Secondary Catalogue

In this programme Ann Oakley talks about how she started her research on housework and the opposition she encountered. She goes on to discuss her sampling methods, her interview techniques, the importance of keeping some social distance as well as avoiding leading questions, and why she highlighted particular case studies. Show Less

Sociology began as an attempt to make sense of the ‘great transformation’ from traditional to modern society; the development of industrial production, the mass movement of people from the land to the towns and the rise of a new economic order, modern capitalism. Tony Giddens talks about how he conceived the project (lying on a beach in California), why he chose Marx, Durkheim and Weber and why he centred the work on the genesis and consequence of capitalist society. Show Less

What motivates laddish behaviour? Are girls becoming more laddish? And if so, why? In this programme, Carolyn Jackson talks about the origins, methodologies, findings and the implications of her work into these contemporary issues for teachers and schools. Show Less

If you go and see your doctor or a therapist, you'll become a case to them. They'll want to know a lot more about you. Similarly, sociological case studies involve putting a social group, an event, or a place 'under the microscope'. This film looks at a classic sociological study, the Spiritual revolution, to show why case studies are used in sociology, what they provide for the sociologist and the extent to which findings can be generalised. Show Less

In this programme we examine culture, socialisation and identity - key concepts about the way we as individuals interact with society in general. With varied examples and clear explanations from experts, this is a fascinating and information-rich programme. Show Less

In this programme we take a journey through time to show how ideas about crime have moved in and out of fashion, how some of the latest strategies of crime prevention go back to the 19th century and how thinking about crime and deviance is influenced by wider social changes. Show Less

See Sociological research in action, in four short films that bring research methods to life in educational contexts. This programme features four key studies: Introduction to Social Research, Survey Research, Interviews in Sociology and Observational Research. Includes lesson plans, PowerPoints, classroom activities and follow-up references and resources. Show Less

To believers, the Moonies offer truth, enlightenment and the spiritual unification of the world. To critics it’s an evil form of bondage, where vulnerable young people are reduced to a mental condition where they can only follow the orders of the organisation. Eileen Barker set out to discover the truth behind the headlines. Do people choose to become Moonies or are they brainwashed? Show Less

Although sociology is full of long and complicated words, it's important to remember it's about the lives of real people. These are the first lines of this programme and they set the tone. Filmed on location, it makes the topic of families more accessible by interweaving key sociological ideas with real people's experiences of family life. Show Less

Examiners want students to write about aspects of contemporary family life, but their textbooks remain stuck in the past. This excellent video resource consolidates and updates student knowledge by igniting their interest in some current issues in family life. It does this by focusing on key ideas and concepts, using contemporary ideas and examples. Show Less

What is meant by a post-modern world and post-modern sociology? Is post-modern theory really offering a new direction for sociology? Or is it just a passing fashion? This programme provides a lively, accessible and balanced introduction to this controversial area. Show Less

How does a person become homeless? What is it like to be homeless? Gary is forty and has been homeless for over twenty years, drifting from one temporary accommodation to another. Through his story we explore the connection between drug and alcohol abuse and homelessness and how he was eventually helped to break the cycle. Gary's story is contextualised via statistics and documentary video footage. By focusing on one case study the viewer gains a general understanding of the special needs of homeless people and how those needs may be met. Show Less

This programme answers the question, "What is Sociology?". Leading sociologists like Anthony Giddens explain and illustrate what it means to adopt a ‘sociological approach’ and students talk about studying sociology. Ideal for Open Days and for students just starting sociology. Show Less

This engaging video resource explores the core sociological concepts such of sociological problems, the sociological imagination, social construction, culture, socialisation, and identity. Not only will it help students get into sociology, but it will also teach them transferable skills that once understood can be brought into many other aspects of the syllabus. Show Less

The Drugtakers is one of the clearest and most dramatic examples of deviance amplification. In this programme Jock Young discusses what is meant by a ‘sociological approach’ to drug use, the importance of looking at societal reaction and some of the benefits and difficulties of using ethnographic methods. Show Less

The film examines primary and secondary deviance, considers a contemporary example inspired by labelling (restorative justice) and is a primer for understanding Interactionist approaches to crime. The film covers primary and secondary deviance, Lemert and Cicoural, Schur and radical non-intervention, the strength and limitations of labelling theory, and restorative justice. Show Less

So much of our health and wellbeing comes down to how we treat our bodies every day. With the pace of life in our modern day society increasing all the time, it is often easy to overlook how our health might be suffering as a consequence. This interview based programme explores the key areas of modern lifestyles that potentially can take the most toll on our health and wellbeing, including diet, exercise, smoking and other drugs, as well as stress. This programme is an excellent resource for students at all levels as well as professional in health related industries. Show Less

Why is there so much theory in sociology? Why are there different theories? Can sociological theory be made a little clearer? This programme addresses these questions and explains the role of theory, the distinction between structure and action, and illuminates three of the major perspectives in sociology by looking at their origins, key ideas and showing how they can be applied to case study examples. Show Less

In the 1970s the majority of secondary school students were being educated in co-educational schools, with girls and boys getting much the same education. But were they? Michelle Stanworth set out to explore this question and her study became a benchmark for feminist approaches to the sociology of education. Show Less

A short film examining the concepts of moral panic and deviancy amplification through both a classic and contemporary lens. Stan Cohen talks about the origins and implications of his concept in the context of mods and rockers in the early 1960s and Adrian Beck looks at an example of a recent moral panic surrounding young men and hoodies. Show Less

The notion that something with "negative" connotations, such as crime, can have "positive" consequences for both individuals and societies may be counter-intuitive, but it is an important aspect of Durkheim's sociological analysis of crime and deviance. In this short film Steve Taylor explains how crime and deviance can be functional for social order and looks at how it has influenced contemporary ideas about crime and social control. Show Less

This programme illustrates how crimes committed by powerful social actors differ in terms of both their type - the distinction between white-collar, corporate, and state crime for example - and extent; how and why such criminality differs from the criminal behaviour of the relatively powerless. The programme also features David Whyte talking about and illustrating some of the problems sociologists face in defining and researching this particular area of social life. Show Less

One of the most consistent features of modern industrialised societies is the gendering of crime and criminality. Not only is most crime committed by men, there are also marked differences in the respective types of crime committed by males and females. In this short film Karen Evans looks at a range of explanations for this situation and suggests how ideas about masculinity and femininity can be used to explain this phenomenon. Show Less

The concept of social control is an important one in the sociology of crime and deviance. This video, featuring contributions from Phil Hadfield and Simon Winlow, co-authors of "Bouncers", looks at how social control in the night-time economy is increasingly created and maintained by professional bouncers rather than the police. Show Less