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SOC1003 Identity, Inequality and Social Justice

Semester 1, 2023 Online
Units : 1
School or Department : School of Humanities & Communication
Grading basis : Graded
Course fee schedule : /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules

Staffing

Course Coordinator:

Requisites

Enrolment is not permitted in SOC1003 if SOC2000 has been previously completed

Overview

The purpose of this course is to address the questions that are widely recognised as central to a social scientific university education, namely what sort of inequalities exist within modern society, why they persist, and how they are ‘internalised’ within individual human beings. It therefore deepens the social scientific understanding that students will have gained from previous social science courses

This course will provide students with the opportunity to examine: the philosophical underpinnings of the concept of social justice; inequalities of social class through the lens of classical sociological theory; the need for an integrated analysis of class, gender and ethnicity; and the role of identity politics in the present day in challenging inequalities. Case studies may include migration and cultural diversity in Australia, inequalities in the criminal justice system, the role of the mass media, and the development of neo-nationalism. Students are encouraged to develop their own perspectives on these issues, while maintaining a critical reflexivity.

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course students should be able to demonstrate:

  1. analyse the philosophical underpinnings of the concept of social justice and sociological perspectives on inequalities of class, gender and ethnicity;
  2. critically examine the role of identity politics in contemporary society;
  3. apply sociological, philosophical and interdisciplinary perspectives to selected case studies of contemporary inequality, both in Australia and more widely;
  4. apply intermediate level library and information-retrieval skills, including an ability to identify sources on a given topic independently.

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. Theorising social justice 20.00
2. Identity and identity politics 20.00
3. Sociology of inequality: classical and contemporary 20.00
4. Selected issues in society 40.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

There are no texts or materials required for this course.

Student workload expectations

To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.

Assessment details

Approach Type Description Group
Assessment
Weighting (%) Course learning outcomes
Assignments Written Quiz No 10 1,3,4
Assignments Written Problem Solving No 20 2,3,4
Assignments Written Essay 1 No 30 1,2,3,4
Assignments Written Essay 2 No 40 1,2,3,4
Date printed 9 February 2024