a level

Welcome to Gatsby’s kaleidoscopic carnival!

In the 1920s, when ‘morals were looser and liqueur was cheaper’, society parties were the be-all and end-all of life. A good party made you a good person. Like Gatsby, Hemmingway loved a cocktail party but they are not all about frivolity and fun, there is etiquette and conversation to… Read More

The rise of the single life and solo living

In the last 20-30 years sociologists have been interested in looking at the changing shape of the family such as the increase in single parents, cohabiting couples, same sex relationships and reconstituted families, but there seems to be another type of household and way of life on the rise; that… Read More

Analysing monogamy and the rise of polyamory

Louis Theroux’s most recent BBC documentary on polyamory: ‘Altered states: Love without limits’ has got the general public and the sociological world talking. Polygamy, polyamory or non-monogamous relationships in general have long been considered to be structures that are confined to the past or in parts of the non-western world,… Read More

12 influential and inspirational films for Sociology students

It has never been easier to consume media and in particular TV series and documentaries, in a time of binge-watching though I am often asked by students for advice on actual films to watch rather than just series, in particular films that are both inspirational and useful for Sociology. So,… Read More

Getting discussions and debates flowing with new students

If you are like me then following the well-earned summer break you return to teaching in September and feel like you have forgotten everything from how to explain an idea to how to write on a whiteboard and that comes after forgetting all your passwords and how to log in… Read More

Any two will do: developing students’ modelling and problem solving skills

Here is an activity which aims to help develop students’ modelling and problem solving skills. It requires knowledge of Pythagoras’ theorem, solving simultaneous equations and all things quadratical. Solutions to activities are included in order to highlight possible class discussion points. The activity is also available to download… Read More

Chemical Anniversaries: 1867 the birth of Marie Curie

Marie Curie is France’s most famous scientist and probably the most well-known female scientist in the world. Except she wasn’t French and Marie was not the name she given at her birth in 1867. She was born Maria Sklodowska in Warsaw, now the capital of Poland, but Poland didn’t exist… Read More