Sociology: Foundations to Application

Course Modules & Syllabus

1. Module 1: Module 1: What is Sociology? Core Concepts and Perspectives

   • Define sociology as a discipline and distinguish it from related social sciences; understand the sociological imagination and how it applies to everyday Nigerian life (e.g., individual choices shaped by market structures, family norms, or economic systems).
   • Identify and compare major sociological perspectives: functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism; apply each lens to analyze a local institution such as a family business, a market cooperative, or a religious organization.
   • Recognize key sociological concepts: socialization, culture, norms, values, and roles; map these concepts onto observable patterns in Nigerian communities (e.g., gender roles in households, respect hierarchies in extended families).

2. Module 2: Module 2: Research Methods and Sociological Evidence

   • Master core research methodologies: quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, ethnography, and secondary data analysis; understand validity, reliability, and ethical considerations in social research.
   • Design and critique a small research study on a Nigerian social phenomenon (e.g., migration patterns, informal sector employment, or social media use); identify sampling strategies, potential biases, and data collection challenges.
   • Interpret sociological data and statistics; evaluate claims made in media or policy using evidence-based reasoning and awareness of correlation versus causation.

3. Module 3: Module 3: Socialization, Culture, and Social Structure

   • Explain how socialization shapes identity and behavior across the lifespan; analyze agents of socialization (family, peers, schools, media) and their influence in Nigerian contexts (e.g., role of extended family, religious institutions, or Nollywood in cultural transmission).
   • Define culture, subculture, and counterculture; examine how cultural norms, values, and symbols vary across Nigerian ethnic groups, regions, and social classes; discuss cultural relativism versus ethnocentrism.
   • Analyze social structure as patterns of relationships and institutions; understand how status, roles, and group membership organize Nigerian society (e.g., occupational hierarchies, age grades, professional associations).

4. Module 4: Module 4: Social Inequality and Stratification

   • Define social stratification and examine systems of inequality: class, status, and power; apply Marx's and Weber's theories to analyze economic disparities and social mobility in Nigeria (e.g., wealth concentration, access to education, informal versus formal employment).
   • Analyze dimensions of inequality: gender, ethnicity, religion, and region; explore how these intersect in Nigerian society and shape life chances, access to resources, and social experiences.
   • Evaluate theories of poverty, social mobility, and meritocracy; critically assess policies and interventions aimed at reducing inequality in the Nigerian context.

5. Module 5: Module 5: Social Institutions: Family, Education, Religion, and Economy

   • Examine the family as a social institution: kinship structures, marriage patterns, and household dynamics; compare nuclear and extended family models and their prevalence in different Nigerian communities; discuss changing family forms.
   • Analyze education as a mechanism for socialization and social mobility; evaluate how educational systems in Nigeria reproduce or challenge social inequality; discuss access, quality, and outcomes across regions and social groups.
   • Explore religion as a social institution; examine its role in Nigerian society (e.g., Christianity, Islam, traditional religions), its influence on values, community cohesion, and social change; discuss secularization and religious pluralism.

6. Module 6: Module 6: Deviance, Crime, and Social Control

   • Define deviance and crime; understand how norms are socially constructed and enforced; analyze theories of deviance (strain theory, labeling theory, social control theory) and their application to Nigerian contexts (e.g., informal justice systems, community policing, corruption).
   • Examine crime patterns, causes, and consequences in Nigeria; discuss the role of poverty, inequality, and institutional factors; evaluate criminal justice responses and rehabilitation approaches.
   • Analyze social control mechanisms: formal (law, police, courts) and informal (family, community, peer pressure); assess their effectiveness and legitimacy in Nigerian society.

7. Module 7: Module 7: Urbanization, Globalization, and Social Change

   • Trace urbanization processes in Nigeria: rural-to-urban migration, megacity growth (Lagos, Kano), informal settlements, and urban social dynamics; analyze how urbanization reshapes family, work, and community life.
   • Examine globalization's effects on Nigerian society: economic integration, cultural flows, technology adoption, and diaspora networks; discuss both opportunities and challenges (e.g., job creation, cultural homogenization, brain drain).
   • Identify drivers and patterns of social change; apply theories of social movements and collective action to Nigerian examples (e.g., #EndSARS, labor movements, environmental activism).

8. Module 8: Module 8: Applied Sociology and Contemporary Issues

   • Apply sociological analysis to pressing Nigerian issues: healthcare access and disease, environmental sustainability, gender-based violence, youth unemployment, and political participation; use evidence and theory to understand root causes.
   • Evaluate policy proposals and social interventions through a sociological lens; assess feasibility, unintended consequences, and alignment with sociological evidence.
   • Develop a capstone project: conduct a mini-research study or policy brief on a local social issue, integrating theory, methods, and evidence; communicate findings to diverse audiences.