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Course Module Information
Course Modules
SP160: Problems in Politics & Sociology
Semester 1 | Credits: 5
This seminar module is designed to promote inquiry based learning, to enhance practical scholarship skills while engaging with real world problems. Students work in small groups under the guidance of a seminar leader. Students are introduced to critical reading, taking effective notes, gathering information and using the library, online sources and Blackboard, working in groups, preparing and writing assignments, using academic language, and revising and taking exams. There is an explicit focus on topics of Irish political system, and political ideologies (e.g. conservatism, liberalism, socialism, etc.) in semester 1 while in semester 2 sociological perspectives on religion, social inequalities, crime and deviance, and environmental problems and solutions are examined.
Learning Outcomes
- Critically read political science and sociological texts
- Write well-structured and coherent assignments that meet academic standards
- Use diverse learning tools and sources for information gathering (e.g. books, journal articles, online sources, Blackboard)
- Actively participate in small-group sessions and in-class discussions
- converse in the workings of the Irish political system
- understand political ideologies from political science point of view
- understand sociological perspectives on religion, social inequality, crime and deviance, and environmental issues.
Assessments
- Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
- GERARD KIERAN FITZPATRICK:
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- BRENDAN FLYNN:
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- CORMAC FORKAN:
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- SU-MING KHOO:
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- VESNA MALESEVIC:
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- BRIAN MCGRATH:
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- KEVIN RYAN:
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- NIALL Ó DOCHARTAIGH:
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- BERNADINE BRADY:
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- JACQUELINE MURPHY:
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- ALLYN FIVES:
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- STACEY SCRIVER:
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- KEVIN LEYDEN:
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- MICHAEL HYNES:
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- Diana Stypinska:
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Reading List
- "Politics in the Republic of Ireland. 6th edition" by Coakley, J. and Gallagher, M. (eds.)
ISBN: 9781138119.
Publisher: Routledge - "Politics" by Heywood, A.
ISBN: 978-135200545.
Publisher: Red Globe. 5th edition - "Political Ideologies." by Heywood, A.
ISBN: 978-135201183.
Publisher: Red Globe Press; 7th edition - "Sociology" by John J. Macionis,Kenneth Plummer
ISBN: 9780273727910.
Publisher: Financial Times/Prentice Hall - "First Year Sociological and Political Studies – Sociology Textbook" by Compiled by Vesna Malesevic.
ISBN: 978-1-78365-6.
Publisher: Harlow: Pearson - "A Sociology of Ireland" by Perry Share,Hilary Tovey,Mary P. Corcoran
ISBN: 9780717142101.
Publisher: Gill & MacMillan
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.