This module provides an introduction to sociological and social theory, as well as key sociological concepts, and demonstrates the breadth of sociological investigation in contemporary society. It considers the making of social identities – both individual and collective with a focus on theorising social divisions, in particular diversity and inequality. The module proposes thematic applications of social science, including education, work and leisure, consumption, culture, knowledge and belief, impairment, normalcy and disability, as well as the body, health and medicine.  

Additionally, the module considers the making of Sociology as a discipline, reflecting upon the considerable roles that modernity and colonialism have played in its development and direction. The module also fosters an understanding of the contributions of authors from within and beyond the sociological canon in thinking about what is next for sociological research. 

Alongside fostering the requisite sociological knowledge, the module equips students with core academic skills.  

This module introduces students to contemporary debates concerning the increasing impact of human activities on the climate and natural environment, with a particular focus on the connection between global inequalities, environmental issues, and global heating.
Students are supported to develop a basic understanding of climate science and to apply social scientific reasoning and analysis to a discussion of the causes and implications of contemporary climate change. The module draws on scholarly and climate justice perspectives from the global South, indigenous people’s movements, and Feminist, antiracist and world-systems analysis of global inequality, environmental issues, and climate change, enabling students to explore how critical social scientific perspectives can bring novel insights and contributions to bear on one of the most pressing issues of our time.

Explore how media shapes public perceptions, in particular in reference to deviance in this dynamic sociology and criminology module. "Media and the Representation of Deviance" delves into the influence of both traditional and contemporary media platforms on societal views, looking in particular at deviance, from crime to inequality, mental health and politics. Students will examine key academic literature and theories, learning to critically analyse concepts such as agenda-setting, news values, and media framing, as well as influential models like Chomsky and Herman's propaganda model and moral panic theory. The module covers the evolution of media, from its historical roots to the complex world of social media, examining the power dynamics in media ownership, the regulatory landscape, and the framing of social issues. Through case studies, students will apply theoretical insights to real-world examples, understanding how media representations impact public opinion and influence policy on topics like mental health, poverty, welfare, and crime. By the module's end, students will be equipped to construct well-supported arguments on the role of media in shaping social inequalities, understand its power in influencing societal outcomes, and critically reflect on emerging trends in media representation. This module is essential for anyone interested in understanding the media’s role in constructing narratives around deviance and its broad impact on society.

Modules

The module is organized into two interlinked Streams, both of which students will complete.

In Stream 1, students are introduced to the foundational ideas, theories, and developments of Globalization Past and Present through a comprehensive, international perspective on world political, cultural, social, and economic history. This segment reorients discussions of globalization to include perspectives from the peripheries of the world system, offering a critical framework for understanding globalization as a longstanding historical process rather than a recent phenomenon. Students will examine pivotal moments in global history, exploring how advancements and discoveries have driven societal transformations while also being marked by significant imbalances in power, inequality, and conflict. This stream encourages students to challenge Western-centric and universalized narratives by examining globalization through Eastern and Southern-led experiences and viewpoints. Analyzing globalization from historical and contextual angles, the module addresses issues such as underdevelopment and global disparities, which are fundamental to understanding politics and international relations. Students will explore the long-standing global forces shaping today’s world, approaching globalization from diverse perspectives. Topics include:

  • Core theories of globalization—World Systems Theory, Dependency Theory, and various layered approaches from international relations to analyze globalization
  • Three primary perspectives on globalization: Hyper-globalists, integrationists, transformationalists, and regionalists
  • Global economic history: colonial expansion, trade, and early capitalism
  • The Silk Routes, fur trade, and slave trade as catalysts of early global change: Who financed industrialization?
  • The rise of industrialization and its opposite: deindustrialization and the beginning of the "Great Divide"
  • Encounters with globalization in the South Pacific: the cultural significance of gifting in Polynesian societies
  • Chinese globalization: Confucianism, communism, and the role of copper in trade
  • Indigenous perspectives within the global system: examining marginalization
  • South Asian globalization forces: from the “sweatshops of the world” to a manufacturing powerhouse
  • Latin American views on globalization: coffee economies, the Chavez legacy, and communism

In Stream 2, students will investigate "What's in the News?"

This stream equips students with analytical and methodological skills to understand how major global events are represented and reconstructed across a variety of sources including news, documentaries, film, and academic sources. Students will deconstruct, examine, and critically evaluate the narratives and portrayals surrounding major international events, with an emphasis on methodological analysis. Students will explore dominant and alternative representations to question why and how certain perspectives are emphasized over others and how the methodologies used can determine those representations.

Weekly sessions centre on “What’s in the news?” as a means to interpret, decode, and assess current global events. This approach helps students develop research methods techniques and practices, critically evaluate sources (across a wide range of methods), and construct well-supported arguments using various types of documentary evidence, policy statements, academic texts and a range of methodological approaches. Through this stream, students build essential methodological skills in global affairs, including critical analysis, and the academic approaches central to Global Affairs and International Relations.