Module Details for Understanding Social Change: The Case of Irish Society |
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SOU33122 |
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Understanding Social Change: The Case of Irish Society |
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5 ECTS |
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Tern 2 |
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On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:
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For much of the 20th Century, Ireland lagged behind other states in Northern Europe in terms of economic development and average standard of living. Yet in the last decade of the century Ireland’s economic fortunes changed dramatically with the advent of the ‘Celtic Tiger’. Ireland experienced rapid economic, social and cultural change over a short period of time that continues to unfold. Rapid population and demographic change and liberalization of social attitudes and values have all contributed to this change. Such changes have reinvigorated debates about what it means to be Irish, the values, lifestyles and identities associated with such changes and the institutional practices, occupational structures and the political priorities evident in Irish society. Yet there are continuities that can be traced back in Irish history that underpin and also help explain the dynamics of Irish society. This module utilizes theories of social change to explore what type of society Ireland is. It critically evaluates theories of development that have been used by academics and experts in Ireland to explain Ireland’s conversion from a ‘late modernizer’ to a ‘knowledge society’. Finally, it locates Ireland’s societal change in the context of Europe and globally |
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Presentations (20%) and end-of-term essay (80%). |
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