SO430      Half Unit
Economic Sociology

This information is for the 2013/14 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Juan Pardo Guerra S265

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Economy, Risk and Society , MSc in Political Sociology and MSc in Sociology. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Course content

The course offers a general introduction to the theoretical foundations of economic sociology, providing an opportunity to understand how sociologists engage with the study of complex socioeconomic issues.

Topics covered in the course include: critical approaches to economy and society; economic rationality; the sociology of economics; social capital; new economic sociology; economic conventions; changing forms of production and work; new economies; economic identities and divisions; markets and values.

Teaching

10 hours of lectures and 20 hours of seminars in the MT.

Formative coursework

A project overview due in week 7 of MT. Individual feedback sessions provided in LT to check student project development.

Indicative reading

Recommended general texts: M Granovetter & R Swedberg (Eds), The Sociology of Economic Life; D Slater & F Tonkiss, Market Society: Markets and Modern Social Theory; N Smelser & R Swedberg (Eds), The Handbook of Economic Sociology; P Edwards & J Wajcman, The Politics of Working Life; V Nee & R Swedberg (Eds), The Economic Sociology of Capitalism. A detailed reading list will be provided at the beginning of the course.

Assessment

Project (100%, 4000 words) in the ST.

Two hard copies of the assessed project, with submission sheets attached to each, to be handed in to the Administration Office, S219A, no later than 16:30 on the second Wednesday of Summer Term. An additional copy to be uploaded to Moodle no later than 18:00 on the same day.

Attendance at all workshop sessions and submission of all set coursework is required.

Student performance results

(2009/10 - 2011/12 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 26
Merit 60.3
Pass 13.7
Fail 0

Key facts

Department: Sociology

Total students 2012/13: 30

Average class size 2012/13: 12

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Specialist skills

Course survey results

(2010/11 - 2012/13 combined)

1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" score

The scores below are average responses.

Response rate: 72.8%

Question

Average
response

Reading list (Q2.1)

2

Materials (Q2.3)

1.8

Course satisfied (Q2.4)

1.8

Lectures (Q2.5)

1.6

Integration (Q2.6)

2

Contact (Q2.7)

2.1

Feedback (Q2.8)

2.6

Recommend (Q2.9)

Yes

73.8%

Maybe

26.2%

No

0%