Everyday Sociology (ABS105)

Human social lives constantly change over time. Think of your grandparents and their generation: what educational qualifications and jobs did they aspire to when they were your age? How are their eating habits different from yours? What accounts for the changes that have taken place, and how do the social circumstances in which we find ourselves impact the way we behave and lead our lives? ABS105 Everyday Sociology aims to cultivate our sociological imagination by challenging us to look more deeply and critically at ourselves and the social world around us. Using sociological concepts and theories, we will learn how the ordinary, routine, familiar, and subtle aspects of our everyday lives are shaped by social forces beyond our control (and often beyond our awareness). We will also learn how individuals contribute to maintaining or challenging the unspoken rules and norms of behaviour that govern groups, communities, and societies.

• The sociological imagination
• How to do sociology
• Culture and subculture
• Food
• Socialisation
• Identity
• Gender
• Class
• Organisation
• Globalisation
• Technology and social media
• Climate change

• Explain the major theoretical perspectives in sociology.
• Discuss diverse perspectives and how they shed light on the same social phenomenon.
• Demonstrate an awareness of how wider societal contexts affect individual thoughts, emotions, and behaviours and how individuals contribute to maintaining or changing the social order.
• Apply sociological concepts to everyday life.
• Present sociological explanations for common social phenomena.
• Identify how sociology is a scientific discipline.