SOCI2111: SELF, IDENTITY AND SOCIETY

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• The module aims to introduce Level 2 students to a range of sociological studies that offer ways of understanding the relationship between individuals, groups and social institutions.
• Particular attention will be given to contrasting conceptions of 'self' and 'identity' and social institutions within such understandings.

• The module will address the following areas:
• Conceptualising 'self' and 'identity': some major traditions and figures. Students will be introduced to some of the major conceptual resources and issues in the field.
• To explore identity politics, consumption and transgressions as examples across the module to demonstrate these theoretical ideas and their application.
• Self, identity and social institutions: issues and applications. Students will examine particular topics surrounding the sociology of self, identity and social institutions. Possible examples include identity and leisure, gender, ethnicity, community, class and new technologies.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Have knowledge of the range of meanings attached to concepts of self, identity and social institutions in sociology.
• Be able to identify different understandings of self, identity and social institutions used in different sociological accounts.
• Be familiar with specific theoretical and empirical studies in sociology which have had a central concern with issues of self, identity and social institutions, including as applied to transgressive, politically contested social practices and/ or identity politics.
• Understand the significance of concepts of the self-identity for wider social theory.

Subject-specific Skills:

• By the end of the module students will be able to:
• Evaluate sociological arguments and evidence.
• Use abstract sociological concepts with confidence.
• Undertake and present sociological work in a scholarly manner.
• Apply theoretical and /or empirical knowledge to an appropriate sociological question.
• Convey in writing the meaning of abstract theoretical concepts in ways that are understandable to others

Key Skills:

• By the end of the module students will be able to:
• Demonstrate a range of communication skills including the ability to: evaluate and synthesize information obtained from a variety of written sources; communicate relevant information in different ways.
• Demonstrate competence in the use of IT resources, including the ability to word-process, and use web-based resources (Blackboard Learn Ultra).
• Demonstrate a capacity to improve own learning and performance, including the specific ability to manage time effectively, work to prescribed deadlines, engage in different ways of learning including both independent and directed forms of learning, gather necessary information from a range of bibliographic sources.

• During periods of online teaching, for asynchronous lectures in particular, planned lecture hours may include activities that would normally have taken place within the lecture itself had it been taught face-to-face in a lecture room, and/or those necessary to adapt the teaching and learning materials effectively to online learning.
• Lectures provide students with substantive information, indicate the main issues to be considered and introduce the main themes, interpretations and arguments of the subject material.
• They encourage students to develop skills in listening, selective note-taking and an appreciation of how information may be structured and presented to others.
• Seminars will be organised around themes for discussion and will have designated reading.
• Seminars provide the opportunity for students to present and develop their own understanding of relevant materials, encourage them to develop transferable skills (e.g. oral communication, group work skills, information retrieval skills), subject-specific skills (e.g. competence in using theoretical perspectives and concepts in Sociology, the ability to formulate sociologically-informed questions) and general skills (e.g. judging and evaluating evidence, assessing the merits of competing arguments and explanations, making reasoned arguments).
• Students will also spend time in self-directed study as they prepare for specific seminar and essay assignments.
• A formative essay plan requires students to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of module topics. The feedback provided on the formative essay plan enables students to reflect on their knowledge and understanding, and to improve their performance where appropriate.
• Two summative essays require students to demonstrate detailed and extended knowledge of module topics and the ability to collate, integrate, summarise, and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of, a range of module materials.
• Formative and summative assessment requires students to demonstrate the skills outlined above.

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