Episode #19 sees Ben joined by two of his ex-students, Dan and Jess, who are both first year Sociology students at Lancaster University.  Throughout the episode, Ben talks with Dan and Jess about their experiences of university so far, why they chose to study Sociology, how it differs from A-Level Sociology and what advice they would give to anyone thinking of taking the subject at uni. This episode is perfect for anyone thinking of taking the next step with Sociology, or indeed for anyone wanting an insight into university life in 2021. instagram.com/allsociology ..read more

It's the end of 2020, it's been a mad year and we can't go to the pub, so I'm having a couple of beers and recounting what's been going on in the world of allsociology over the last 12 months. So grab yourself a tasty drink and listen along as I tell you what you may have missed, as well as giving a sneak preview of what's happening in 2021. . Links to stuff mentioned in this episode Onboards: onboards.co | @onboards.co Applied Worldwide: appliedworldwide.com | @applied_worldwide | @applysociology  The Sociology Show: spreaker.com/thesociologyshow | @sociologythe TheTeacherSociology: yout ..read more

Episode 16 of the take1 podcast breaks with tradition slightly, in that I don't really talk about sociology. Instead, I answer a bunch of questions that you may have if you're going away to university later this year. The questions were submitted by a former student of mine (@SocStudent2020), who himself is off to uni in September. The questions I answer are: 1. What's the difference between sixth form/college and uni? 2. What's the difference between a lecture and a seminar? 3. Should I be doing any course prep over the summer? 4. What's it like having fewer contact hours, and how do I spen ..read more

Episode 15 takes an in-depth look at rave culture in Britain and its relevance to sociology. Ben from allsociology examines what 'rave' really means, charts how the culture developed (and explains why it's more than a youth subculture) and analyses how an act of law from 1994 changed everything. . In studying rave from a sociological angle, Ben draws links between the movement and Durkheim's study on Totemism; postmodern ideas about globalisation and the networked society; and attempts to explain the more recent resurgence of rave in 'lockdown Britain' by adopting and adapting Merton's Strain ..read more

Episode 14 of the podcast looks at the tragic murder of George Floyd. It considers why America is in the situation it is by way of discussing institutional racism, civil rights and the social history of race relations. As usual, this podcast is hosted by Ben from allsociology and is all done in one take. The podcast is split into 5 main themes (with timecodes): Intro (00:00 - 05:26) . Floyd's murder: the background and the fallout (05:27 - 11:32) . A brief history of racial inequality and civil rights in the USA (11:40 - 20:28) . Police brutality and institutional racism in the post-civil righ ..read more

The take1 podcast has been going for almost half a year now and it's picked up a few listeners along the way (hello to everyone btw!), so it's probably about time it had a re-introduction. In 2 mins Ben briefly covers what the podcast is, what you can expect from it, and briefly recaps what's been covered in some of the first 12 episodes. . Subscribe to take1 using your preferred podcast app, Spotify or YouTube. Just search 'allsociology'. . instagram.com/allsociology ..read more

Episode 11 of the Take1 podcast looks at the application of sociological concepts to the coronavirus pandemic. In this episode, Ben covers whether the coronavirus can be considered a moral panic, and if so, who is the folk devil? The role media plays in the pandemic, covering issues of representation, the media as an agent of socialisation and how Baudrillard's ideas about hyper-reality and simulacra can help us understand the role of the media.   . He also looks at how the coronavirus has led to new social constructions of deviance and relativisation of deviance, by using an anecote abou ..read more

Episode 10 sees Ben once again joined by his good pal, and fellow Sociology teacher - Leanne. This time around they take a whistle-stop tour of what students need to know in the Crime & Deviance topic at AQA A-Level Sociology. Amongst other things, they discuss some key theories of crime, the role of the media, gender and crime and globalisation. Additionally, if you took part in either of the 'world-class wednesday' quizzes on instagram recently, and you think you answered the questions correctly - give this episode a listen as you've got a shout out! Leanne is a Head of Sociology at a sc ..read more

Episode 9 of the Take1 podcast focuses on sociological theories on the role of religion in society. The podcast covers the views of Functionalists, Marxists, Feminists and Postmodernists. This one is particularly useful for anyone studying the Beliefs in Society topic at Sociology A-Level . Timecodes: Functionalism (Durkheim): 04:34 - 09:12  |  Functionalism (Bellah): 09:16 - 12:46  |  Marx: 12:52 - 18:52  |  Neo-Marxism (Bloch, Maduro): 19:03 - 20:18  |  Feminism (religious patriarchy): 21:12 - 25:16  |  Feminism (religious forms of feminism ..read more

Episode 8 of the Take1 podcast looks in depth at Weber's 'Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism', and examines the links Weber made between religion and social change.  The podcast covers the relevance of the study, how it can be explained simply (I hope!), some of the key terms associated with it (Calvinism, Pre-destination, Salvation Panic, Asceticism, a Vocation/Calling, This-Worldly Asceticism, Other-Worldly Asceticism, elective affinity, 'The Spirit of Capitalism' and 'the debate with the ghost of Marx'),  an analysis and evaluation of the book, and how you can apply som ..read more