A sociologist is someone concerned with understanding society in a disciplined way. They will naturally be interested in the events that engage peoples’ ultimate beliefs, their moments of tragedy, grandeur, and ecstasy, but they will also be fascinated by the commonplace, the everyday. It can be said that the first wisdom of sociology is this – things are not always as they seem. Social reality turns out to have many layers of meaning. The discovery of each new layer changes the perception of the whole. Exploring Socialization, culture, and identity (paper 1) Explores why we are the way we are and investigates the key factors that influence and create both society and us as individuals; analyzing the formation of culture, the process of socialization, and the creation of identities. This unit includes youth culture, allowing students to discover the origins and purpose of teddy boys, hippies, skinheads, and punks alongside modern subcultures. Researching and understanding social inequalities (paper 2) Introduces and explores the methods of sociological inquiry when exploring patterns in inequality within the social class, gender, race, and age, and looks at whether certain social groups are at an advantage or disadvantage, not just economically but also in education, crime, the workplace, and the mass media. Debates in contemporary society (paper 3) Engages students in theoretical debates: Section A – globalization and the Digital Social World explores the modern world, examining the impact of globalization and the advancement in digital technology and forms of communication Section B – crime and deviance explores issues of power and control. The social construction of crime and deviance are emphasized and the role of agencies of social control and the law are explored.