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SOC30440

Academic Year 2024/2025

Sociology of the Body (SOC30440)

Subject:
Sociology
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Sociology
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Barbara Gornicka
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module will introduce students to a variety of sociological debates that surround human body. It will explore various theoretical perspectives of how we experience and live in our bodies , including theories by Foucault, Elias, Goffman, Judith Butler and others. It will focus on the roles our bodies are prescribed to, or play in our everyday interactions, how they are socially constructed.
The main topics of this module will range from exploring the mind/body relationship, the historical accounts of how attitudes to our bodies have been changing, the politics of the body, including gender and racial inequalities, disabilities, medicalisation and commodification of bodies, and also we will be looking at the processes behind sexualisation, ageing and dying.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the module the student should be able to:
Understand key ideas within the sociology of the body and apply that to analysing specific aspects of the body and its significance to our position in the social world.
Display awareness of the role of the mind/body relationship in different historical contexts
Evaluate key sociological theories which account for embodiment
Appreciate particular approaches to researching the body from a sociological perspective.

Indicative Module Content:

bodies in history; sexualised bodies; Irish bodies; gendered bodies; bodies and media; racialised bodies; disabled bodies; ageing bodies; dead and dying bodies;

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

22
Autonomous Student Learning

101
Total

123

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures;
In-class discussions;
peer and group work (in class)
reflective learning;
critical thinking and writing;

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): The students will be aked to complete a literature review type of an essay, which is a usuful way of teaching students a crucial skill of revising academic literature on a specific research topic. Week 7 Graded No
30
 No
Exam (In-person): In this module the students are expected to pass an end of term 2 hour in person written exam, which takes place in the December exam session. End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No
70
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
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?

Feedback will be provided on assessed coursework as individual comments published in the VLE, in group sessions at lectures and/ or in person during office hours as appropriate.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Tues 13:00 - 13:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 13:00 - 13:50
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