Sociology

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This subtopic provides a foundational exploration of sociological perspectives, focusing on how social structures and processes shape individual behaviour and group dynamics. Students examine key theoretical frameworks including functionalism, Marxism, and interactionism, and apply these to real-world examples such as educational attainment, deviance, and social change. The element also develops critical evaluation skills essential for academic analysis.

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Education

The study of the role and functions of the education system, including its relationship to the economy and class structure; differential educational achievement by social class, gender, and ethnicity; internal school processes such as teacher/pupil relationships, identities, subcultures, the hidden curriculum, and the organisation of teaching and learning; and the impact of educational policies including selection, marketisation, privatisation, and globalisation.

Methods in Context

Methods in Context requires students to apply their knowledge of sociological research methods specifically to the study of education. It involves evaluating the practical, ethical, and theoretical suitability of different research methods when investigating educational settings, processes, and issues.

Theory and Methods

This topic covers the theoretical and methodological foundations of sociology, focusing on the relationship between theory, research methods, and the nature of sociological inquiry. It explores the debates surrounding the scientific status of sociology, the role of values, and the relationship between sociology and social policy.

Culture and Identity

This topic explores the sociological understanding of culture and identity, focusing on how individuals are socialised into society, the construction of the self, and the relationship between identity and various social characteristics in contemporary society.

Families and Households

This topic explores the sociological study of families and households, focusing on the relationship between the family and social structure, changing patterns of family life, gender roles, the nature of childhood, and demographic trends in the UK since 1900.

Health

The Health topic explores the sociological understanding of health, illness, and disability, focusing on how these are socially constructed rather than purely biological. It examines the unequal distribution of health chances across different social groups in the UK, the nature of mental illness, and the role of the medical profession and the globalised health industry.

Work, Poverty and Welfare

This topic examines the nature, existence, and persistence of poverty in contemporary society, the distribution of wealth and income, state and non-state welfare responses, the organisation of the labour process, and the significance of work and worklessness for life chances.

Beliefs in Society

This topic explores the sociological study of beliefs in society, examining the nature of ideology, science, and religion. It covers the relationship between religious beliefs and social change, the diversity of religious organisations, the role of religion for different social groups, and the debate surrounding secularisation in a globalised context.

Global Development

This topic explores the sociological study of global development, focusing on the nature of development and underdevelopment, global inequality, and the influence of globalisation on the relationships between societies. It examines the roles of various actors in development strategies and the impact of development on social, economic, and environmental factors.

The Media

This topic explores the role and influence of the media in contemporary society, focusing on ownership, control, globalization, news production, representation of social groups, and the relationship between media content and audiences.

Stratification and Differentiation

This topic explores the nature of social stratification and differentiation in contemporary society, focusing on how social class, gender, ethnicity, and age create inequalities. It examines the dimensions of inequality, the challenges of measuring social class, the impact of globalisation on inequality structures, and patterns of social mobility.

Crime and Deviance

This topic explores the sociological study of crime, deviance, social order, and social control. It examines the social distribution of crime by ethnicity, gender, and social class, alongside contemporary issues such as globalisation, the media, green crime, human rights, and state crimes. It also covers crime control, surveillance, prevention, punishment, and the role of the criminal justice system.

Theory and Methods (Crime and Deviance paper)

This topic covers the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of sociological research, specifically applied to the study of crime and deviance. It requires students to understand the relationship between theory and methods, the nature of sociological research, and the debates surrounding the scientific status of sociology, objectivity, and the role of social policy.