Sociology is the study of society that examines how humans interact with each other and how human behaviour is shaped by social structures (groups, communities, organizations) social categories (age, sex, class, race, etc.) social institutions (politics, religion, education, etc.). Students must study the following two core themes: • socialisation, culture and identity • social differentiation, power and stratification. The themes should be understood and applied to particular substantive areas of Sociology. These themes are to be interpreted broadly as threads running through many areas of social life and should not therefore be regarded as discrete topics. In addition, students must understand the significance of conflict and consensus, social structure and social action, and the role of values. The central focus of study in this specification should be on UK society today, with consideration given to comparative dimensions where relevant, including the siting of UK society within its globalised context. The second-year topics are Crime and Deviance and Beliefs in Society. In addition, there are two other main topics to study: Education Students are expected to be familiar with sociological explanations of the following content: • the role and functions of the education system, including its relationship to the economy and to class structure • differential educational achievement of social groups by social class, gender and ethnicity in contemporary society • relationships and processes within schools, with particular reference to teacher/pupil relationships, pupil identities and subcultures, the hidden curriculum, and the organisation of teaching and learning • the significance of educational policies, including policies of selection, marketisation and privatisation, and policies to achieve greater equality of opportunity or outcome, for an understanding of the structure, role, impact and experience of and access to education; the impact of globalisation on educational policy. Families and Households Students are expected to be familiar with sociological explanations of the following content: • the relationship of the family to the social structure and social change, with particular reference to the economy and to state policies • changing patterns of marriage, cohabitation, separation, divorce, childbearing and the life course, including the sociology of personal life, and the diversity of contemporary family and household structures • gender roles, domestic labour and power relationships within the family in contemporary society • the nature of childhood, and changes in the status of children in the family and society • demographic trends in the United Kingdom since 1900: birth rates, death rates, family size, life expectancy, ageing population, and migration and globalisation.