This course deals with the social construction of the self. It addresses the paradox that, although individuals are shaped by powerful social forces, they have a sense of themselves as autonomous individuals. It will show how this sense of individual selfhood is of recent origin and is associated with the development of modern society.

On successful completion of this course, students will understand:

1. how individuals confront unfamiliar institutional environments to show that the 'sociological imagination' can help them come to terms with every day experiences.

2. how historical and comparative research can be deployed to question the taken-for-granted assumption that the way individuals organise their lives is the 'natural' way human beings shape their interactions.

3. how concepts such as 'time', 'space', 'nature' and 'self' are 'social constructs' that change through history.

500 word exercise (5%)

essay plan (5%)

tutorial participation (10%)

in-class exercises and tests 20%

research essay (30%)

synoptic essay (30%)

Classes will meet three times weekly for two-hour sessions.