SOC30330 Currents in Contemporary Theory

Academic Year 2022/2023

Building on SOC20100, Sociological Theory Level 2, this module provides students with a detailed examination of some of the major currents in contemporary social theory. The module is organised into distinct sections, each focussed on one major current within social theory. Each section examines the organising concepts, ideas and claims of that tradition through the empirical studies generated by, and associated with, the theories in question. For 2021-2022 those sections are: Foucault; Latour and Actor-Network-Theory; Sociology of Nature.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Students successfully completing the module will:
1. Acquire detailed familiarity with major currents in contemporary sociological research and theory;
2. Deepen their understanding of the close ties between theory, research, and substantive empirical enquiry;
3. Learn how to critically assess and evaluate the claims of competing theories, research traditions and rival empirical studies;
4. Sharpen and refine their analytic skills;
5. Enhance their capacity to formulate and present complex ideas in written form;
6. Improve their capacity to assess evidence, argument, and major social theoretical claims.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

20
Autonomous Student Learning

125
Total

145
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures; In-class task-based seminars; In-class small group discussions; Collective word clouds and surveys in Mentimeter; Videos; In-class debates; Q&A sessions; Collective 'Scrapbooks' for online discussion. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Students will be expected to have completed SOC10010 Foundations in Sociology and SOC20100 Sociological Theory 2 before entry to the module.

Learning Recommendations:

Elective and international students are expected to have completed at least one social theory module before embarking on this course.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Pre-requisite:
SOC10010 - Foundations of Sociology, SOC20100 - Sociological Theory Level 2

Incompatibles:
SOC30140 - Sociological Theory Level 3


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Examination: End-of-term Take-Home Paper examining all three sections of the module and involving concise essay-style answers to a selection of questions on each section of the course. Coursework (End of Trimester) Yes Graded No

100

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Individual grades and feedback sheets. Group feedback commenting on patterns of grades and quality of work will also be provided in class and on BrightSpace.