BSc (Hons) Public Sociology

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/7265

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 32

A critical investigation of institutional perception through an autistic lens: a phenomenological approach.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
It is felt that there is a growing demand for the need in changing perceptions regarding autism research. Individuals within this domain are still extremely segregated within the education system which has been supported through theorists such as Paulo Freire (1972). Given the opportunity to conduct such research, I felt that assembling semi-structured interviews in order to gain an insight into the lived experiences of individuals with Asperger's syndrome will be revolutionary in the development of such study. If anything, this research has given such individuals a voice, with the strong themes that have emerged from the data show that there is still a need for societal change. The five key themes are: Stigma, The Social Configuration of Disability, Social Exclusion and Isolation, Institutional Implications and Interpretations and Gender. With the rising age of media and online communication, additional challenges for autistic individuals are greater than ever. There is a strong notion that it is in fact society that is at fault in the enacted stigmatisation that these individual's have to face on a daily basis. Social constructionism therefore allows the unpacking of contested terms such as 'disability'. Culturally speaking, the notions of disability differ notably; this dissertation argues that it is through a capitalist lens that these dramatic differences occur in the quality of life regarding economic and social conditions
A sociological study of belief and conversion in Scotland today.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Sociological theory regarding contemporary religious conversion is contested and malleable; the once accepted 'modernisation as secularisation' theory has since died, and instead the consensus is one of pluralisation. This dissertation set the aim to discover the role of Christian belief in modern contemporary, Scottish society, with a view to determining its function given the individualistic nature of late-modern society, as well as illustrating the reasons behind religious conversion. I intended to provide a human face to the current sociological consensus of religious decline. In order to achieve this, I conducted six semi-structured interviews with participants based in Edinburgh and the Lothians, and Dumfries and Galloway with ages ranging from 25 to 70 years old. My findings were consistent with current consensus that privatism is having a drastic impact on how the late-modern individual engages with Christianity and faith, with the themes emerging of: Privatism, Ambivalence vis á vis Institution, Knowledge and Truth, The Dialectic of the Self and The Other, and Structural Vulnerability. From my research I have concluded that individuality in a Scottish context is influencing religion to be adapted to the new social context within which it is being practiced, which is no longer one of community but one of subjective spirituality through grace.
AN IN-DEPTH EXPLORATION OF YOUTH RURAL POVERTY AND THE TRANSITION TO THE LABOUR MARKET THROUGH THE PERSPECTIVE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
(Queen Margaret University, 2017)
We learn our social roles, identities, behaviours and social expectations through primary and secondary socialisation (Giddens and Sutton 2010). How does a young person who is experiencing the transition from education to the labour market, who lives in an improvised, rural area learn these? There is much sociological research on poverty and social exclusion particularly to young people and youth transitions (Pavis et al 2001, Lindsay 2003, Culliney 2016 and Commins 2004). However, there is very little research relating to young people from rural areas. In particular when young people are faced with the question, 'so what do you want to be when you leave school', as well as financial limitations and rurality; how do these young people feel? When supporting them, do the community development staff understand what the young people go through pertaining to the transition from education to the labour market when living in poverty? In this research, the professional community development team of the Scottish Borders depict how they view the transition stage in life between education and employment, within an impoverished, rural area through photovoice images (Wang and Burris 1997). This dissertation reveals ways in which factors emerging from the relationship between structure and agency may act as hurdles for the young people who are supported in the Scottish Borders.
The attitudes of Scottish black men towards the efficacy of the police in maintaining social order in the United Kingdom during and after the 2011 riots
(2020)
The riots in London of 2011, arguably the most disruptive events of social disorder seen in this millennium, began after the police shooting of mixed-race Mark Duggan. Sociologically, the riots raise questions about the significance of the police in maintaining social order in a multi racial society and why social order remained in Scotland. Therefore, this study aims to the explore the attitudes of Scottish black men towards the efficacy of the police in maintaining social order in the United Kingdom during and since the 2011 riots. Five Scottish-born black men partook in semi-structured individual interviews, which were analysed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis approach. This analysis identified three superordinate themes; Scottish identity, police legitimacy and labelling of the “black criminal”, each with their own related sub-ordinate themes. These interviews provided valuable insight into the black experience and perception of policing and highlight important avenues for future research.
Cultural Production among Post-affluent Scottish Working-class Writers.
(Queen Margaret University, 2017)
The purpose of this study is to explore the cultural production of post-affluent working class writers in Scotland from a sociological perspective. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with seven participants to produce an original data-set that was analysed to identify major themes. The data highlighted how the literary and sociological imagination can work together to present a deeper understanding of society and culture through the idiom of fiction; an understanding that may otherwise go undetected among much purely sociological texts. This research identified participants as writers in the 'organic intellectual' tradition of Antonio Gramsci. Allocating the writers recognition in terms of what their writing can offer in presenting a deeper understanding of society and culture. The main finding is that authors' exposure to higher education was key to incorporating locality in their literary work.
