The course will critically assess how social issues are currently constructed and outline similarities and difference in such constructions in different historical periods, placing developments in an economic, political, social and organisational context. Social processes that lead to marginalisation and exclusion will inform this debate. Specific attention is paid to social divisions in society, enabling an exploration of the ways in which inequality, discrimination and oppression manifest themselves in society, and impact on the provision and organisation of social work services.
Aspects of care and control, social justice, citizenship and understanding different models of need will be explored and placed within an organisational context. Models of welfare will be examined which will facilitate an analysis of contested debates regarding the nature, scope and purpose of welfare provision and implications for providers and service users. The growth of social movements in relation to service user participation in social care will also be explored.
This course unit will comprise a mixture of direct face-to-face teaching, seminar and small group work and e-learning activities
Students will normally have the opportunity to receive feedback on formative work submitted prior to the summative assessment. Other feedback opportunities will also be available in class and online discussion boards. Online feedback is provided in Grademark. Provisional feedback based on internal marking will be made available prior to the Exam Board on the basis that these marks are yet to be ratified at the Exam Board and therefore may be subject to change. A standard feedback mechanism in Grademark is utilised across all postgraduate programmes within the School which provides detailed and constructive feedback on each component and aspect of assessment and identifies areas of strength and those aspects which could be enhanced.
Student feedback is obtained through open discussion forums on blackboard, in class discussions, via formal University unit evaluation forms and also qualitative, in house evaluations at the end of the unit.