Page 207 - SYU Prospectus

Sociology

interests. In most cases the course will relate to the instructor’s research interests. The overall
aim of this course is to encourage students to critically analyse major issues currently debated
in the study of social life and society.

SOC 408 Sociology of Knowledge
1 Term; 3 Credits
The course aims to introduce students to a critical study of the social sources and con-
sequences of knowledge. It addresses classical and contemporary theories in exploring how
social organization shapes the content and structure of knowledge, or how various social,
cultural, political conditions shield people from truth. The general objective of this course is to
examine the social role of information, facts, science, ideology and common-sense.

SOC 409 Collective Memory and Social Change
1 Term; 3 Credits
This course explains collective memory not as a static entity, but rather as an ongoing
process of forgetting, remembering, encoding and reworking of the past. It examines how the
past is recalled and understood via the categories and schemata of our own cultures. It also
investigates how collective memories are conceptualized through a variety of means. Oral
histories, narratives, public rituals, heritage, monuments, public space and capitalism will be
analysed to understand their roles in shaping, reshaping, and maintaining memories within a
community. Students will be encouraged to consider how memories are codified and
sometimes repackaged as heritage, becoming meaningful through the work of government
agencies, NGOs and creative industries.

SOC 410 Sociology of Organizations
1 Term; 3 Credits
This course aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of the nature of com-
plex organizations in a modernized, industrialized and urbanized setting. In this context,
organizations are viewed as structural entities as well as dynamic processes that exert
immense influences on individuals, groups, institutions and societies in the areas of economic,
political, social and even cultural development.

SOC 420 Evaluation Research
1 Term; 3 Credits
Accountability and evidence-based practice are emphasized by social intervention pro-
grammes in recent era. The aim of this course is to equip students with the necessary
research skills required to evaluate the effectiveness of social programmes. It introduces the
students to different systematic evaluation research designs and their uses for continuous
quality improvement of social programmes. After taking this course, it is anticipated that
students will be able to conduct community needs assessment, as well as effectively assess
the outcomes of social programmes organized by non-government organizations and public
institutions. An experiential teaching and learning approach is used in this course. Students

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