East-West migration in contemporary Europe: Exploring social mobility through the lens of young Central and Eastern European adults living in Scotland.
(2020)
The purpose of this qualitative research project was to create a theoretical discussion of youth migration patterns that incorporates macro and micro-sociological perspectives. The research analyses intra-European migration trends through the narratives of young migrants from postaccession EU countries. To gain an in-depth understanding of how young movers make sense of their migration experiences, semi-structured interviews were conducted, applying appropriate research design and data analysis methods. The study provides a thorough discussion of present-day sociological themes and brings new insights to the existing knowledge.
“Educational Practises around delivering the Curriculum for Excellence in State & Private Schools”
(2020)
The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) is an educational programme implemented in Scotland in the academic year of 2010/11. The curriculum has focused on looking at pupils as individuals as well as learners, to form a more holistic view of how best each child can succeed. The curriculum was introduced in 2002, after the National Debate on Education by the Minister for Education and Young People, the purpose of which was to develop a policy agenda about what and how children should learn. Several areas of improvement were suggested during this national debate, and the new curriculum developed from these suggestions. Now, the aims of the programme now include more teacher autonomy when delivering the curriculum, more skills-for-work options in lessons and the ability of each child to help to guide their learning (Priestly, 2013). This dissertation will be exploring the educational practices of teachers delivering the Curriculum for Excellence in private and state schools, in order to assess whether the curriculum is meeting its aims, for example by making sure every child has the opportunity to develop skills and behaviours that sets them up for life outside of school, as well as closing the attainment gap. It is hoped that this research will shed light on whether the way the curriculum is implemented in both sectors affects the ability to meet its aims, and whether it has had an effect on closing the attainment gap.
Environmental activism: A sociological analysis of people’s fight against climate change in Scotland
(2020)
Environmental activism has long been the focus of various scientific studies. However, a thorough examination of activism on an individual level has not been universal. This research aims to dive deeper and explore the point of view of participants of campaigns and protests. By the use of semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, principal themes have been established in the study. The main aspects are environmental justice, networks, participation and membership in groups that are active in this field.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION IN A ROMA SETTLEMENT OF STARA LUBOVNA-PODSADEK IN EASTERN SLOVAKIA.
(Queen Margaret University, 2017)
This research is concerned with community education theorised and practised by Paulo Freire (1970) in disadvantaged communities. It aims to explore how Freire's tenets can be applied to the historically oppressed group of Slovak Roma in order to foster critical consciousness and mobilisation. Specifically, the research focuses on the various environmental injustices that the Slovak Roma face, drawing from the theory of environmental racism of Boullard (1983) and applied in Eastern European context by Filčák & Škobla (2012). During the research, I went to a Roma settlement of Stara Lubovna-Podsadek to attempt to introduce community education to its inhabitants and explore their views of environmental justice. Starting with a method of Photovoice, I later changed my approach to critical ethnography. My research argues that there are environmental justice issues in this settlement and that the inhabitants are well aware of them. I also argue that there is a potential for mobilisation and further development of critical consciousness there because the inhabitants expressed interest in solving the issues they face, and so the research can be taken further to explore the issues in more depth and support mobilisation.
AN EXPLORATION INTO THE EXPERIENCES OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE TRUE CRIME COMMUNITY ON TUMBLR
(2020)
This research is an exploration of the motivations and meanings behind participating in Dark Fandoms from the perspective of the True Crime Community on Tumblr. This research was informed by a range of literature which contextualized the True Crime Community as being on the receiving end of a Moral Panic, along with discussing the natural progression of these fan communities forming with growing financial incentives for the media to sensationalize violence. Through the use of online ethnography and thematic analysis data was gathered from individuals who identified with the True Crime Community. The primary aim of this study is to gain insight into the community, and to examine how they engage with gender. This study concludes that the community is made up of mainly female “outsiders” who have connected with people sharing similar experiences. Their experiences with loneliness and mental health are key to them relating to and engaging with the perpetrators of these crimes.
