the ideas of the theorists. We will do this through read-ing the theorists' original writing, through 'book clubs', and through engaging with key concepts and themes


Learning and teaching methods

Most modules in Sociology are divided into lectures of around 50 minutes and a class of around 50 minutes. Some are taught as a 2hr seminar, and others via a 50-minute lecture and 2-hr lab.

Please note that you should be spending up to eight hours per week undertaking your own private study (reading, preparing for classes or assignments, etc.) on each of your modules (e.g. 32 hours in total for four 30-credit modules).

The lectures provide an overview of the substantive debates around the topic of the week, while the classes will give you the opportunity to reflect on your learning and actively engage with your peers to develop your understanding further.

The lecture and classes will take place face-to-face. You are strongly encouraged to attend the classes as they provide an opportunity to talk with your class teacher and other students. The classes will be captured and available via Listen Again. However, if you want to gain the most you can from these classes it is very important that you attend and engage. Please note that the recording of classes is at the discretion of the teacher.

Bibliography

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Assignment 1: Book review  16/01/2025  50% 
Coursework   Assignment 2: Essay  17/04/2025  50% 
Exam  Main exam: In-Person, Open Book, 180 minutes during Summer (Main Period) 
Exam  Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book, 180 minutes during September (Reassessment Period) 

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
50% 50%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
50% 50%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Michael Halewood, email: m.halewood@essex.ac.uk.
Prof Sandya Hewamanne, email: skhewa@essex.ac.uk.
Professor Sandya Hewamanne & Professor Michael Halewood
E-mail: socugrad@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
No
Yes
Yes

External examiner

Dr Paul Gilbert
University of Sussex
Senior Lecturer in International Development
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 15 hours, 15 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

 

Further information
Sociology and Criminology

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