Context

Sociology is the scientific study of society. Sociologists are interested in how society is structured and the social influences on people that shape their identities. In your course you will study factors such as identity, social inequalities and crime and deviance.

Suggested reading

Book: OCR A Level Sociology Student Book (OCR A Level Sociology)

 The following sites will give you an overview of these topics:

• http://www.thesociologicalcinema.com/blog/category/class%20activities#.VV2SrBHwsaL 

•  http://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/glossary/terms.html

• http://www.asanet.org/introtosociology/Documents/Glossary.html

Suggested research

Wider reading: These sites will give you an insight into the general world of sociology. http://www.davidcoon.com/soc.htm

Tasks

Task 1: Introduction to Sociology

Enrol on and complete the following futurelearn course over the next 3 weeks.  Please note that this may not be available immediately, in which case ask futurelearn to notify you when the course reopens, then go on to Task 2, 3 & 4 and come back to this.

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/what-is-sociology  

 Task 2: Identity

• Watch the following TED talks on the subject of identity:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH4oKB06vrM 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V8ND2bvvRc 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoCLCAQJ6_A 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBYPMQsAZNI 

• Write your own definition of identity 

• Make a mindmap of all the influences on you that make up your identity (examples could be family, gender, nationality, ethnicity etc)

Task 3: Crime and deviance

Although most people agree on the important values in society and the 'right' way to behave, every society has people who do not conform. How do sociologists explain why some people are deviant and crime exists?

• Read the following terms:

https://revisesociology.com/2016/10/06/crime-deviance-concepts-definitions/ 

• Write a definition of the terms 'crime' and 'deviance' and one sentence explaining the difference between the two.

• Find a current news article online about deviant acts of young people and write one paragraph explaining why they are behaving in that way.

• Read the following article - which examples of 'lockdown behaviour do you think are deviant?

https://revisesociology.com/2020/04/09/how-coronavirus-is-changing-crime-and-deviance/ 

Task 4: Terms and Definitions

When you begin your course in September you will be asked to start using Sociological terms. We ask that you research and define some of these key terms in order to prepare yourself for your course.

• Norms

• Values

• Culture

• Subculture

• Consumer culture

• Popular culture

• High culture

• Global culture

• Socialisation

• Nuclear families

• Marxism

• Postmodernism

• Functionalism

• Feminism

• Positivism

• Interpretivism