Exsul: a sociological analysis of print media representations of the refugee crisis.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
The print media functions as an important means of information communication in society in that it brings global events into the homes of consumers on a daily basis where text and images can be read and re-read at the user's leisure. In the specific instance of the ongoing refugee crisis the reporting of the print media has become increasingly loaded and virulent, therefore, this creates a heated political context, which this research contributes to. This research conducted a rigorous grounded theory analysis over a four month period on the media coverage of the refugee crisis from June-September 2015 from both the Scottish Daily Mail and the Guardian, and uncovered 328 Guardian articles and 333 Daily Mail articles. This process generated a set of conceptual categories: geopolitical and economic discourses, the reactionary power of politics and the media and the language of fear. It was found that the Guardian mainly focuses on the humanitarian elements of the crisis, while the Daily Mail tended to take a differing stance, which places emphasis on increasing calls for securitisation. The ideologies and historical context of these differing stances are at odds and the underlying rationale appears to rest on political allegiance. The language used in reporting is crucial in relaying information to readers and therefore the distinction made between migrants and refugees is critical, as this has a direct effect on the public appetite to support international assistance. This is owing to the structured reality that the print media builds and develops through a series of narratives and representations; this not only shapes, but constrains the public's understanding of the refugee crisis in such a way that perceptions of the crisis are distorted.
Grassroots football volunteering in a de-industrialised locale as a source of social capital
(2021)
De-industrialisation and its impact on local populations, while a long-standing theme of sociological research, is notoriously difficulty to make concrete and bring into focus as its reality seems more of an ‘absence’ than a presence; refers to a social condition heavily characterised by the on-going impact of a set of social conditions that have gone; a former set of defining conditions that have not been replaced; is akin to describing a reality in people’s lives that is ‘missed.’ The question of the presence of the past in the present is explored through interviews with locals in Dalkeith.
Health Queeries- MSM and their lived experience of mental health.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
This research set out to investigate the lived experience of MSM who have mental health difficulties in rural and urban settings. There is a severe lack of literature when it comes to the mental health of MSM in particular. Furthermore, the research currently being conducted in the field of mental health does not look at social factors when conducting their research. Finally, the current research available does not distinguish between urban and rural environments when it comes to the lived experience of MSM with mental health difficulties. Through interviewing six MSM, this research offers a comprehensive outlook on the lives of these individuals. By looking at the lived experiences of MSM, this research was able to uncover new information in this poorly researched area. This research concludes affirming that more sociological research needs to be conducted; in order to gain a more fruitful understanding of mental health and the affect rurality has on the service provided to MSM with mental health difficulties.
How does the Media Affect our Perceptions of Poverty and Welfare?
(Queen Margaret University, 2017)
This research discusses the affect the media can have on our perceptions of poverty and welfare. Previous literature on this subject suggests that the elite controls the media as to protect their own interests, and that in countries with a large inequality gap like the UK there is a higher chance of more negatively framed stories against welfare and those in poverty. Through an analysis on three Scottish papers, this research aims to discover whether there is a bias in the media perpetuated by placing blame on the individual through demonising language, negative framing and unbalanced arguments. Critical discourse analysis is utilised to analyse the newspapers, allowing more of a detailed insight to be taken away from the research. Results imply that newspapers print stories which tend to correlate with their political views, and that poverty is rarely mentioned apart from when it is used to sensationalise a story. With some sections of society being disconnected from poverty, the media can offer an insight into this world; however, when framed negatively, this is likely to have an influence on how you understand the issue of poverty and thus how you treat these individuals.
‘An In-Depth Investigation into the Lived Experience of Older People Living Within a Rural Community in Scotland Today’
(2018)
This research aims to explore how older people are coping with the trials and eras of living in rural Scottish communities, as well as managing with the growing concern surrounding social exclusion within today’s society. Thus, old age exclusion remains a fundamental challenge for ageing societies, and consequently it has also been claimed that “ageing has become a powerful factor shaping rural areas” and is also having “profound and wide-ranging effects… on the social fabric of rural areas…” (Lowe and Speakman, 2006, p.9). Social exclusion of older people is a complex process that involves not just the lack of resources, rights, goods and services as people age, but also the increased inability to participate in the normal relationships and activities that are available to the majority of people throughout the multiple domains of society today. It is this that affects both the quality of life of older individuals and the equity and cohesion of our ageing society as a whole (Levitas et al., 2007). As ‘social exclusion’ refers to the separation of individuals and groups from mainstream society (Commins 2004; Moffat & Glasgow 2009) this subject area is very relevant to the current rise in today’s ageing population. It is for this reason that this project will aim to focus on the participants’ views on what it means to be an older citizen in a rural community, their lived experiences, and feelings about the added pressures surrounding the rise in age associated social exclusion. This will be an exploratory and descriptive study, which will take into the account the use semi-structured interviews and local data collection. A constructivist, phenomenological standpoint provides an intricate account of participants’ real world narratives of their time and lived experiences about life in a small, and possibly quite socially isolating rural Scottish community. The findings indicate that within today’s society, being an elderly member of a rural area in Scotland does not mean that one is predetermined to a more limiting and socially isolating life. In fact, the main lead in this study revealed that older populations in rural areas could be rising. Increases in aiding technology, better health care and easier forms of social media mean that many elderly citizens find rural life more beneficial and enjoyable. Thus, through viewing this subject area from the rural perspective this study has attempted to provide an alternative outlook on a topic that, up until now, has been overlooked by society.
