Relationships continue to be a central part of our everyday lives, but how are our relationships changing as a result of the social, cultural, economic and technological transformations in late modernity? In this subject, we explore the nature and dynamics of our relationships with our selves and others. We use the work of contemporary social theorists, including Anthony Giddens, Zygmunt Bauman, Ulrich Beck, Elisabeth Beck-Gernsheim and Pierre Bourdieu, to explore a range of sites of intimacy and contestation, including: romantic love; distance and online relationships; families; friendships; cohabitation; and pets. We pay particular attention to the themes of continuity and change discussed in much contemporary sociology, and students will develop their capacity for critical analysis and reflection on wide-ranging and diverse issues to do with relationships and selfhood.

Subject rules