| Unit name | Advocacy, Radical Activism, and Social Movement |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOL20065 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Nasrul Ismail |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Advocacy and activism are underexplored in the criminological field, a fact which is partly due to the disjointed nexus of research and practice. The learning outcomes of this unit will fill this gap, creating space and opportunities for students to engage with Criminology as a subject far beyond the classroom.
The main aim of this unit is to bring students into the conversation about existing social injustice, and the impact which it has on different sections of the population. It will cover a wide range of topics, such as the rising cost of living, the diminishing right to protest, and how to advocate for and create social movements which can challenge social injustice. On a weekly basis, students will be tasked to devise hypothetical social justice campaigns. In so doing, they will develop useful work experience skills such as developing a campaign strategy, establishing key milestones for their campaigns, using evidence to support their campaign strategy, identify relevant NGOs and politicians that operate in their field that are receptive towards their causes, explore appropriate media channel to cascade their messages, and finally evaluating the successes and learning from the challenges of their activities. With a range of guest speakers, students’ understanding of advocacy and activism will be furthered through ‘the inside story’. The unit’s focus on applied learning will enable students to develop and enhance their study and employability skills, which can be transferred far beyond the university setting. These skills will include critical thinking, the research process, advocacy, leadership, project management, problem-solving, confidence building, and networking.
An overview of content
An indicative content list for the unit is presented below:
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
This unit will use a blended learning approach. Students will engage with asynchronous taught content (for example research materials and recorded videos from non-governmental organisations) and will be tasked to complete activities in preparation for synchronous sessions during which they will discuss their ideas and clarify their understanding.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
A ten minute group presentation
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Individual Recorded Presentation (10 mins, 100%)
This assessment covers all of the unit ILOs.
When assessment does not go to plan
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, unsuccessful students may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. This will comprise a task of the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOL20065).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
