SS5067 - Sociology of Everyday Life (2026/27)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2026/27 | ||||||||
| Module title | Sociology of Everyday Life | ||||||||
| Module level | Intermediate (05) | ||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||
| School | School of Social Sciences and Professions | ||||||||
| Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||
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| Assessment components |
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| Running in 2026/27(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) | No instances running in the year |
Module summary
In this module you will learn to apply sociological understanding and methodology of observing and explaining the everyday life: its routines, rhythms and those aspects of social life that we consider familiar and known. You will be able to see the strange in the familiar, learning the practice of sociological thinking. You will be asked to suspend any taken for granted assumptions about the rules and routines of social life, and look at everyday behaviour from the perspective of an external observer. You will learn how everyday life has come to be theorised and understood by key sociological thinkers. Alongside this, you will learn about sociological approaches to topics such as home, eating, shopping, emotions, embarrassment, shame and romance.
Prior learning requirements
None. Available for Study Abroad? Yes.
Syllabus
• Understanding everyday life
• Theorising the everyday
• Method of observing the everyday
• Rituals and routines
• Home
• Emotions: embarrassment and shame
• Romance
• Eating and Drinking
• Pets
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
Teaching will comprise weekly lectures followed by exercises and reflexive discussion in seminars. Teaching will be informed by research and scholarly activities of the tutors.
Learning: Learning will be supported by the Weblearn site for the module which will include all the teaching materials and guidance for assessment.
The students will be encouraged to engage with contemporary issues and follow the current debates in the media. This will be supported by Weblearn-based materials and forums.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Explain key sociological theories and concepts relating to the relationship between self and society.
2. Analyse how social structures, institutions, and cultural values shape individual identities and everyday interactions.
3. Apply sociological perspectives to contemporary issues of identity, gender, class, and digital self-presentation.
4. Evaluate the relationship between agency and structure in shaping social behaviour and self-understanding.
5. Communicate sociological arguments clearly and effectively in written and oral forms, using appropriate academic conventions.
6. Reflect critically on the ways in which individuals construct, perform, and negotiate social identities within diverse contexts.