From Local to Global: Social Science in Action (X3605)

15 credits, Level 5

Autumn teaching

This module develops your understanding of how research can be drawn upon by state and non-state actors to inform policy and practice.

You’ll interrogate the theories and methods used to understand the lived experiences of individuals and communities located in the ‘Global North’ and ‘Global South’. From here you’ll develop a critical understanding of key concepts such as ‘power’, ‘development’ and ‘social change’. 

You’ll examine a range of global case studies in order to compare how social research can be drawn upon to inform social concerns within these contexts, and the degree to which policy is evidence informed.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 22 hours of contact time and about 128 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2023/24. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to COVID-19, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let our applicants know of material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.