DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
LECTURE TIMES: Mon 9-10 (HLT500), Tue 12-1 (Great Hall),Monday 12-1 (Tutorial,
LECTURER: DR W RUPARANGANDA
OFFICE #:122
EXT.:
EMAIL: wruparanganda@yahoo.com
Learning Outcomes
perspectives
2. Apply the fundamental perspectives in Sociology to the study of social institutions
and development
Methods of learning include lectures, tutorials, group and individual activities. Students
are expected to register for tutorials and attend weekly tutorial seminars which are a
compulsory part of the programme. Lectures will take place thrice a week
Course Assessment
Students will write two essays during the semester.These essays will constitute course
work which contributes 25% towards the final mark. The end of semester examination
At the end of the course, each student is assigned a final grade as follows:
Grade Percent Range Interpretation
1st class 75-100 Excellent
2.1 65-74 Good
2.2 60-64 Average
3 50-59 Below average
Fail 49 and below Failure
Course Content
TOPIC 1: WHAT IS SOCIETY: WHAT ARE INSTITUTIONS?
i)Types of Society
ii) Theoretical Underpinnings
-Functionalist theory
-Conflict Theory
-Interactionism Theory
Compulsory Reading: Haralambos and Holborn (1998) Sociological Themes and
Perspectives 8th edition page 3-14 Available in the Library: UZ Main Library, Reserve
Section
TOPIC 4: RELIGION
i) Definition of religion
ii) Forms of religion
-African Traditional Religion
-Christianity
-Islam
iii) The secularisation thesis
iv) Sociological theories on religion
o Durkheim: the Functions of religion
o Weber: The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism
o Marx: religion as an ideology
Compulsory Reading: Giddens A (2000) Sociology 7 th edition page 720-740,
Available in the Library: UZ Main Library, Reserve Section
TOPIC 5: EDUCATION
i) Defining Education
ii) Functions of Education
iii) Theoretical perspectives on Education
Symbolic Interactionism,
Conflict perspectives
Feminist perspectives
iv) Education attainment and achievement
Defining attainment and achievement
Class and gender in education attainment and achievement
v) African and Western Models of Education
Value and relevance
Comparisons of the two models
Compulsory Reading:Haralambos and Holborn (1998) Sociological Themes and
Perspectives 8th edition page 663-668 Available in the Library: UZ Main Library,
Reserve Section
ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS
First Assignment
Due Date:
Second Assignment
Due Date
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Anderseen, M.L & Taylor, H.F 2002 Sociology: Understanding a diverse society
Wadsworth Group, USA
Cuff, E. C., W. W. Sharrock and D. W. Francis, 1992 Perspectives in Sociology, third
edition London, Routledge
Knapp, Peter, 1994, One World Many Worlds: Contemporary Sociological Theory,
New York, Harper-Collins
Ritzer, George, 1992, Sociological Theory, third edition, New York, McGraw-Hill
Schaefer, R.T 2006 Sociology Matters, McGraw Hill
N.B This list is not exhaustive; students are encouraged to visit the main library as
well as the internet for other references.