Unit information: What is a Society? in 2021/22

Unit name	What is a Society?
Unit code	SOCI20075
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Professor. Thomas Osborne
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

Social scientists study society. But what is a society? This unit takes a critical, historical and conceptual look at the question of the differentiated semantic field of the notion of society. The unit will address key topics amongst the following: non-human societies; biology, psychology and society; conceptions of society in so-classical sociology and the history of ideas; ideas of society as ‘high society’; societies as anthropological objects; cities, nations and societies; conceptions of society in the history of empirical sociology; the relations between conceptions of society and conceptions of culture and ‘civilization’; relations between political structures and society; ‘civil society’; communitas; liberalism and the concept of society; social interaction and society; issues of societal change, ‘progress’ and decline; historical constructs and conceptions of society; systems conceptions, and postmodern conceptions of society.

Aims:

- to address historical, conceptual and other models of society - to convey the diverse semantic reach of the concept of society - to convey the range of techniques, styles and methodologies for approaching the question of society

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit, students will be able to:

• distinguish between different styles of conceptualising society and contiguous concepts
• appreciate the diversity of notions of society in different approaches and methodologies
• critique received views of what constitutes society

Teaching Information

The unit will be taught through blended learning methods, including a mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching activities

Assessment Information

Formative: 1500 word essay (0%)

Summative: 3000 word essay (100%)

Both assessments test all learning outcomes listed above

Resources

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. SOCI20075).

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 Faculty 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. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.