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| Module Availability |
| Semester 1 |
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| Assessment Pattern |
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Unit(s) of Assessment
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Weighting Towards Module Mark (%)
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Essay (2000 words)
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50
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Group Project
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40
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Short report (500 words)
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10
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Qualifying Condition(s)
A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module.
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| Module Overview |
| A range of empirical data and theoretical perspectives on the family and social reproduction will be drawn upon to explore topics such as marriage and partnerships, housework, parenting, and the intersection of families with the state and other social institutions. We will pay particular attention to the relationship between production and reproduction, specifically, examining the household division of labour and how this has varied over time and in relation to external pressures, especially the demands of paid work. The module will consider how family life is mediated by gender, class, ethnicity, and sexuality, and use contemporary, historical and cross-cultural material to highlight processes of change and development in contemporary family life. |
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| Prerequisites/Co-requisites |
| None |
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| Module Aims |
· To provide an overview of the role and composition of the contemporary family and of historical variation in the composition and role of the family
· To become familiar with a range of theoretical perspectives on family life and the familial division of labour
- To highlight the intersection of families and other social institutions
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| Learning Outcomes |
By the end of the module students should:
· Be able to critically evaluate a wide range of theoretical perspectives which seek to explain the social organisation of the family and roles within the family
· Have a thorough understanding of contemporary experiences of family life
· Be able to identify and analyse a range of empirical approaches to the family, the division of labour and household reproduction and to critically appraise these approaches
· Be aware of key debates and emergent trends in the sociology of family life
- Be able to critically summarise media representations of families and family life
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| Module Content |
· What is a family?
· Historical and geographical variation in the family
· The household division of labour, housework and domestic labour
· Work-family boundaries and work-family balance
· Marriage, partnerships, parenting and caring
· The family, the state and other institutions
- Representations of the family
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| Methods of Teaching/Learning |
11 lectures and 11 seminars
Weekly reading and seminar preparation
Group presentations
Online audio-visual material
ULearn discussion |
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| Selected Texts/Journals |
Allan, G. (ed) (1999) The Sociology of the Family. Blackwell.
Cheal, D. (2002) The Sociology of Family Life. Palgrave Macmillan.
Finch, J. & J. Mason (1993) Negotiating Family Responsibilities, Routledge.
Scott, J. et al. (eds.) (2007) The Blackwell Companion to the Sociology of Families. Wiley Blackwell.
Smart, C. (2007) Personal Life: New Directions in Sociological Thinking. Polity Press. |
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| Last Updated |
| April 2011 |
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