To help you feel prepared for your BA (Hons) Sociology studies, we’ve gathered together a range of course related activities including suggested reading, useful websites and some great things to do right now. Read on to find out more:
Suggested reading
You’ll be given lots of information about which textbooks to read and introduced to the University Library, as well as the many ebooks we have for you to access, when you begin your studies in September.
In the meantime, there are a couple of books you might like to read before starting your degree if you can. We don’t recommend rushing out to buy texts before you arrive. But if you can pick some up second hand, borrow from a library or access online, we suggest:
Sociology of the Everyday
Sociology of the Everyday
McNamara, R. et al. (2020) Sociology as everyday life : voices from the field. USA: Cognella Academic Publishing.
Pink, S. (2012) Situating everyday life, London: Sage
Scott, S. (2009) Making sense of everyday life, Cambridge: Polity
Johnston J., Cairns, K. and Baumann, S. (2017) Introducing sociology, using the stuff of everyday life. 1st edn. New York: Routledge
Political Sociology
Faulks K (1999) Political Sociology: A Critical Introduction Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press
Heywood A (2012) Political ideologies: An Introduction 5th Edition London: Palgrave MacMillan
Haugaard M (2012) Power: A Reader Manchester: Manchester University Press
Lukes S (2004) Power: A Radical View London: Palgrave MacMillan
Markoff J (2016) Waves of Democracy: Social Movements and Political Change, second edition London: Routledge
Critical Issues in Sociology
Applerouth Scott and Edles Laura D (2015) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings 3rd Edition London: Sage
Bauman, Z and May, T (2019) Thinking Sociologically. (3rd) London: Blackwell
Wright Mills (1959) The Sociological Imagination. New York: Oxford University Press.
Introduction to Social Policy and Welfare
Alcock P, May, M. and Wright, S. (2012) The Student’s Companion to Social Policy (4th Ed). Oxford Blackwell
Lister, R. (2010) Understanding Theories and Concepts in Social Policy. Bristol: Policy Press
Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett (2010) The spirit level: why equality is better for everyone. Penguin.
Understanding Social Concepts
BRAHAM, P., ed., 2013. Key Concepts in Sociology. London: SageButler, T. & Watt, P. (2006) Understanding Social Inequality, London: Sage.
Fulcher, J. & Scott, J. (2011) Sociology (4th Ed), Oxford: Oxford University Press
We don’t recommend too much preparation before arrival as you will have plenty to do when your course begins.
However, you might want to think about how you will prepare for study – which might involve clearing a space for study if you intend to study from your home or thinking about how you will manage your time in relation to caring, social and work obligations when you arrive to begin the programme. The programme is a full-time job and you should expect to work 40 hours a week!
You might want to make use of the books in the ‘Suggested texts’ section and get used to reading a good newspaper or magazines – Prospect or New Statesman – and try watching some good documentaries and TV news. Channel 4 is the most in-depth but also check on BBC, Russia Today and Aljazeera for good preparation.