James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2023

SY2022 - Family, Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Society

Subject Description

Family life, gender relations, and sexuality have been significant sites of concern, activism, and contestation for decades in Australia and internationally. For some, a greater diversity of family forms, changing relations between women and men, and an increasing tolerance of diverse sexualities have been signs of socio-cultural enlightenment. For others, the decline of the family, the erosion of traditional gender roles, and sexual permissiveness herald a more general unravelling of the social order. This subject places these differing perspectives in a sociological context and considers questions about what the changes mean for social justice, social cohesion, and the future of Australia.

Learning Outcomes

• interpret the major changes to family life, gender relations, and sexuality, including how society understands these concepts, in Australia
• appraise the sociological concepts and arguments that are used in the field of families, gender and sexualities
• employ sociological concepts and be able to critique real life representations of families, gender, and sexualities

Subject Assessment

• Written > Test/Quiz 1 - (40%) - Individual
• Participation > Online participation - (20%) - Individual
• Multi-stage essay - 10% abstract, 30% essay - (40%) - Individual

Note that minor variations might occur due to the continuous subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.

Inadmissible Subject Combinations:  AN2111 AN3111 SY3022

Availabilities