Black Studies - BA (Hons)

The module provides an introduction to the key themes and areas in the discipline of Black Studies. It lays the foundation for the study of the degree and connects into the modules that follow. The module will discuss the principles of Black Studies; offer counter historical narratives to Black experiences and; explore contemporary forms of Blackness in Britain and beyond.

City, Community, Culture introduces students to the sociology of the city and teaches the ethnographic method for explore urban settings. We will focus on the key theories of the city, including theories from Black sociologists, who were some of the first to explore urban life. This module will engage students in applying the theories we learn into exploring the city of Birmingham. The module will equip students with the skills to understand the city and to study the city using ethnographic methods.

Understanding Society introduces students to the idea of modernity, the Enlightenment and key classical thinkers in sociology. The module presents critiques of the Enlightenment view of modernity as progress, outlining the ‘dark side’ of modernity’s emergence. As well as discussing classical thinkers such as Marx, Durkheim and Weber, the module introduces WEB DuBois and considers how slavery, imperialism and the rise of capitalism impacted the making of the modern world. We also consider how the emergence of modern knowledge and power were gendered and racialized from the outset.

This module will prepare you for the research that comes throughout the course and also enhance your study skills.  

The module is linked to the programme philosophy by embedding the core skills necessary to become an excellent Black Studies student. Supporting study skills is essential for students to excel at university. The module introduces you to the key principles of engagement with Black Studies outside of the university, providing you with the platform to build into the rest of your studies. The ‘community component’ of the course is vital in linking Black Studies to the world outside. In the second year, you will undertake a placement working with Black communities and in this module we will help you to start preparing to secure this placement.

This module aims to introduce students to different intellectual ideas and perspectives throughout the Black diaspora that theorise the subject of Black peoples and populations across the world in historical and contemporary times.

The module will examine events, movements, theories, and texts that have shaped our knowledge and understanding of the African diaspora. We will explore how approaches to studying intersecting systems of power, gender, class, sexuality, race and racism in society offer important insights into the human condition. In particular, we will be considering how Black intellectual thought provides a framework that produces knowledge from the perspective of people and groups who have been historically marginalised both in the academy and wider society.

State and Society introduces students to understanding the role of the state, politics and policy in social life. We consider different political perspectives and how these are articulated through the political process. The module also examines key policy agendas and the impacts on groups in society. Students will learn about political ideologies, influences on the political process and we will discuss contemporary issues in social policy. The module will also examine the history of and contemporary debates around migration into the UK, in order to discuss political ideologies and state policy.

Black Political Activism introduces students to the different approaches that have been used to resist racism across the African Diaspora. We will explore a range of liberal, radical and contemporary forms of activism and root this in a discussion of how society is understood. The module engages with a range of case of studies of organisations and politics, and will also consider intersectionality in the context of Black political activism.

This module aims to develop your ability to critically analyse contemporary popular culture. We will examine social and cultural studies theories relevant to the study of cultural sociology, with a specific focus on topics including class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, music, ‘the body’, media, consumption and Black popular culture. In particular, the module will consider how popular culture can act to confirm or resist dominant ideologies produced in society.

This module aims to extend your critical knowledge and analysis of Black feminist discourses, in particular, to understand Black feminist ways of knowing and being in the world. We will examine black feminism through the lens of theory, popular culture, and political activism to ask questions about power and ongoing forms of domination. In particular we will consider how Black feminism provides an epistemological framework that resists, transgresses and negotiates dominant ideologies.

The module will explore how Black Feminism can speak to and construct democratic ideas of freedom and liberation while engaging questions of hypervisibility, invisibility and marginality. The core of this module will begin from an intersectional position to consider how black feminist theories are complex and varied in exposing the operations of power and transformative forms of political possibility.

Black Studies Methods aims to teach students methods of engaging in research that directly impacts on the social world outside of the university. We will explore a range of methodological approaches that complement and extend traditional approaches in sociology. Students will be expected to critique “taken for granted” notions of research and also to develop engaged and community based research projects.

The purpose of this module is to introduce students to critical knowledge of the historical and social impact of ‘race’ ethnicity and racism in western societies. Students will gain a critical understanding of key theoretical definitions of, and the debates concerning the concepts of race, racism and ethnicity. Students will learn about the historical development and social constructions of race, ethnicity and racism within western history, culture and politics.

The aim of the Placement Module is to offer Level 5 students the opportunity to apply their Level 4 knowledge and understanding of Black Studies perspectives to the world of community practice and employment. This includes public, private and voluntary sector organisation settings. In addition to developing the skills of reflexive practice, students will gain critical insight into the structures, processes and working practices of their host institution.

