Module manager: Professor Graham Dutfield
Email: G.M.Dutfield@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
| FOSS2002 | Social Sciences and Emergencies: Theories, Contexts and Appr |
| FOSS3001 | Social Science and COVID-19 |
FOSS3001 State of Emergency: Social science and the COVID-19 pandemic
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module investigates emergencies from the perspectives of the social sciences. Students will utilise real-world cases to analyse the societal impact of emergencies. The module prioritises critical thinking and provides students with the skills to assess the role of the social sciences in shaping knowledge of emergencies and formulating strategies for managing their impact on communities, institutions and individuals. The module's key concepts are drawn from sociology, social policy, politics, law, criminal justice and education.
The aims and objectives of this module are to:
- Utilise case studies to demonstrate the interplay between social sciences and emergencies.
- Investigate the impact of emergencies on groups, institutions and individuals.
- Explore the role of social sciences in generating public knowledge and discourse of emergencies.
- Provide insights into the varied experiences and responses of different communities to emergencies.
- Investigate the various ways that emergencies impact the relationships between individuals and various institutions as well as the state.
- Apply social science worldviews to formulate strategies for managing and mitigating the effects of emergencies on society.
On successful completion of the module, students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Apply specific social science theories to produce a critical understanding of the social activities and behaviours of individuals and groups during emergencies.
2. Critically examine case studies to identify how social structures, norms, and institutions impact emergency responses.
3. Acquire the skills to critically analyse cultural factors affecting emergencies, and how these factors shape perceptions, communication and coping mechanisms during emergencies.
4. Utilise social science concepts to critically evaluate how governmental and organisational policies impact society during and after emergencies.
5. Synthesize insights from various disciplines in the social sciences to produce a comprehensive and holistic understanding of emergencies.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Systems thinking: students will recognise relationship between complex systems and how these frame responses to emergencies.
2. Critical thinking: students will gather information from a range of sources, and interpret data to aid understanding.
3. Problem solving: students will apply problem solving skills to understand emergencies, resolving issues by tackling problem from different angles.
4. Communication: students will communicate research findings in a clear, concise and focussed manner, tailoring approach to diverse audiences.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Seminar | 5 | 1.5 | 7.5 |
| Independent online learning hours | 100 | ||
| Private study hours | 67 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 18.5 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 185.5 | ||
A formal formative assessment opportunity will be provided for each summative assessment task, which is specifically pedagogically aligned to that task. As part of this, each student will receive feedback designed to support the development of knowledge and skills that will be later assessed in the summative task.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 15-minute audio or audio-video recorded presentation | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 30/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team