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Spiritual Realities - SOC00055H

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  • Department: Sociology
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module summary

This module challenges the cultural narrative of a ‘disenchanted’ modernity by examining how and why people believe in and relate to different kinds of ‘spiritual realities’.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

Did European modernity lead to the loss of belief in spirits, gods, ghosts, myths, and magic? This module challenges the cultural narrative of a ‘disenchanted’ modernity by examining how and why people believe in and relate to different kinds of ‘spiritual realities’. You will examine how widespread such beliefs and experiences are across different global contexts and be introduced to substantive and methodological issues in the social scientific study of spiritual experiences and entities. We will examine how spirits, gods, and other spiritual entities become ‘real’ to people, and consider some of the consequences of these phenomena in shaping individuals’ life experiences, and their wider social and cultural impacts.

Module learning outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the range, incidence, and characteristics of spiritual and paranormal experiences;

Evaluate social science approaches and methods to the study of spiritual and anomalous experiences;

Apply social science theories and methods in order to understand and analyse examples of spiritual and paranormal experiences.

Find, evaluate and draw on a range of different information sources to complete assessment tasks.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

For formative work -annotated bibliography - students will receive written or verbal feedback on how to improve their skills in areas that will contribute towards their summative assessment. Both formative assessments provide practice for the summative tasks, which entail an observational exercise and are in line with MLO 1-4.

For summative work - essay - students will receive an overall mark and grading according to clearly defined criteria for assessing their knowledge, skills and abilities in line with MLO 1-4. They will also receive written feedback showing areas in which they have done well, and those areas in which they need to improve that will contribute to their progress.

Indicative reading

Wooffitt, R. (2006) The Language of Mediums and Psychics: the Social Organisation of Everyday Miracles. Aldershot: Ashgate.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.