Module SOC2098 for 2019/0
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
SOC2098: Sociology of Imprisonment
This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.
Module Aims
This module aims to provide you with an introductory knowledge of prison sociology. It aims to teach you what the prison experience entails, but also to think more broadly and question accepted academic perceptions of imprisonment and punishment more generally. It will thus help develop your critical thinking skills and encourage you to engage in socio-political discussions.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Demonstrate an understanding of prison sociology. 2. Assess the utility of prison sociology in thinking about the purpose of prison and its effectiveness as a method of punishment for a criminal offence. 3. Demonstrate good understanding of different sources of data and critically assess their reliability and utility in debating whether imprisonment is an effective method of punishing offenders 4. Attempt to critically engage with academic discourses about the boundaries of punishment. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 5. Demonstrate an understanding of the explanatory frameworks and their applications to criminology. 6. Engage with a range of sociological sources (academic, biographical, documentary). 7. Clearly present research and policy in your arguments. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 8. Present an argument orally and in writing in a clear and organized manner; 9. Analyze and attempt to critically assess sources of qualitative and quantitative data; 10. Work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specific task. |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| A short, essay based, unseen mock exam, conducted during a tutorial. | 20 minutes | 1-5, 7, 8, 10 | Feedback will be given by peers, supported by the tutor. This will give students the opportunity to hone their exam technique, and to informally practice / develop skills around giving and receiving feedback. Additional support will be provided by the tutor during office hours |
| Participation on seminars | Active participation based on readings | 1-9 | Verbal |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written examination | 50 | 1 hour | 1-5, 7, 8, 10 | Written |
| Essay | 50 | 3,000 words | 1-9 | Written |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written examination | Written examination, 1 hour | 1-5, 7, 8, 10 | August/September re-assessment period |
| Essay | Essay, 3,000 words | 1-9 | August/September re-assessment period |
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:
Sykes, G. (2007), The Society of Captives: A Study of a Maximum Security Prison.
Crewe, B. (2009), The Prisoner Society.
Ewald, A., and Uggen, C. (2012), 'The Collateral Effects of Imprisonment on Prisoners, Their Families, and Communities', in The Oxford Handbook of Sentencing and Corrections (ed. J. Petersilia and K. R. Reitz).
