Module SOCI2331: Sociology of Class

Department: Sociology

SOCI2331: Sociology of Class

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• Through research-led teaching, this module will provide students with:
• To distinguish technical from economic and social aspects of class.
• To ascertain the importance of class and across a range of global contexts.
• To provide an understanding of different theoretical approaches to class.
• To identify the mechanisms through which class is reproduced across generations.
• To evaluate the impact of class on life-chances, lifestyles and everyday life.

Content

• Basic Concepts in The Study of Class: Resources, positions and rewards. Mechanisms and institutions linking positions to resources, rewards to positions, and rewards to resources. Class as a system of stratification.
• The Sources of Class Inequality & Stratification drawn from a range of theoretical perspectives, for example but not limited to: Alternative Theories. Durkheimian and Functionalist theories on the importance of class for ensuring an efficient division of labour. Class as exploitation and as source of economic "inefficiencies": Marxists and Neo-Marxist vs. Weberian and Neo-Weberians
• Measuring Class. Socio-Economic Status, Classes, & Social Mobility. Alternative approaches to measuring the hierarchical structure of economic positions in society, and to establishing its degree of institutionalisation (reproduction) over time.
• The Class Structure of contemporary societies across the Global North and South. Patterns and trends. Assessing debates around meritocracy, equality of opportunity vs. equality of condition in advanced industrial societies.
• The Consequences of Class. Life-chances, life-styles, and notions of social justice. Class politics and class relations.
• An intersectional and interdisciplinary understanding of class, including but not limited to geography and history but also cognisant of the historical and ongoing legacies of imperialism and colonialism in shaping the nature of social class.

Learning Outcomes

• Upon successful completion of this module, students will have demonstrated:
• A critical understanding of the foundations of class analysis from Marxist, and Weberian traditions and contemporary Bourdieusian perspectives, as well as theorists and perspectives that have all too often been marginalised in the sociology of class, such as the work of W.E.B. Du Bois.
• Knowledge of contemporary debates as to whether class is being reproduced and/or changing.
• A critical understanding of a wide range of issues related to the study of social class, including, the nature of class structures, class identities, class relations, class politics and action, class inequalities, class and cultural life and the nature of social mobility to shape both people’s life chances and agency.
• An ability to address issues of class from an intersectional perspective by examining the relationship between classism, racism, heteropatriarchy, ableism, age, religion and casteism.
• Demonstrate a class-based critique of key areas of research and social life from the perspective of class by exploring how class shapes issues such as power, education, work, housing, memory, a sense of place and belonging, representations of class in popular culture.
• An understanding of class within and beyond the UK, using case studies from around the world.

• By the end of the module students will be able to:
• Achieve critical understanding of empirical research and evidence of inequalities related to class;
• Critically evaluate sociological and wider social scientific arguments and evidence, and the relationship between academic and non-academic evidence, theories, social policy and lived experience.
• Analyse the role played by different social actors including but not limited to the state and supranational institutions, political parties, community and broader civil society groups, social movements, the state and supranational institutions in either reproducing and/or challenging different aspects of social class.

• Upon successful completion of this module, students will have demonstrated the ability to:
• Co-design empathetic learning spaces by co-producing a set of guidelines for discussing sensitive and controversial topics in a way that participants feel comfortable bringing themselves into the classroom and work as part of a small group.
• Reflect on their own lived experiences and learning.
• Identify and process appropriate information from a range of academic and non-academic sources, as well as evaluate and synthesise information obtained from these sources.
• Plan workload and manage time.
• Construct systematic, theoretically and conceptually-informed, evidence-based questions and arguments orally, visually and in writing.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures: introduce the main issues to be considered. Whilst they will encourage students to develop skills in active listening and purposeful notetaking, they will also have interactive components.
• Seminars: provide an opportunity for students to discuss module themes in empathetic small group settings. Students will be supported to explore key theories, concepts and debates, and apply these to specific topics and issues. As well as the subject-specific skills mentioned above, students will also be supported to reflect on their own experiences and positionality, in addition to developing a number of transferable skills, such as oral communication, group work, the ability to evaluate evidence and make reasoned arguments. In-class exercises and discussions will also provide students with feedback on their understanding and progress at regular points during the module.
• Preparation and reading: constitutes an important mode of learning on this module. It develops many of the subject-specific and key skills indicated above, including the ability to undertake and present work in a scholarly manner, engaging with a range of related research and policy/practice examples. It will also involve preparation for the workshops, independent post-workshop reflection exercises and subsequent further reading, including in support of developing assignment submissions (including the annotated scrapbook and commentary).
• Summative assessment: The first summative assessment is an annotated scrapbook (Maximum of 10 pages) which will enable students to demonstrate their understanding of key issues relating to the study of social class including but not limited to: the study of social class, including, the nature of class structures, class identities, class relations, class politics and action, class inequalities, class and cultural life and the nature of social mobility to shape both people’s life chances and agency. The supporting commentary will provide a further opportunity to demonstrate critical depth in relation to the issues, examples and material presented within students’ scrapbooks. The second summative assignment (a 2000 word essay) will require students to demonstrate a critical understanding of two different debates in the sociology of education by means of an essay in which they develop a clear and persuasive argument, supported by evidence.
• Formative Assessment: The submission of one drafted scrapbook page to give students the opportunity to test and develop their knowledge and understanding of module topics in preparation for the summative assignment. They will develop key communication and library skills, as well as subject-specific skills outlined above. Group, peer and verbal feedback during the class will enable students to improve their future performance in the module by identifying strengths, weaknesses and areas to improve.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Submission of a 5-minute group vlog, with accompanying PowerPoint presentation, based on a single page from the summative scrapbook. This will enable students to test out their skills in identifying and thinking critically about theory, evidence, policy and practice in relation to racism and the struggle against racial inequity. Feedback on the Vlog will enable students to deepen their learning in preparation for the summative assessment.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University