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Sociology students learn about the reality behind the ‘Big Brother society’

With Celebrity Big Brother making a return to our screens, this week seemed like an ideal time to remind students of where the concept of the show originates, with a guest lecture on surveillance from Dr David Gately of Staffordshire University.

“Without surveillance, society would collapse”, said Dr Gately, emphasising its importance to a group of AS and A2 Sociology students.

The lecture discussed the ways in which we are surveyed on a daily basis, from supermarkets keeping a track of our purchases using loyalty cards in order to send us tailored special offers in the post, to the use of CCTV. During the session, students impressed Dr Gately by citing lines from George Orwell’s 1984.

Lydia Sykes, an A2 Sociology student said; “It was really informative. We covered how we are monitored even before we’re born. It’s quite scary.”

The talk also looked into the future at what the students could study at university and how Sociology degrees can lead to prosperous careers. Ruth Hodgetts and Rebecca Lacey both attended the talk. “It was useful to know what the options are for university”, they commented. Rebecca added; “I was looking at doing Psychology when I left the Sixth Form College but now I’m considering Sociology.

Curriculum Manager for Sociology Sarah Mills, was pleased with how the talk went. “The students were really interested in the subject. We’re looking to build good links within this subject area with higher education institutions.”

The talk ended with a practical activity which looked a case study of a day in the life of a fictional character, looking at how frequently they were observed and recorded. Students worked in groups and discussed the eye opening findings.