Undergraduate Module Descriptor

SOC3032: Culture and Perception in Everyday Life

This module descriptor refers to the 2016/7 academic year.

Module Aims

To consider classic and current literature on culture and perception

To compare different theoretical models of culture and how culture works

To critically assess claims about value, veracity and causality in accounts about reality

To be aware of how cultural theories of reality and perception have applications in relation to real-world problems (such as health/illness, disability and identity politics)

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. demonstrate an awareness of classic and current literature on culture and perception;
2. identify the practices that buttress claims about the nature of reality;
Discipline-Specific Skills3. exemplify theoretical concepts with grounded case study examples;
4. critically assess key perspectives on culture and perception;
Personal and Key Skills5. critically assess claims about the nature of reality in everyday life; and
6. write persuasively about aspects of the social world.

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

Basic reading:

Butler, Judith. 1999. Gender Trouble: feminism and the subversion of identity. London: Routledge. 301.41 BUT

DeNora, Tia. 2014. Making Sense of Reality – in everyday life. London: Sage (in press now)

Douglas, Mary. 2002 (1966]. Purity and Danger: An Analysis of the Concepts of Pollution and Taboo. London: Routledge. 301.152 DOU

Garfinkel, Harold. 1984 [1967]. Studies in Ethnomethodology. Cambridge: Polity. 301.2 GAR

Goffman, Erving. 1961. Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates. New York: Anchor. 362.2 GOF

Latour, Bruno. 2005. Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theroy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 301.1 LAT

Law, John. 2004. After Method: Mess in social science research. London: Routledge. 300 LAW

Schillmeier, Michael. 2013. Rethinking disability: bodies, senses, and things. London: Routledge. 305.908 SCH

ELE –http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/