University of the West of England
MODULE SPECIFICATION
(Template revised October 2005)
Code: UPSNQH-30-3 Title: Stop, Look, Listen! A Sociology of Culture Version: 1
Level: 3 UWE credit rating: 30 ECTS credit rating: 15
Module type: Standard
Owning Faculty: Social Science and Humanities Field: Sociology
Valid from: Sept 2008-9 Discontinued from:
Contributes towards: Single and joint undergraduate awards in Sociology
Pre-requisites: None
Co-requisites: None
Excluded combinations: Students who have taken the half awards in cultural and media studies or film studies with sociology, and have taken the following modules, or equivalents, will be excluded:
Film Cultures (UCPCAE-30-1)
Media and Cultural Studies Foundation (UPCPRW-30-1)
Learning outcomes:
On completion of the module students are expected to demonstrate:
• An advanced appreciation of the relationship between culture, self and sociological theory (Components A and B);
• An advanced understanding of the sociologies of a number of different areas of the arts (for example art, popular music, cinema) (Components A and B);
• An advanced knowledge of the contribution that social theory plays in understanding cultural practices (Component B);
• Advanced skills in methods of cultural analysis (Components A and B);
• An advanced awareness of contemporary directions and debates with the sociology of culture (Component B).
Syllabus outline:
The syllabus will complement and build upon existing cultural sociology taught on current undergraduate sociology modules; for example, The Frankfurt School and culture industries on Contemporary Critiques of Modern Society (UPSNPA-30-3), and the sociology of literature on Beliefs and Society (UPSNMB-30-2). It will contain the following elements:
1. The lecture series will begin with introductions to the debates surrounding the definition of ‘culture’ and sociology’s contribution to understandings of cultural realms, for example theories and critiques of mass culture (e.g., Fiske, Bourdieu, Williams);
2. We then briefly outline a historical development of cultural practices with special reference to the sociology of art and aesthetics; for example, examining and critiquing the shift from auratic forms of artistic practice (e.g. Geertz, Henare) to mechanical reproduction in modernity ( e.g., Benjamin, Berger);
3. We then examine major contributions that social theory has made to the sociological understanding of culture; for example, The Political Economy of cultural forms (Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, Lucacs), The Frankfurt (Adorno, Benjamin, Marcuse) and Birmingham Schools (Hall, Hebdige, Willis), postmodernisms (esp., Baudrillard, Jameson);
4. Methods of cultural analysis (for example, semiology, audience studies, psychoanalytic methods – see Rose);
5. Contemporary directions and debates in the sociology of culture; for example, feminist analyses (e.g. Mulvey), celebrity (Rojek, Cashmore), globality (McLuhan, Featherstone).
Teaching and learning methods:
The outlined lecture programme will be supported by a seminar programme consisting of a mixture of traditional seminars, video sessions and workshops on cultural analyses, supported by a seminar reader of relevant extracts and visual materials.
Reading Strategy:
There is no one set text for this module, though there will be a number of recommended texts which are of reference value, for example, the texts by Alexander, Barker, Rose and Strinati (see indicative reading list, below, for further details) which will supplement the seminar reader.
The UWE library system is extremely well stocked in the area of cultural sociology thanks to the collections within The Faculty of Creative Arts and cognate works in the sociology and humanities collections. Students will be directed to these by indicative reading lists in the module handbook, but also will be encouraged to find relevant resources through physical browsing and the use of electronic bibliographic resources.
Indicative Reading List:
The following list is offered to provide validation panels/accrediting bodies with an indication of the type and level of information students may be expected to consult. As such, its currency may wane during the life span of the module specification. However, as indicated above, CURRENT advice on readings will be available via other more frequently updated mechanisms.
Books
Adorno, T.W. (2001) The Culture Industry. London: Routledge.
Alexander, V (2003) Sociology of the Arts: Exploring Fine and Popular Forms. Oxford: Blackwell.
Barker, C (2003) Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. London: Sage.
Bennett, A (2001) Cultures of Popular Music. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Bourdieu, P (1993) The Field of Cultural Production. Cambridge: Polity.
Cashmore, E. (2006) Celebrity Culture. London: Routledge.
Cherry, D (2005) Art: History: Visual: Culture. Oxford: Blackwell.
Hall, S. (1997) Representation. London: Sage.
Hebdige, D (1979) Subculture: The Meaning of Style. London: Routledge.
Henare, A (2003) “Artefacts in theory: anthropology and material culture”, Cambridge Anthropology 23,
54-66.
Hollows, J and Moseley, R (2005) Feminism in Popular Culture. Oxford: Berg.
Inglis, D and Hughson, J (2005) The Sociology of Art: Ways of Seeing. Houndmills: Palgrave.
Rose, G (2007) Visual Methodologies. 2nd Edition. London: Sage.
Strinati, D (2003) An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture. London: Routledge.
Williams, R (1971) Culture and Society, 1780-1950. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Journals (already held at UWE as electronic resources)
Cultural Studies
Journal of Material Culture
Journal of Popular Culture
Journal of Visual Culture
Postmodern Culture
Assessment
Weighting between components A and B A: 25% B: 75%
ATTEMPT 1
First Assessment Opportunity
Component A (Controlled conditions)
Description of each element Element weighting
1. Two hour seen examination 25%
Component B
Description of each element Element weighting
1. 2,000 word assignment (on the first half of the lecture series on cultural theory) 30%
2. 3,000 word assignment: 45%
Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is not required)
Component A (Controlled conditions)
Description of each element Element weighting
1. Two hour seen examination 25%
Component B
Description of each element Element weighting
1. 2,000 word assignment (on the first half of the lecture series on cultural theory) 30%
2. 3,000 word assignment: 45%
SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT: Attendance at taught classes is not required.
Specification confirmed by ……Module approved at VARC meeting…Date ……05.03.08…………
(Associate Dean/Programme Director)