Registry

Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2012 - 2013
Please note that this information is subject to change.

Module Title	The Changing Social Environment
Module Code	SOC2
School	Oscail
Online Module Resources
Module Co-ordinator	Semester 1: James Brunton Semester 2: James Brunton Autumn: James Brunton
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	15
Pre-requisite	SOC1
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

Description

This module considers the impact of globalisation on aspects of social life, the changing rural and urban context, and origins and traditions in European democratic culture.

Learning Outcomes

1. Analyse key aspects of the changing social environment in which we live
2. Evaluate the phenomenon of globalisation and why it is the subject of debate within the social sciences
3. Examine the concept of democracy, its origins, development, contemporary forms and alternatives
4. Reflect on the domestic context of social life and the factors that have impacted on its constituent concepts of family, household and home
5. Analyse the issue of rural life and how it has changed over time
6. Evaluate the experience of urban life through the study of urban sociology

Workload	Full-time hours per semester
*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Tutorial	15	No Description
On-line learning	15	No Description
Independent learning time	345	No Description
Total Workload: 375

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Part 1: The Globalisation of Social Life.
Unit 1: The Globalisation Debate – Definitions and Dimensions.

Unit 2: Globalisation and Economics.
Unit 3: Globalisation and Politics.

Unit 4: Globalisation and Culture.
Unit 5: Ireland – A Globalised Society?.

Part 2: Aspects of European Demographic Culture – Consensus and Divergence.
Unit 6: Democratic Origins.

Unit 7: The Essential Elements of Liberal Democracy.
Unit 8: The Elitist Attach on Democracy.

Unit 9: The Liberal Tradition.
Unit 10: The Radical Tradition Beyond Representative Government: Collective Participationand Deliberation.

Part 3: The Domestic Context: Family, Household and Home.
Unit 11: Overview of the Domestic Context.

Unit 12: The View from Demography.
Unit 13: The Economy and the Domestic Context.

Unit 14: The State and the Domestic Context.
Unit 15: Culture and the Domestic Context.

Part 4: The Rural Context.
Unit 16: The Social Construction of Rurality.

Unit 17: Agricultural Development in Rural Ireland, 1921-1985.
Unit 18: The Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, 1985-2005.

Unit 19: The Globalisation of the Irish Countryside.
Unit 20: The Politics of Change in Rural Ireland.

Part 5: The Urban Context.
Unit 21: The Urban Transformation.

Unit 22: The Internal Structure of the Modern City.
Unit 23: The Internal Structure of the Modern City – The Measurement of ResidentialSegregation.

Unit 24: Managing Cities – Conflict Interpretation of City Organisation.
Unit 25: One City, Many Theories – Making Sense of Diversity.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	50%	Examination Weight	50%

Course Work Breakdown
Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assignment	Assessment takes a variety of forms, including essays, reports, learning journals, presentations and group assignments.	50%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; 1 = A resit is available for all components of the module 2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module 3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
This module is category 3

Indicative Reading List

Ritzer, G.: 2010, Globalization: A Basic Text, Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester,
Steger, M.B: 2009, Globalization: A Very Short introduction, Chapters 1 and 2, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
Share, P., H. Tovey, Corcoran, M.: 2007, A Sociology of Ireland, 3rd Edition, Gill and Macmillan., Dublin,
Giddens, A.: 2009, Sociology, 6th Edition, Chaper6, Cities and Urban Life., Polity Press, Cambridge,
Held, D.: 2006, Models of Democracy, Polity Press, Cambridge,
0: For more module readings and online resources please see moodle.,

Other Resources

None

Array

Programme or List of Programmes

Diploma/BA in Humanities

BASM

BA Single Module

Timetable this semester: Timetable for SOC2

Date of Last Revision

13-FEB-12

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