Key words
Sociology.
Objectives
Aspiring social assistants are able to contextualize human behaviour, as seen from a multiplicity of viewpoints, and then try to understand it. The use, in that connection, of social sciences frameworks is part and parcel of their professionalism. Which is why this module (on standard educational route 1) provides a thorough introduction to these social sciences frameworks. Sociology, as a social science of the social sector, is, in that sense, one of the frames of scientific reference that we draw upon for studying, in particular, the societal influences of behaviour (and for understanding and explaining them). Sociology also provides a systematic framework in which basic concepts like totality, interdependence and circularity are used effectively in order to perceive the ‘social’ (the ‘societal’) domain. It can be contended, in general, that this ‘sociological imagination’ acts as an important viewfinder for social assistants who – precisely on account of that capacity to perceive, explain and grasp societal factors – differentiate themselves from the other healthcare professions (healthcare providers).
The purpose of this training module is to shape these objectives by fostering and developing the following core skills from the training profile:
Job-specific core skills
-1. Social workers’ vision in all they undertake is based on a broad-based insight into societal reality.
They are familiar with different schools of sociological thought on man and society and, from that, develop their own image of people and society. They correctly employ sociological frameworks to analyze societal problems and human behaviour.
-2. Social workers operate at a crossroads of people and their human environment, working from a fundamental ethical attitude.
They have a clear insight into socialization and, as a consequence, into the societal influences that shape their own social norms and standards. They can relate human behaviour to societally-defined norms and standards, which may differ according to the different societal systems.
General core skills
General ( generic) core skills
-3. Capacity for logical thought and reasoning power.
Social workers make adequate use of relevant conceptual frameworks. They can correctly apply the presented sociological frameworks in real-life situations. They can ‘read’ implicit basic assumptions of lines of argument and people’s views. They can check and compare lines of argument for logical consistency.
-4. The ability to reflect critically on oneself and to work thematically (by making projects).
Social workers develop a well-reasoned standpoint of their own. They have the capacity to objectively reflect on their own functional performance. They employ an objectively critical attitude as a constant touchstone. This enables them to question social situations and define problems correctly.
The training module is also perfectly complementary to what is taught in other modules (lying on standard educational route 1), such as ‘Philosophy’, ‘Introduction to Social Work’, ‘Cultural anthropology’ and ‘Political and social history’.
Clear relationships exist with modules (lying on standard educational route 2) such as ‘Social Work: Sociological and political visions’, ‘Work placement 1’ and also with modules ((lying on standard educational route 3 - different specializations) such as ‘Perspectives on Social Work ( structural perspective)’, optional subject ‘Deprivation’, ‘Socio-Cultural Work and community’, ‘Actual topics in Social Counselling’, ‘Personnel management’, ‘Professional ethics’, ‘Work placement 2’ and ‘Final year thesis’.
Topics
1. Sociology is a science
Three levels of societal systems:
- The micro-, meso- and macro-levels and their mutual interaction;
- Specific examples, lifted from Social Work practice, e.g.: labelling, different posts and related powers in Social Work and Social Welfare;
- Scientific thinking:
- What is scientific knowledge?;
- The positioning of this relative to other schools of thought, such as empirical knowledge
and doctrinal knowledge;
- The requirements for scientific thinking: an empirical cycle, formulation of a hypothesis,
representiveness, reliability and validity;
- The debate about methodological disputes, value-free science (free-from-value
judgments) and the ‘authority to define’, using examples and applications lifted from
actual Social Work practice.
- Classification of sciences and the societal influence of the supremacy of scientific thinking;
- Concrete implications for multi-, trans- and interdisciplinarity;
- Types of sociology, applications of sociology, incl. specific sociological studies about Social Work as a typical application and by way of illustration.
2. Building blocks of society: Basic concepts of sociology
- The social structure as a network of positions and social relationships:
- applied to families, organizations, society;
- inc. the link to system theory and communication (-axioms).
- Socio-cultural - a system of collective meaning-making:
- values, norms, objectives and aspirations;
- applied to visions on deviant behaviour, the relativity of the term “normal”…
3. Socialization and institutionalization
- Socialization and institutionalization as fundamental societal processes which shape and mould societal reality;
- Gender-specific socialization, class-specific socialization, incl. possible applications in the student’s own living and working environment and future profession;
- The welfare system as an institution: (sociological) visions.
4. Paradigmatic pluralism
- Views on the existence of various schools of thought, movements, paradigms in social sciences, and ways of interpreting them statistically. The consequences of this on Social Work practice.
- Four mainstream sociological paradigms:
- Structural functionalism;
- Symbolic interactionism;
- (Neo-)Marxism and the ‘Frankfurter Schule’;
- Exchange theory (this assumes that people prefer balanced support exchanges in their
relationships).
5. Finally
Three societal problems: poverty, intergenerational solidarity and social mobility, are treated on the basis of the four paradigms (=tendencies).
Prerequisites
Entry-level skills
Exit qualifications in secondary education.
Final Objectives
Exit-level skills
The core skills from the training profile listed in the ‘objectives’ section are fully underpinned by the following exit-level skills of the training module:
At the level of knowledge and comprehension
The students:
- Correctly pinpoint the societal influences on human performance;
- Formulate a well-founded standpoint, of their own, by weighing up the presented sociological frameworks and giving their reasons.
At the application level - skills
The students:
- Correctly employ the basic sociological concepts relating to societal reality and Social Work;
- Question their own and general human performance. This is done on the basis of the presented sociological frameworks.
Materials used
::Click here for additional information::
Reference book: G. Desnerck; A. Vanderstraeten; A. Verbruggen; (2005/2007). Praktisch basisboek sociologie. De sociologische verbeelding: visie en vizier. (Practical guide to basic sociology. Sociological imagination: vision and personal perspective). Antwerp: De Boeck, (2005) / Ghent: Story Scientia (2007).
Study costs
The cost price for the textbook is estimated at 19.90 euros.
Study guidance
Consultation by appointment.
Contact details: item Lecturer(s).
Teaching Methods
Lectures: theory;
Interactive tutorials: a ‘hop, skip and jump’ lecture, a tutorial and feedback session, an audiovisual lecture, a seminar debate,...;
Project-based work in an interdisciplinary context (in cooperation with the training modules: ‘Political and social history’ and ‘Cultural anthropology’) for part of the lessons.
Assessment
An examination for this training module is scheduled in the exam period at the semester in which you took this course.
Written examination (90% of the total mark) by means of multiple choice questions focusing, in particular, on the student’s capacity to define, apply, sort, classify and perceive.
The examination is on any part of the entire course content.
The total number of questions is limited to what can be got through comfortably within the allotted time for the exam.
Continuous assessment (10% of the total mark): product-oriented by means of group work in combination with an individual reflection assignment on the project work.
In exceptional case studies (e.g. if the student was legitimately absent), provision can be made in the continuous assessment for a (catch-up) remedial assignment.
Resits
Includes: an analogous written exam but, this time around, the continuous assessment part is replaced by an extra question on the written exam paper (linked to the project work) about the subject matter of this module.
Lecturer(s)
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