Interaction of online identity and subculture in the contemporary post subculture of the furry fandom.
(Queen Margaret University, 2017)
This research explores the way participants interact inside the furry fandom; a relatively new online subculture. Participants create a fursona, bridging the gap between themselves and the fandom through an intermediately anthropomorphic persona and avatar. The subculture is fragmented and unsure of the conditions one had to meet to be a furry and be a member of the fandom, showing a lack of consensus on what is a furry and how you become one. The subculture's use of assimilating content into the subculture and general approval of business involvement in creating more content in which to enjoy and use inside the fandom along with the heavy use of sexualisation inside the fandom and the way in which individuals don't identity and agree with all areas of the fandom, combine, and cause a disconnect between the overall label of the fandom and what the members personally feel represents them. This makes the fandom more fluid where members don't become the fandom; rather, the fandom alters and changes with the participants, in accordance with contemporary post subcultural theory.
Lifelong Capital: An Ethnographic Investigation into How Social Capital is Produced by Lifelong Learning Literacies Groups
(2023) Unknown
It has been argued by recent sociological research using qualitative and quantitative methods that lifelong learning literacies groups have the utility of producing social capital for their learners. This finding is significant as it has allowed for an interactionist contribution to the withstanding sociological debate concerning the role of lifelong learning in society. What has been missed by this recent research is an explanation as to how these interactions within lifelong learning literacies groups contribute to the production of social capital. It is this missing area of knowledge that this research seeks to address. Using an ethnographic methodology consisting of participant observation and semi-structured interviews, this research finds that both interactive aspects of the dynamics and relationships in the group are imperative to the production and facilitation of social capital. This research enriches and provides nuance to the interactionist contribution to the lifelong learning debate. Thus, potentially providing useful insights and considerations to workers and researchers within all lifelong learning provisions.
The lived experience of working-class students at elite Scottish universities
(2020)
The research in this dissertation was conducted with the aim of building upon previous work which explored working-class experiences at elite university institutions in the UK and overseas, and challenges that presented for working class social mobility. It has been established that, in terms of the UK, comparable research in this area is limited. It is therefore deemed important to bring a Scottish focus to this area. In depth interviews were conducted with students to collect and compare their experiences with each other, and with previous research, in order to find common themes. The research was then analysed using the theories of Pierre Bourdieu; namely cultural capital, field and habitus, with the aim of explaining the experiences of the students through the sociological imagination. The Scottish Government has passed legislation making university tuition free for all, and have focused on closing the attainment gap between rich and poor through a dedicated programme. The focus of these initiatives are on increasing social mobility, and will result in more young working-class applicants embarking on degrees at ‘elite’ universities. This dissertation focuses on the lived experiences of working-class students in this elite environment and seeks to uncover what challenges those coming from a traditionally non-university background may face, as they attempt to adapt to their new environment, or ‘habitus’.
“Musical solidarity: a sociological exploration of the lived experience of musicians of African heritage in Northern Ireland.”
(2020)
"This dissertation offers a sociological exploration of the lived experiences of 2nd generation migrants of African heritage in Northern Ireland, and their involvement in music culture. Through the framework of phenomenological inquiry, semi-structured interviews elicited data which were then subjected to a process of thematic analysis. Previous research, the amount of which is minimal, has underpinned the African experience as one of dissatisfaction, under-recognition and feeling like an outsider. This research reveals that progress towards inclusion, whilst slow and at times unsatisfactory for participants, was emerging in Northern Ireland for people of African heritage. Participants’ relationship to music culture revealed that collaboration with white Northern Irish musicians was a regular occurrence, and nurtured a sense of inclusion, which was capable of crossing a multitude of cultural barriers in Northern Ireland."
A Phenomenological Study of the Attitudes of Young People Towards Feminism Today.
(2020)
Research into feminism often focuses on the opinions of young women and personal experiences they have as a feminist. However, there is a lack of research exploring the attitudes and personal experiences of both young women and men of feminism today. Recent studies have revealed negative attitudes towards feminism, due to its apparent ‘extremism’ (Edley and Wetherell 2001). This has detracted from the original aim of feminist activism and theory of gender equality and instead, resulted in further division between women and men (Ruiz 2018). Therefore, this research aims to explore the interpretations young people have of feminism and how they view the image of a feminist, in a Scottish context.