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).
In the last decade some emergent social and cultural trends have surfaced in advanced industrial societies. These trends include globalisation and rationalisation and together they have produced feelings of dislocation in urban and regional communities. Many people no longer feel that they are in control of their lives nor do they feel they understand the larger social and cultural changes taking place. Introduction to Sociology offers a way of understanding these changes as part of a historic process and considers social, cultural, technological and economic forces acting on individuals, groups and communities. The subject is aimed at providing a basis in the key areas of sociological thought in order to encourage students to pursue other subjects of the discipline in subsequent years.
Learning Objectives:
- discuss alternative models of advanced societies and their applicability;
- examine social change within key social institutions such as work, education, family, mass media;
- consider alternative ways of understanding social change and the appropriateness of alternative models;
- develop appropriate personal and group skills required by ever-changing work organisations;
- develop an ability to critically analyse social issues from a sociological perspective.
Assessment by minor assignment (15%); tutorial work (15%); major assignment (30%); examination (40%).