SY1001:03
Introduction to Sociology
Townsville, Cairns
26 lectures, 13 tutorials. First semester and flexible delivery.
Staff: Dr G Dawes and other staff (Townsville campus); Dr R Wilkinson and other staff (Cairns campus).
This subject examines the major social institutions such as education, work, family and the mass media within a context of profound social change. There are numerous social forces pulling individuals and groups in different and opposing directions. This subject introduces some of the key social forces shaping human behaviour.
Learning Objectives:
- discuss key social institutions such as education, work, family and mass media using sociological arguments and theories;
- discuss the impact of class, gender and ethnicity of individuals’ life chances in advanced industrial societies;
- understand key sociological concepts such as rationalisation (efficiency, quantification, predictability, control); how more and more aspects of everyday life are subjected to the forces of rationalisation and how individuals respond and resist the forces of rationalisation;
- develop a critical sociological perspective which allows you to situate contemporary society in a cultural and historical perspective and which will allow for a more meaningful understanding of how modern industrial societies operate.
Assessment by minor assignment (15%); tutorial work (15%); major assignment (30%); examination (40%).
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