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level 1: introductory icon
Society, Politics & Law
Contemporary Wales
This free course provides an accessible and lively social science account of contemporary Wales. It introduces key aspects of the economy, society, politics and culture of Wales, providing a wealth of up-to-date evidence that is organised around core social science concepts and theories, to help you make sense of a changing nation.
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level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Innovation, markets and industrial change
How does a firm emerge as 'leader of the pack'? Why do most of the small firms so common in the early years of new industries disappear? This free course, Innovation, markets and industrial change, looks at how and why change occurs through the industry life cycle, at the role of innovation and at how production costs, demand and technology ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Children and violence: an introductory, international and interdisciplinary approach
Children are subject to many forms of adversity, for example, poverty or ill health. However, a significant form of adversity experienced by children in many different regions of the world is violence. The form of violence against children varies widely and is hugely disparate. In this free course, Children and violence: an introductory, ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Social problems: Who makes them?
Anti-social behaviour, homelessness, drugs, mental illness: all problems in today's society. But what makes a problem social? This free course, Social problems: Who makes them?, will help you to discover how these issues are identified, defined, given meaning and acted upon. You will also look at the conflicts within social science in this area.
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level 1: introductory icon
Society, Politics & Law
Reading evidence
What is active reading? It is reading with the aim of understanding and grasping something. While studying this free course, Reading evidence, you will be focusing on the variety of methods for presenting and organising qualitative and quantitative evidence in the form of numbers and text. You will learn how to understand the ways in which ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Social construction and social constructionism
Within the field of social sciences the terms 'social construction' and 'social constructionism' are frequently used, particularly in relation to social policy. This free course, Social construction and social constructionism, will enable you to achieve a greater definition and understanding of these terms.
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level 1: introductory icon
Society, Politics & Law
Why maps are made
Cars have sat nav systems, mobile phones use GPS: maps are important in everyday life whether captured by aerial photography, satellite imagery or simply drawn. This free course, Why maps are made, looks at how we read and evaluate the information in maps and assesses the values embedded within them. From mental maps to public transport and ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Who belongs to Glasgow?
How is your image of a place influenced and changed? Does it depend on whether you are a resident or an outsider? How do government and tourism campaigns and stories in the media affect your perception? This free course, Who belongs to Glasgow?, uses images of Glasgow to explore this multifaceted concept.
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level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Who are Europeans?
What is Europe and what defines a European? This free course, Who are Europeans?, looks at the development of identities within Europe and the European Union. You will assess the mechanisms through which a new identity commitment is being formed and the limitations of and oppositions to this process. Can a genuine European identity ever be ...
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level 1: introductory icon
Society, Politics & Law
What is Europe?
The European Union (EU), formed out of the ashes of the Second World War, continues to expand in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Despite the EU's growing size and significance, the question 'What is Europe?' still resonates through the continent. This free course looks at a range of different views on the question, contrasting ...
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level 3: advanced icon
Society, Politics & Law
Rights and justice in international relations
Can the concept of human rights be applied across borders or are rights culturally specific? Is it realistic, or even desirable, to aim at an international system based on universal principles of justice? This free course, Rights and justice in international relations, takes a critical view of the assumption that 'rights are a good thing' and ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
The problem with crime
This free course, The problem with crime, looks at the issues of order and disorder. Can the way these issues are represented change your view of a city? Taking Glasgow as an example, you will look at the problem of crime and how misrepresentation can easily occur.