This module aims to consider sociological theories and concepts to understand the media. You will consider the role of media in society, looking at key theories of the media and understanding media texts (e.g. movies, TV programmes, YouTube videos, blogs, books, magazines, social media, etc…).

Through examining the broad sociological understanding of the youth, socialisation processes and identities, this module will explore how historical and contemporary perspectives which have led to competing constructions of youth culture. The module will draw on research and theoretical insights into the social worlds of young people, building upon key concepts such as sub-cultural theory, identity and the construction of difference in an attempt to place young people in the in the UK and global contexts.

The Black Studies Project is the culmination of the work that the students have completed over the preceding years of the degree. They will draw upon the work in the Level 5 module Black Studies Methods in order to carry out their own independent research project.

 Black communities have a long history in Britain. It is important to recognise the histories, contributions and perspectives that Black communities have brought to Britain. This is both within terms of engagements on the British isles, which date back to at least Roman times and also understanding Britain as an empire where Africa and the diaspora populations contributed to the nation from the colonies. In this module we will be looking at how Blackness has been articulated in relation to Black communities in Britain. We will be covering histories, experiences in institutional spaces and the stories of migration into Britain.

In keeping with the programme philosophy the module explores the experiences, contributions and perspectives of African and diasporic communities. By focusing on the experience of Black populations in Britain the module allows us to draw together the diasporic experiences we have explored across the degree. This module is an opportunity to explore the strands of the degree in the context of past and contemporary Britain. We will also be investigating how communities have experienced inequality and worked to overcome these struggles in Britain. In doing so we will not lose sight of the diasporic nature of the experiences in Britain. 

The module is also interdisciplinary, drawing on history, literature, education, criminology, health and other cognate areas of Black experiences in Britain and the empire. We will evaluate the course by having students explore a contemporary issue using the historical framework presented in the module.

This is an option module which aligns with the aims of the Sociology programme by assisting students to gain a deep understanding of the complex visual world around them. This is an interdisciplinary module which examines sociological inquiry that is theoretically informed, knowledge-applied, with the specific focus on visual research methods. The module will encourage students to utilize their knowledge and understanding of different sociological perspectives and social research methods acquired at Levels 4 and 5. The module will be delivered with interactive workshops to facilitate group discussions.

Activism and social movements have attempted to address a wide range of social problems and influence social change. Historically, movements have had significant influence on social relations and social policy.

This module will critically investigate a range of social movements and activism from the past and present in order to better understand these movements and their internal processes and external contexts. Various theories will be explored in order to get a good grasp of what brings about social movements, how they operate, and when they succeed.

This is an optional module concentrating on cultural sociology with specific reference to music. The module will provide students with an in-depth introduction to some of the key sociological ideas and perspectives on music, and it will focus on three main themes: the social and historical settings in which musical forms are produced and consumed; music in relation to identity and politics; and the political economy of music.

By the end of the module, students should have a good understanding of the social functions, and significance, of music. Key issues we will explore include: the influence of class, race and gender on musical styles; music in its relationship with sub-cultural groups and as a force for political expression; and the commodification of popular music. Alongside considering these issues, we will be listening to a variety of music.

The module provides students with an opportunity to explore concepts, research and debates in relation to globalisation, people and society. The module encourages students to develop a critical approach to thinking about globalisation as a set of social and historical processes which shape (and may be shaped by) the economic, political, cultural and ecological dimensions of social life.

From the conceptual to the grounded, the module then explores the social consequences of globalisation with reference to selected themes and topics in and with relevance to sociology to include: the exercise of economic and political power; forms of political organisation and governance; the dynamics and effects of economic development; the creation of social divisions and inequality; cultural transformations; identity and belonging; population movements; urban and rural life; ecological change. The module closes with a consideration of conjectures on social futures in a globalising world.

The aim of this module is to provide students with a critical understanding of how the concepts of ‘self’ and ‘identity’ are continually shaped, regulated and maintained through varying aspects of identity formation, social divisions and inequalities. The module focuses on sociological approaches to exploring the ‘self’ and ‘identity’ in a social context.

Students are encouraged to develop an appreciation of the ways that identities are fluid, complex and, multifaceted. Within the teaching and learning aspects of the module, students are encouraged to consider the ways in which cultural, political, social and economic contexts impact on their own and others’ identities through mediated practices, processes and discourse.