Course summary

Culture is at the heart of social life, and so understanding it is key to understanding society. Gain the tools you need to understand culture in a rigorous, social scientific way. Explore a range of debates within the so-called 'cultural turn' in sociological studies, including theoretical and substantive elements. Get to know the work of important thinkers in social and cultural theory, as well as the role of cultural explanations within theories of race and ethnicity, class, gender relations, sexuality and the sociology of religion (among others). Situate these issues within the framework of analyses and critiques of wider debates and discourses in social and cultural theory, covering questions such as postmodernism, postfeminism and postcolonialism. Be challenged and inspired by internationally renowned scholars addressing some of the most important topics that face us today. Join a diverse, innovative community that's building the tools to create positive change in the world. Decode the assumptions underpinning social research on any topic to better formulate coherent theory-led questions for your own research. Benefit from the opportunity to focus on the issues you care about and make your own contribution to human knowledge through your dissertation. Graduate with a newfound appreciation of culture as the core of social life, well-equipped to critique and selectively synthesise the various approaches covered to perform your own independent cultural analyses.