Course unit details:
Social Capital and Social Change
| Unit code | SOCY71011 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 15 |
| Unit level | FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
This course explores the role of the mutual effects of social capital and social change: social capital understood in broad terms of social connections and social change understood in terms of changes in social capital and ethnic/class inequality.
We will examine both theories and empirical measures of the different aspects of social capital in order:
- To explore the patterns and trends of formal and informal aspects of social capital chiefly in capitalist countries, particularly in the US and the UK
- To examine underlying (individual and contextual) factors for social capital generation, and the impacts of social capital upon people's socio-political orientations (such as trust) and socio-economic outcomes (such as education, health, labour market access and occupational attainment)
- To assess other important changes in socio-economic life such as social mobility, immigration and ethnic fortunes in the labour market
- To compare the changing pattern and trends of ethnic disadvantage in employment and class attainment in Britain and the USA
Aims
- To theorise the role of the mutual effects of social capital and social change: social capital understood in broad terms of social connections and social change understood in terms of changes in social capital and ethnic-class inequality
- To empirically measure the different aspects of social capital
- To see the patterns and trends of formal and informal aspects of social capital chiefly in capitalist countries, particularly in the US and the UK
- To examine underlying (individual and contextual) factors for social capital generation, and the impacts of social capital upon people's socio-political orientations (such as trust) and socio-economic outcomes (such as education, health, labour market access and occupational attainment)
- To assess other important changes in socio-economic life such as social mobility, immigration and ethnic fortunes in the labour market
- To compare the changing pattern and trends of ethnic disadvantage in employment and class attainment in Britain and the USA
Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit successful students will be able to:
- Critically assess the measurement of social capital through survey data
- Provide a theoretical grounding for different conceptions/measurement of social capital
- Analyse the distinction between formal and informal social capital with its respective sources and consequences, between social and cultural/human capital, and between social and economic capital
- Compare and contrast different theoretical approaches to social capital and their empirical implications in quantitative, survey-based research
- Understand important social changes in class and ethnic relations
Teaching and learning methods
- Weekly lectures and seminars.
Assessment methods
Written assignment (2000 words) 100%
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Yaojun Li | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes