SOCIOLOGY IN PRACTICE – Ireland
ASSESSMENT – ESSAY. 100%. 2000 WORDS.
Individual Project 100% The students will be asked to set their own Sociological question
and write a 2000 word essay on the question they have chosen. This essay research and
writing process will be supported and guided by the sociology tutor during the tutorial
sessions. This assignment is designed to aid students develop theoretical frameworks for
their final year dissertations. This is designed to allow them to integrate their sociological
studies to issues that emerged in placement or professional practice
Identify an issue of concern (racism)/ interest in Ireland in 2021
Pose a sociological/ analytical question about it ( ?)
Required word count: 2000 words
Provide high quality empirical evidence/ data / existing studies on this issue – situating it in contemporary Ireland/ contemporary thinking on the issue
Drawing on the work of 2 (minimum) sociology journal articles – dated 2016-2021 – provide a sociological analysis of the issue you have chosen (what do the academic journal articles you have chosen say about the issue? What theory do they draw on to explore the issue? How does it help you address the question you have posed)?
Must be referenced correctly.
Must be presented professionally.
Peer reviewed, academic sources only.
Minimum requirements – check list:
Chosen issue must be situated in contemporary Ireland.
1 piece of high quality, peer reviewed empirical data
2 Sociology journal articles
Data and journal articles must be dated no earlier than 2016
Referencing must be correct throughout
Essay must be professionally presented.
Module Description
This module encourages learners to become reflective practitioners, by deepening their
engagement with sociology to understand the social, economic, cultural, and symbolic
processes that shape their professional lives and the lives of their clients. The concept of
‘intersectionality’ will operate as a departure point for learners to understand the
complexities of society, reaching out to concepts like globalization, structuration,
glocalisation, late modernity, postmodernity and progress.
While previous modules in this stream have focused on understanding both the past and
the present, this module sets out a future focused context. Consequently, learners will study
about advocacy, social movements and the political dimensions of professional practice.
This module will enable students to use social theory as a means to reflect on their practice
placement and furthermore, to develop theoretical frameworks that can be used in
dissertation research in fourth year. This module is designed for those who will work with
vulnerable groups. Some topics from second year will be revisited to deepen the learner’s
knowledge base.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module the learner will/should be able to
1. Critically examine issues of social justice in Ireland and analyse how these impact on
their work as practitioners and the social contexts that contribute to the vulnerability of their
clients.
2. Understand and apply the concepts of intersectionality, globalization, structuration,
glocalisation, late modernity, postmodernity and Neo-Liberalism.
3. Critique and analyse social scientific reports, to demonstrate an evidence-informed
approach to understand the wider life circumstances of social care clients and the need for
social care organizations to advocate for change in partnership with their clients.
4. Use social theory to understand the wider sociological contributors to disadvantage,
stigma, social exclusion and vulnerability, to use this knowledge in the development of a
personal set of values for professional practice.
5. Evaluate current social and political events, nationally and internationally, as well as issues within practice, using theoretical constructs of power, in order to understand how the principals of social justice and the challenging of unjust policies and practices can have transformative impacts, working towards social inclusion.
READING LIST
O’Connor, T 2013 Integrated Care in Ireland in an International Context: Challenges for Policy,
Institutions and Specific Service User Needs Oak Tree Press
ISBN10 1781190801 ISBN13 9781781190807
Ahmed, S 2012 On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life Duke University
Press Books
ISBN10 0822352362 ISBN13 9780822352365
Rogers, A 2010 A Sociology of Mental Health and Illness Open University Press
ISBN10 0335236650 ISBN13 9780335236657
Shilling, C 1993 The Body and Social Theory (Published in association with Theory, Culture &
Society) SAGE Publications Ltd
ISBN10 0803985851 ISBN13 9780803985858
Wise, S 2013 Inconvenient People: Lunacy, Liberty and the Mad Doctors in Victorian England
Vintage Books
ISBN10 0099541866 ISBN13 9780099541868
Foucault,M 1990 The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: An Introduction Penguin Books Ltd
ISBN10 0140124748 ISBN13 9780140124743
Foucault, M 1977 Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison Pantheon Books ISBN10 0394499425 ISBN13 9780394499420 GOFFMAN, E. (1959)The presentation of self in everyday life . New York, Anchor Books. ISBN 10: 0140135715 ISBN 13: 9780140135718.
Module URLs
The Irish Journal of Sociology
https://journals.sagepub.com/home/irj
Sociological Review
https://www.thesociologicalreview.com/
British Journal of Sociology
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14684446#pane-01cbe741-499a-4611-874e-1061f1f4679e01
Macionis, J 2019 Sociology: A Global Introduction Prentice Hall
ISBN-10 9780273727910 ISBN-13 9780273727910
Goffman, E. 1963 Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity Prentice Hall
ISBN-10 ISBN-13
Bottero, W 2006 Stratification: Social Division and Inequality Routledge
ISBN-10 ISBN-13
Goodley, D., Hughes, B., Davis, L. (Eds.) 2012 Disability and Social Theory: New Developments
and Directions. Palgrave MacMillian
ISBN-10 ISBN-13
Winlow, S :-:- Hall S 2013 Rethinking Social Exclusion: The End of the Social? Sage
ISBN-10 ISBN-13