Module overview
This module is concerned with the development of modern societies and the nature of 'modernity'. It will draw on the writings of contemporary sociologists in order to consider what the most important processes of social change taking place are and how these have come about.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Evaluating competing models and explanations of the development of different types of modern society.
- Draw on different types of evidence in the development of an argument.
- Reflecting critically on the role of sociologists in predicting and contributing to processes of social change.
- Employ the comparative method in the analysis of social phenomena.
- Describing and assessing key concepts and theoretical perspectives used in the analysis of the development of modern societies and the nature of modernity.
- Synthesise and summarise information from a variety of sources.
- Identifying the distinctive contribution made by the comparative perspective to sociological analysis.
Syllabus
Theoretical analysis of the patterns of social structure and the nature of power within western capitalist, post-communist and underdeveloped countries will be complemented by historical and international comparisons, and by an examination of the meanings of ‘development’, ‘industrialisation’, ‘democratisation’ and ‘globalisation’. In addition, the practical role of sociologists in applying sociological theory by predicting and contributing to processes of social change will be discussed
Learning and Teaching
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Independent Study | 125 |
| Teaching | 25 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Roberts & Hite (eds) (2000). From Modernizaton to Globalization. Perspectives on Development and Social Change.. Blackwell.
Steinmetz (ed) (2013). Sociology and Empire. The Imperial Entanglement of a Discipline. Duke.
Adams, Clemens and Orloff (eds) (2005). Remaking Modernity. Politics, History and Sociology. Duke.
Lange, Matthew (2013). Comparative-Historical Methods. Sage.
Bhambra, Gurminder (2014). Connected Sociologies. Bloomsbury.
Mahoney & Ruschemeyer (eds) (2003). Compartive Historical Analysis in the Social Sciences. Cambridge.
G Crow (2997). Comparative Sociology and Social Theory. Macmillan.
Assessment
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Analytical essay | 70% |
| Assessed written tasks | 30% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Assessed written tasks | 30% |
| Analytical essay | 70% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External