Module manager: Dr Austin Harrington
Email: a.harrington@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
At least 20 credits at Level 1 from a social science related discipline or the appropriate discovery theme.
This module is approved as a discovery module
This module introduces theories, problems, debates and case issues in the analysis of culture in sociology. Our goal is to address challenges of defining culture and to apply appropriate explanatory theories to diverse contexts of empirical cultural phenomena in social life. Central topics include: social class & culture; high/low divides in culture; artistic production & art markets; modern & postmodern aesthetics; power, the state & cultural politics; discourse and representation; culture and religion/new cultures of belief and unbelief; tourism and the heritage industries; urbanism and culture.
On completion of this module, students should be able to
- introduce theories, problems, debates and case issues in the analysis of culture in sociology
- address challenges of defining culture and to investigate its empirical manifestations in different spheres, sites and dimensions of social life
- examine dimensions of gender, ethnicity and global power in the production of culture
- apply and develop general sociological analytical skills
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Understand key approaches within sociology and social-science-related disciplines relevant to the analysis of cultural phenomena.
2. Identify strengths and limitations of different approaches.
3. Use social-science concepts to analyse, explain and interpret given situations, sources, behaviour, events and other types of data pertaining to cultural production and expression.
4. Evaluate arguments, concepts and theories relevant to the sociology of culture.
5. Understand cultural phenomena in due historical and geographical contexts of production.
6. Master general social-science skills and methods.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
• Apply critical thinking skills to a range of social issues
• Deploy system thinking skills to a variety of social debates
• Communicate complex information, including concepts, verbally and in written form
• Manage time appropriately to meet targets for completion of presentation
• Employ ethical practices in the use of multiple academic sources to support your understanding of own work
• Showcase evidence of independent thought
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 | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Private study hours | 178 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 22 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Contribution in tutorials
Students receive formative feedback during tutorial discussions and at tutor’s open-door hours.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Coursework | 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: 4/29/2024
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team