Introduction to Sociology

This module provides an introduction to the discipline of Sociology. The task of sociology is to explain the
social world in which we live. This involves asking and answering questions about the nature of the world around us, why things are the way they are, how they developed in that way rather than any other, and so on - in fact, everything from global patterns of social change to the nature of individual identity. Studying sociology requires us to explore taken-for-granted aspects of everyday life, and to be aware that things could be, and are, different. This involves learning to see things 'sociologically' by developing a 'sociological imagination'. The aim of this module is to cultivate such an imagination. In this module, we will consider the nature of sociology in terms of its historical origins, its key theoretical traditions, and the role of research in analysing social issues. Once we have laid this groundwork, we will consider some of the core dimensions of society - the nature of culture, the role of organisations, and so on. The module then examines some of the main social institutions and patterns of social relations around which our lives are structured, and through which resources - power, wealth, status -
are distributed. These have real and significant impacts on our lives, and they determine the small matters of:
why some people go hungry and some don't, the nature of a university education, why 'witches' are no longer
burnt at the stake (and for that matter, why are there so few witches around nowadays?). Sociology helps us
understand the role these institutions and structures play in our daily lives, and the ways in which
society 'makes' us and how we in turn 'make' society.