- Department: Social Policy and Social Work
- Module co-ordinator: Dr. Zoe Irving
- Credit value: 30 credits
- Credit level: I
- Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
- See module specification for other years: 2021-22
This module examines the nature and operation of social inequalities in contemporary societies, how they are experienced, measured and explained and the policies that are developed to tackle them. Students will examine social divisions of race, gender, class and other dimensions of inequality and analyse the ways in which these intersect with citizenship and welfare in differing life stages and contexts. The module approaches these issues from a policy perspective, exploring how they are framed and addressed in policy debate and policy practice. Students will acquire skills to critically analyse the ways in which social advantage and disadvantage is shaped, and to investigate contemporary inequalities using a range of empirical sources in international context.
Occurrence | Teaching cycle |
---|---|
A | Autumn Term 2022-23 to Summer Term 2022-23 |
The aims of this module are to:
Develop critical awareness of the range of contexts in which inequalities operate and their social, political, economic and institutional drivers
Familiarise students with the conceptual and theoretical tools to analyse and explain the nature, intersection, operation and outcomes of inequalities in contemporary societies.
Enable understanding of the origins of policy responses to tackle inequality and to evaluate their success in practice
Acquaint students with empirical data sources and the ways in which they can be used to inform understanding of inequalities in national and international context
At the end of this module students will be able to:
Utilise key concepts and theories in the analysis and explanation of social inequalities
Understand the ways in which social, political, economic and institutional interests shape social advantage and disadvantage
Critically appreciate the societal effects of social inequalities with an awareness of their intersection and the differential impact of policies on social groups
Investigate inequalities in differing contexts and life stages, assess empirical evidence and produce reasoned accounts of social policy enquiry
Critically evaluate the aims, operation and outcomes of policies designed to tackle social inequalities
Communicate knowledge and ideas effectively using a range of written and data presentation techniques
Part I
Concepts and Themes
Inequality and why it matters
Citizenship and Human Rights
Social class, social mobility and social policy
Gender divisions of care and work
Race and racism
Explaining Inequality – The global context
Explaining Inequality – Basic needs, human development and the capability approach
Explaining Inequality – Social structure
Explaining Inequality – Intersectionality
Part II
Inequalities in policy context
1. Poverty
2. Wealth
3. Children and families
4. Work and the Labour Market
5. Age and Ageing
6. Disabling environments
7. Discrimination, Institutional exclusion and the equality agenda
8. Citizenship and migration
9. Inequality in the global policy context
Part III
Measuring inequality and its consequences
Measures of income inequality
Measuring other inequalities
Measuring the consequences of inequality
Do more equal countries have better outcomes?
Task | Length | % of module mark |
---|---|---|
Coursework - extensions not feasible/practicable Portfolio |
N/A | 30 |
Essay/coursework Take-home data interpretation project |
N/A | 30 |
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) SPY0000I8 Social Inequalities |
6 hours | 40 |
None
Students will be required to achieve an overall average mark of 40 across the three components of assessment in order to pass the module. Students who do not achieve an overall mark of at least 40 will be required to be reassessed in the components in which they have a mark of less than 40.
Task | Length | % of module mark |
---|---|---|
Coursework - extensions not feasible/practicable Portfolio |
N/A | 30 |
Essay/coursework Take-home data interpretation project |
N/A | 30 |
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) SPY0000I8 Social Inequalities |
6 hours | 40 |
Students will receive written feedback on their assessed submissions in line with the University standards of feedback turnaround.
Feedback will be returned using the standard Department marking matrix and feedback sheet.
Atkinson, A. (2015) Inequality, What can be done? Harvard University Press
Byrne, B., Alexander, C., Khan, O., Nazroo, J. and Shankley, W. (2020) Ethnicity, Race and Inequality in the UK, State of the Nation, Bristol, Policy Press
Dean, H. and Platt, L. (eds) (2016) Social Advantage and Social Disadvantage, Oxford, Oxford University Press
Dorling, D. (2017) Peak Inequality, Britain’s ticking timebomb, Bristol, Policy Press
Evans, M. (2017) The persistence of gender inequality, Cambridge, Polity
Payne, G. and Harrison, E. (2020) Social Divisions: Inequality and Diversity in Britain, Bristol, Policy Press
Platt, L. (2021) Inequality, Cambridge, Polity
Williams, F. (1989) Social Policy, A critical introduction – Issues of race, gender and class, Cambridge, Polity