Sociology

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr J Rasanayagam

Pre-requisites

Co-requisites

All other component courses of the M.Res. in Social Anthropology, Ethnology and Cultural History, barring SL5507 Approaches to Analysis.

Notes

This course exceptionally substitutes for SL5507 Approaches to Analysis, and can only be taken with permission of the Programme Director for the M.Res. in Social Anthropology, Ethnology and Cultural History.

Overview

The course comprises a programme of readings that will be devised in advance through consultation between student and supervisor, in light of the student’s intended research interests.

Structure

Personal supervision, averaging 2 hours per week throughout all teaching weeks of one half-session.

Assessment

One essay of 3,000 words

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Chris Wright

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Overview

This course raises fundamental questions about the scientific status of sociological knowledge. The key themes for the course are social science as method; social science as social process; research quality and reality claims; science as a social institution; ethical concerns; and social science and social criticism.

Structure

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Assessment

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Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Karen O'Reilly

Pre-requisites

To be inserted

Co-requisites

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Notes

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Overview

This course looks in detail at the range of qualitative methods used in sociological research and it also looks at the design and implementation of a mini-project, including the development of research topics and formulation of research questions.

Structure

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Assessment

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Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr Lynn Bennie

Pre-requisites

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Co-requisites

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Notes

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Overview

This course looks in detail at the range of qualitative methods used in political science and sociological research and it also looks at the design and implementation of a mini-project, including the development of research topics and forumulation of research questions.

Structure

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Assessment

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Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Dr Heinz Brandenburg

Pre-requisites

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Co-requisites

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Notes

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Overview

This course is an introduction to major concepts, theories, and issues of research design in political analysis. The aim is to acquaint students with a broad range of research that exemplifies the diversity of theoretical and methodological approaches.

Structure

One 2 hour session every second week, Mondays, 11am - 1pm (start 3rd October)

Assessment

One 3,500 word review essay related to students' own research - PhD students should use assignment for working towards the review chapter of their thesis.

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Roland Robertson

Pre-requisites

Normally, at least, a 2(i) degree in sociology, a social science discipline, a cognate discipline, or equivalent.

Overview

The course aims to give students an understanding of what constitutes core ways of conceptualising ‘globalization’ and ‘globality’. It considers the main theoretical paradigms for understanding these phenomena, covering ideas from sociology, international relations, political science, political economy, anthropology and other related fields. It reviews the major ways in which the social, cultural, political and economic dimensions of global affairs can be understood and related to each other. It also considers both the empirical history of globalization and globality, and how micro-level and macro-level phenomena can be understood and related to each other in light of concerns with global social change. The course in addition reviews the history of theories of globalization and globality, locating them in their historical and geographical contexts. Attempts to develop multi- and trans-disciplinary accounts of global affairs are also reviewed and interrogated.

Structure

1 one-hour lecture and 1 two-hour seminar per week

Assessment

100% continuous assessment

Credit Points

20

Course Coordinator

Tony Glendinning

Pre-requisites

To be inserted

Co-requisites

To be inserted

Notes

To be inserted

Overview

The course covers quantitative methodologies in sociological research. It is structured around advanced statistical techniques using SPSS for Windows where data are taken from an in-house ESRC project, 'Religion in modern Scotland', which formed part of the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey (SSAS), as well as data from other large-scale surveys.

Structure

To be inserted

Assessment

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Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Chris Kollmeyer

Pre-requisites

Normally a 2(i) degree in sociology, a social science discipline, a cognate discipline, or equivalent.

Overview

The course aims to give students an understanding of the main debates and controversies as to the key substantive dimensions of globalization. It considers the economic, political, social and cultural aspects of globalization processes, investigating how each aspect may be conceptualised and investigated. Drawing on contributions from a range of disciplines, including sociology, international relations, anthropology and political science, it encompasses the theoretical and methodological issues thrown up by scholarly and other debates on these areas. In particular, it presents a range of empirical data related to the areas under consideration and considers how these data may be used for understanding globalization processes. The course also considers the various ways in which different aspects of globalization may be conceived of as relating to and affecting each other. Substantive themes covered include global capitalism, the global division of labour, global governance, the role of the nation-state, trans-societal social connections, and global cultural homogenisation and heterogenisation.

Structure

An average of 3 hours per week of teaching, combining lectures and seminars.

Assessment

100% Continuous Assessment

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Tony Glendinning

Pre-requisites

Available only to students in programme year 5 or above

Overview

The course covers quantitative approaches to sociological research (including design, sampling, administration, instruments and measures; formulation of hypotheses and operationalisation of concepts; and, access to secondary survey data sources). Quantitative approaches are illustrated by means of existing studies, using large-scale survey data sources, including cross-sectional, longitudinal and comparative data and statistical sources. The course covers the use of advanced statistical techniques for the analysis of sociological data (for example, multivariate techniques for categorical data). Analysis is undertaken by means of the statistical package SPSS for Windows. Assessment is by means of a research report, based on the analysis of a secondary data source, typically accessed by means of the ESRC Data Archive. It will normally be possible to link the course material closely to the student's research interests.

Structure

One three-hour seminar/workshop per week (to be arranged); total duration of 12 weeks (totalling 36 contact hours)

Assessment

100% continuous assessment

Credit Points

30

Course Coordinator

Claire Wallace

Pre-requisites

Students are required to have a good first degree in social sciences or cognate discipline, usually a 2(i), or equivalent experience.

Overview

European Societies (overview); comparative concepts and theories; sources of secondary data; survey data; qualitative data; East and West Europe; examples of how data sets are used in the study of quality of life, xenophobia etc.

Structure

1 lecture and one tutorial per week.

Assessment

100% in-course assessment

Credit Points

60

Course Coordinator

Chris Kollmeyer

Pre-requisites

120 credits in the necessary courses in the MLitt programme

Notes

A performance level in the four taught courses will be imposed before students can proceed to the dissertation.

Overview

Students who meet the necessary requirements proceed to the dissertation. Students select a topic in consultation with the degree convenor that explores in depth some aspect of the sociological dimensions of globalization. The dissertation is designed to allow students to extend an interest in some aspect of the degree and to have experience in formulating, designing and conducting their own social science research investigation. Students complete a 10-12 thousand-word dissertation under supervision.

Structure

Independent research under supervision

Assessment

10-12 thousand word dissertation worth 100%

Credit Points

60

Course Coordinator

Claire Wallace

Pre-requisites

120 credits in the necessary courses in the MLitt programme

Notes

A performance level in the four taught courses will be imposed before students can proceed to the dissertation.

Overview

Students who meet the necessary requirements proceed to the dissertation. Students select a topic in consultation with the degree convenor that explores in depth some aspect of sociology. The dissertation is designed to allow students to extend an interest in some aspect of the degree and to have experience in formulating, designing and conducting their own social science research investigation. The dissertation can also be library-based on conceptual and theoretical issues. Students complete a 10-12 thousand-word dissertation under supervision.

Structure

Independent research under supervision

Assessment

10-12 thousand word dissertation worth 100%