State of the Art of Sociology
What does it mean to be human?
How is what we know as sociologists shaped by legacies of colonialism?
How are social norms affected by climate change and pollution?
If you are interested in exploring questions like this, guided by leading scholars conducting specialist research in their field, then this module is for you. The module provides an introduction to the broad field of Sociology for those who have not studied it before, but it avoids repetition for students familiar with the discipline by guiding you through the latest research in the discipline. Taught by a different expert each week, you will learn direct from researchers about their work in examining issues such as
- the relationship between humans and technology
- how we can understand human rights through a sociological lens
- what it means to conduct activist sociology, and a range of other issues.
You will be encouraged to learn from and challenge the tensions between different aspects of the discipline of Sociology, and to develop your own knowledge, expertise and identity as an emerging sociologist in your own right.
Through ongoing engagement and discussion with lecturers and your fellow students in seminars and online, you will be encouraged to formulate sociological questions which help you to think about the relationships between individuals and society, power and choice.
"This is MA Sociology’s core module. Every week we had a different professor who came and talked about something different. This module covered a range of issues, topics and areas: it ranged from crime, environment, art, music, culture, and industrialisation – almost everything. This range really kept my interest alive and for a person like me who enjoys practicality, I could relate to everything and link it to the surroundings around me. I particularly enjoyed Alice Mah’s lecture on the environmental impacts, looking at South America as a case study. As well as the topic’s changing every week, the way it was delivered was also different. The module was assessed with one essay at the end."
- Fatima Shehzad, MA Sociology 2017