Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE SOC2069

 
TITLE Sociology of Emotions

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Sociology

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit is designed to investigate the social side of emotions – how feelings are socially learned, shaped and regulated by social groups. It explores the emotion culture, gender and emotions in relation to normative expectations, emotion managements of social groups and society.

Study-unit Content:

- Introduction: Defining emotions;
- Emotions and collective action;
- Theorising emotions: Classical sociological studies on emotions;
- Durkheim on social sentiments;
- Emotional control and morality – Weber’s study;
- Feeling at home: Habitus and the role of emotions;
- The social construction of love: The commercialisation of human feeling;
- Emotions and Morality;
- Engendering emotions;
- Structures of feeling and generational differences;
- Nostalgia : Refraction of memory;
- Feasts and celebrations and their emotional function;
- The Effect of Affect: Civic action and social movements;
- The media, feeling frenzy and moral panic.

Study-Unit Aims:

The aims of this study-unit include:

- To introduce students to the exciting field of sociology of emotions;
- Develop an understanding of key sociological studies on the topic;
- To stimulate the ability to communicate, orally and in written form, ideas related to this field of study;
- To assist students in acquiring a sociological imagination and interpret sociologically everyday life experiences.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Identify and analyse different sociological approaches with reference to emotions in sociology;
- Describe how individuals are shaped through basic social processes of culture, by understanding micro-level social interaction;
- Become familiarised with different sociological approaches within the field and be able to articulate on basic concepts, theories, and modes of explanation and apply them to specific contexts.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Demonstrate critical thinking skills and clearly formulate sociological arguments in writing;
- Reflect on one's own social standing by acquiring a sociological imagination;
- Think critically about contemporary social issues in relations to emotions during classroom discussion and written work.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

- Barbalet, J. (ed) (2002) Emotions and Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Turner, J.H. and Stets, J.E. (2005) The Sociology of Emotions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Supplementary Readings:

- Hochschild, Arlie. “The Managed Heart: The Commercialization of Feeling.”
- Barbalet, J. (2001) Emotion, Social Theory, and Social Structure : A Macrosociological Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Bendelow, G. and Williams, S. J. (eds) (1998) Emotions in Social Life: Critical Themes and Contemporary Issues. London: Routledge.
- Elias, N (2000) The Civilizing Process: Sociogenetic and Psychogenetic Investigations. Oxford: Blackwell.
- Hochschild, A.R. (1983) The Managed Heart: Commercialization of human feeling. Berkeley: University of California Press.
- Lupton, D. (1998) The Emotional Self: A sociocultural exploration. London: Sage.
- Turner, J.H. and Stets, J.E. (eds) (2006) Handbook of the Sociology of Emotions. New York: Springer.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Valerie Visanich

 

 
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.

Study at UM

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit