| CODE | SWP1263 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | The Social Context of Welfare | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | Not Applicable | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Social Policy and Social Work | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit introduces the student to the sociological perspective. Throughout the course of the study-unit, the student will get exposure to a critical review of select classic and contemporary sociological theories about main sociological areas of study. These will be discussed in terms of implications to social welfare. Sociological perspectives discussed will include: Functionalism, Marxism, Post-Marxism; Feminism; Interpretive Sociology (Weber, Symbolic Interactionism, Phenomenology); Postmodernism. These sociological perspectives will be brought into discussion when analyzing the following themes: I GENERAL INTRODUCTION: - An introduction to sociology and its relevance to studies in social policy and social work; - Researching social issues: a general introduction to research methodology. II ASPECTS OF CONTEMPORARY SOCIETIES AND THEIR SOCIAL WELFARE IMPLICATIONS: - Industrialism; - Capitalism; - Urbanization. III SELECT THEMES IN SOCIAL WELFARE: - Work; - Family and Gender; - Education; - Deviance; - Stratification and Social Mobility. Study-unit Aims: The main objectives of the study-unit are students' understanding of: i. Traditional and contemporary sociological perspectives; ii. Welfare implications of these perspectives to various social contexts (urbanization; education; family; social mobility etc as mentioned in the study-unit's description); iii. Sociological considerations related to research in welfare. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: i. Demonstrate knowledge and an understanding of a wide range of sociological perspectives; ii. Demonstrate knowledge and an understanding of implications that different sociological perspectives have to various contexts of welfare; iii. Demonstrate an understanding of basic methodological considerations concerning research in social contexts of welfare. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: i. Discuss welfare issues and developments from a sociological perspective. This infers a discussion that takes into account theoretical influences, strengths and weaknesses; ii. Discuss nature and extent of implications and consequences to welfare when specific ideological perspectives are implemented to social contexts; iii. Discuss methodological considerations underpinning sociological studies of welfare issues. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: MAIN TEXTS: Briguglio, M. & Brown, M. (Eds.) 2016. Sociology of the Maltese Islands. Malta: Miller Distributors. AND Haralambos, M. & Holborn, M. 2013 (or any edition). Sociology: Themes and Perspectives. London: Collins. OR Macionis, J.J. & Plummer, K. 2012 (or any edition). Sociology: A Global Introduction. Essex: Pearson Education. OR Browne, K. 2016 (or any edition). Sociology: For AQA Volume 2. Cambridge: Polity Press. OR Newbold, S., Peace, M., Swain, L. & Wright, M. 2008 (or any edition).AQA Sociology. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Roberta Scerri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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