Sociology

Course summary

Sociology is the study of society and people. The world we live in is fascinating, yet strange and confusing! What makes Sociology an exciting subject is that it helps us to learn more about ourselves, human behaviour and the way we live our lives within the social system known as society. It provides the opportunity to examine questions about our everyday existence. • What motivates people to commit crime? Which people are more likely to commit crime? • Can poverty and social class determine life chances? • Are men changing their role within family life and structure? • How may the ‘glass ceiling’ prevent women from being promoted at work? What topics are studied? Culture and identity- subculture, mass and global culture Families and households- gender roles, power relationships Health- inequalities in healthcare provision, role of medicine Work, poverty and welfare- poverty distribution, wealth and income Crime, deviance, social order and social control Social distribution of crime and deviance- gender, ethnicity, patterns and trends Crime control, surveillance, prevention and punishment, victims Role of the criminal justice system Role and function of the education system Differential educational achievement of social groups by class, gender and ethnicity Educational policies, relationships and processes within schools.