SD3S10 - Self and Society 01 Sep 2024 - 31 Aug 2030 | Version 5

Associated Module Information

Module Code: SD3S10
Module Title: Self and Society
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Leadership and Public Services
Faculty Sub Group: Leadership and Public Services
Module Leader: Steve Smith
Module Team: Wendy Booth, David Phillips, David Morgans
First Intended Intake: SEP 2024 Final Year of Intake:
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 6
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100505 - sociology
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 5
Valid From 01 Sep 2024
Valid To 31 Aug 2030

Module Aims

The module will provide students with a philosophical understanding of some of the key theoretical debates underpinning sociological thinking (in classical sociological theory and in contemporary social theory – and see levels 4 and 5 modules respectively), concerning competing understandings of ‘selfhood’ and ‘society’.??? ? 

The objectives of the module are to:? 

  • Recognise and appreciate the complexities of debates around the relation between determinist philosophies (social and/or biological) and anti-determinist philosophies, which each have competing explanations as to the formation and meaning of selfhood and society. 

  • Explore key aspects of anti-determinist philosophies, for example, existentialism and the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, and how these relate to both modern/classical sociological theory, and post-modern/ contemporary social theory. 

  • Using 1 and 2 above as a foundation, critically understand the development of ‘social ethics’ in contemporary ‘liberal’ societies in relation to, for example, the values of freedom, self-interest, equality, social justice, happiness, and/or well-being, and as these values relate to competing understandings of ‘selfhood’ and ‘society’ explored above.  

Content Summary

This module addresses the relation between selfhood and society from a variety of viewpoints and perspectives afforded by certain theoretical traditions and philosophers, as related to, for example, existentialism, Kantianism, liberalism, utilitarianism, and communitarianism. Building on the sociological theoretical understandings and critical skills gained at levels 4 and 5, sources and determinants of the contested understanding of ‘selfhood’, ‘individual agency/freedom’, and the role of ‘socialisation’ and ‘society’ will lie at the root of debates in this module. 

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Seminars 40
Independent Study 88
Directed Study 72
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Recognise and appreciate the complexities of debates around the relation between determinist philosophies (social and/or biological) and anti-determinist philosophies, which each have competing explanations as to the formation and meaning of selfhood and society.
LO2 Present key aspects of anti-determinist philosophies, for example, existentialism and the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, and how these relate to aspects of both modern/classical sociological theory, and post-modern/ contemporary sociological theory.
LO3 Using 1 and 2 as a foundation, critically understand the development of ‘social ethics’ in contemporary ‘liberal’ societies in relation to, for example, the values of freedom, self-interest, equality, social justice, happiness, and/or well-being, and as related to competing understandings of ‘selfhood’ and ‘society’ explored above.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Essay 1 From 5 options, each cutting across the module themes 0 4000 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2 LO3
Essay 1

Reading List

T. R. Flynn (2006) Existentialism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press). 

C.B. Guignon (2001) Existentialism: Basic Writings (Hackett). 

H. Holzhey et. al (2010) The A-Z of Kant and Kantianism (Scarecrow Press). 

I. Kant (1997) Critique of Practical Reason: Cambridge texts in the history of philosophy – ed. M. Gregor – introduction A. Reath (Cambridge University Press). 

A.R Lacey (2014) Robert Nozick (Routledge) 

P.V. Lehning (2009) John Rawls: An Introduction (Cambridge University Press). 

B. Lipscomb et al (2010) Kant's Moral Metaphysics God, Freedom, and Immortality (De Gruyter) 

M. de Lourds (2019) Emotion, Reason and Action in Kant (Bloomsbury Academic) 

T. Mulgan (2014) Understanding Utilitarianism (Routledge). 

R. Nozick (1974) Anarchy, State and Utopia (Basil Blackwell) 

D. Parfit (1987) Reasons and Persons (Clarendon Press) 

M. Sandel (1982) Liberalism and the Limits of Justice (Cambridge University Press). 

R.C. Solomon (2001) From Rationalism to Existentialism: The Existentialists and their Nineteenth Century Backgrounds (Rowman and Littlefield). 

D. West (2010 – second edition) An Introduction to Continental Philosophy (Polity Press)