Overview

The world is becoming increasingly simultaneously interconnected and locally specific. We travel the world, , purchase goods online from anywhere, and consume global news. Yet we also see the rise of localised identity politics through political movements such as One Nation in Australia and ISIS in the Middle East. This unit introduces students to sociological enquiry through analysis of the tensions between identity politics on the one hand and globalisation on the other. We explore core sociological debates such as that between structure and agency, and we learn about sociological concepts such as class, gender and racism.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Explain a basic understanding of sociological concepts
  • Apply sociological concepts to practical, contemporary social contexts
  • Critically reflect on scholarly sources
  • Communicate sociological ideas in written form
  • Communicate sociological ideas in spoken form

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Lecture		1.00 12 weeks 12
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Tutorial		2.00 12 weeks 24
Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Readings		9.18 11 weeks 101
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Individual Study		1.08 12 weeks 13
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
EssayIndividual 50% 1,2 
Literature ReviewIndividual 40% 1,3,4 
PresentationGroup 10% 2,5 

Content

  • Poverty, nationalism, class identity and mobility
  • ‘Race’, ethnicity and cultural identity
  • Gender, sexuality and identity politics
  • Religion as practice and as social movement
  • The rise of populist politics

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.