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Unit Summary
Unit type
UG Coursework Unit
Credit points
12
AQF level
Level of learning
Intermediate
Former School/College
Pre-requisites
SOC00118 - Introduction to Sociology AND 36 credit points in any SCU units
Unit aim
Explores notions of globalisation and social inequality by using a variety of sociological theories, and to question the structures that maintain those inequalities. Specific inequalities such as the distribution of wealth and problems surrounding age, gender and religion are examined, as are policies designed to produce social change.
Unit content
Module 1: Introduction
Topic 1. Introduction to social inequality
Topic 2. The structural basis of inequality
Topic 3. Globalisation
Module 2: Issues and theories
Topic 4. Inequality within nations I: Poverty, social exclusion and the welfare state in Australia
Topic 5. Theoretical approaches I: Marx
Topic 6. Inequality between nations I: Poverty in the developing world and the international division of labour
Topic 7. Theoretical approaches II: Weber and multidimensionalists
Topic 8. Inequality with nations II: People flows within nations
Topic 9. Theoretical approaches III: Theories of gender and race/ethnicity
Topic 10. Inequality between nations II: Migration
Topic 11. Theoretical approaches IV: Citizenship and rights
Learning outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.
| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | GA1 | GA2 | GA3 | GA4 | GA5 | GA6 | GA7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | cite evidence of social inequality in Australia and elsewhere | |||||||
| 2 | evaluate different theoretical perspectives relevant to the study of social inequality | |||||||
| 3 | understand the nature of structures that maintain inequalities | |||||||
| 4 | identify key areas of inequality | |||||||
| 5 | critically assess the problem of poverty in a globalised society | |||||||
| 6 | critique and justify movements and policies designed to redress inequality. | |||||||
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
-
cite evidence of social inequality in Australia and elsewhere
- GA4:
-
evaluate different theoretical perspectives relevant to the study of social inequality
- GA2:
-
understand the nature of structures that maintain inequalities
- GA4:
-
identify key areas of inequality
- GA4:
-
critically assess the problem of poverty in a globalised society
- GA1:
- GA2:
-
critique and justify movements and policies designed to redress inequality.
- GA1:
- GA2:
Prescribed texts
- The book is out of print, but the SCU Library provides a free ebook version: Grabb, EG, 2007, Theories of Social Inequality, 5th edn, Thomson Nelson, Canada. ISBN: ISBN 0 17 641666 8.