SC340-6-SP-CO:
The Current Issues in Social Science
2020/21
Sociology and Criminology
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Sunday 17 January 2021
Friday 26 March 2021
15
28 April 2021
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
SC830, SC831, SC832
(none)
This module gives students an opportunity to apply social science to address key issues facing society at the local, national and global level. For example, what is the impact of the war in Yemen or in Syria? What is the impact of Brexit? How does global warming affect us? What are the major challenges in the 21st century?
This module will tackle a different theme each term to better understand how Social Science can be used to understand the big issues.
The aims of the module are:
1. To understand the contemporary theories of how key topics intersect with politics, sociology, psychosocial analytic studies, economics, marketing, business, and language and linguistics
2. To develop student’s ability to critically assess and discuss a variety of issues in different disciplines
3. To understand the effect that a variety of current issues have had on shaping behaviour and institutions
4. To adjudicate between competing theories or arguments, giving credit to perspectives other than their own
5. To improve students’ abilities to write objectively and persuasively
6. To improve general writing skills in a concise fashion 7. To learn how to gather data and analyse it in a concise fashion
8, To learn how to present information orally
9. To learn how to work in large teams
And
10. Engage students in their own employability and development
11. Enable students to develop a thorough understanding of the range of careers and their ability to access and utilize resources effectively
12. Engage students with the purpose of developing employable skills and understanding why these specific skills are essential
13. Develop student’s understanding of the recruitment process and what their ability is to influence this process
14. Develop students’ ability to articulate their personal brand, skills and attributes in a positive, confident and professional manner.
Transferrable skills
1. Identifying, gathering, assessing and organizing evidence
2. Understanding the different disciplines use different approaches to understanding current events; Critically comparing alternative perspectives on current events
3. Working in groups with other students from a range of different disciplines; developing inter-personal skills, people management, and ability to coordinate with others and negotiate
4. Exercising judgement on the relevance and reliability of information
5. Verbal, written and online communication
6. Effective time management and organising tasks to meet deadlines
7. Technical skills in putting together online content
8. Complex problem solving and critical thinking
By the end of the module, students should be able:
1. To develop a detailed knowledge of the main theoretical and empirical concepts in social science
2. To gain an in-depth understanding of how social science applies to the big issues facing our world and the main findings of social science
3. To develop a comprehensive knowledge of developments, issues and debates in social sciences and the sources of information for studying social science from an inter-disciplinary perspective
4. To apply analysis and research to solve and explore common issues in social science
5. To develop skills in teamwork and technical presentations
6. To deliver successful planning and project implementation through strong organisational skills
7. To develop understand how to undertake independent research, to learn important research techniques, writing and critical thinking.
8. To critically engage with social science data, and understand how to gather/access sources of data in social science
Theme: Crises
Week 16: Government
Week 17: Economics
Week 18: Sociology
Week 19: PPS
Week 20: Podcast presentations or explainer videos
Week 21: Language and linguistics
Week 22: EBS
Group work preparation
Week 23: TV debate live presentation in seminar
Week 24: ISER
Week 25: TV debate taped
Viewing party and final reflection
Students will be given prepared content ahead of time in the style of a flipped classroom so that they are able to use the seminar/class to discuss key concepts in depth. This gives students more flexibility with how they want to consume information provided by the lecture and gives them a chance to follow up with discussions. The teaching is designed to help students gain breadth and more in depth understanding of crises in social sciences.
- Burrows, Kate; Kinney, Patrick. (2016-04-22) 'Exploring the Climate Change, Migration and Conflict Nexus', in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. vol. 13 (4) , pp.443-
- George Monbiot. (2017-11-22) 'Too right it's Black Friday: our relentless consumption is trashing the planet | George Monbiot', in Guardian.
- Middlemiss, Lucie. (2018) 'Sustainable consumption in social context', in Sustainable consumption: key issues, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge., pp.40-58
- Poore, J.; Nemecek, T. (2018-06-01) 'Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers', in Science. vol. 360 (6392) , pp.987-992
- Pauw, Pieter; Mbeva, Kennedy; van Asselt, Harro. (2019-12) 'Subtle differentiation of countries’ responsibilities under the Paris Agreement', in Palgrave Communications. vol. 5 (1)
- Rebecca Smithers. (2020-01-24) 'UK households waste 4.5m tonnes of food each year', in Guardian.
- 7 things about climate change and conflict | ICRC, https://www.icrc.org/en/document/climate-change-and-conflict
- Global Food Waste and its Environmental Impact | Green Living | RESET.org, https://en.reset.org/knowledge/global-food-waste-and-its-environmental-impact-09122018
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course. The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students. Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Individual mark for group assignment |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Blog |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Creative Group Assignment |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Logbook |
|
10% |
| Coursework |
Final reflective document |
|
30% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Natasha Lindstaedt, email: nezrow@essex.ac.uk.
Teaching will involve 12 staff members that are outside the host department but are in the faculty.
Natasha Lindstaedt email: nezrow@essex.ac.uk
No
Yes
No
Dr Aneira Edmunds
School of Law, Politics & Sociology
Senior Lecturer
Available via Moodle
Of 680 hours, 2 (0.3%) hours available to students:
678 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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