Education

• Archaeology and Palaeoecology (UG)
• Geography (UG)
• Disability Officer

Course Content

This module is concerned with the analysis of contemporary social and economic change in advanced societies such as Britain and Northern Ireland. Substantively it discusses the concepts that underlie interpretations of recent social and economic restructuring, introducing such topics as social polarisation, and exploring issues like geographies of labour market change. Methodologically, it shows how these issues can be analysed using Northern Ireland and Belfast as examples by giving students practical experience in the use of major government secondary data sources such as the Census of Population for statistical and GIS-based analyses.

Learning Outcomes

By attending lectures students will gain an overview of some of the ways in social and economic restructuring has influenced advanced societies - and Northern Ireland and Belfast in particular - over the past three decades. They will also be able to understand some of the major interpretations of these changes. By attending practical sessions students will be able to (i) describe and (ii) to analyse selected dimensions of these changes and (iii) to be able to link the methodologies they have learnt to substantive social and economic applications. By completing the project, students will be able to demonstrate the ability to formulate and to develop a topic for analysis independently with guidance from module support staff.

Lecturers

Dr. Ian Shuttleworth (Convenor)

Skills

Subject specific skills

• Understand and use appropriate geographical concepts and theories; discuss and evaluate the main dimensions of the social and economic restructuring of advanced societies; devise a project topic independently; apply statistical and GIS methods to real world problems.

Key skills

• Developing reasoned arguments; evaluating different perspectives; supporting viewpoints with appropriate evidence.

Employability skills

• Bibliographic research; computer and data analytic skills; experience of government secondary data sources; IT skills.

Pre-requisites

None

Supplementary notes

It will be assumed that students taking this module are familiar with and understand the material addressed in GGY1005 and GGY1006. Students who have not taken these modules are advised to undertake the necessary additional preparation prior to taking this module.

Assessment