Credit Points 10

Coordinator Wayne Plumridge Opens in new window

Description This subject explores various relevant theories, narratives and concepts that underpin social scientific scholarship. Students will gain critical insight into ideas such as identity, culture, structures of inequality and difference (e.g. such as gender, race, class, sexuality), and their intersections. With a focus on contemporary social life, the subject provides opportunity for students to consider current social issues and various macro and micro forces impacting social change on a social and spatial level. By exploring a range of key theories and concepts in the social sciences, students will gain knowledge and skills in how to analyse our social world – the world in which they will be working in the future as professionals – and thereby be in a position to more fully comprehend the world around them, its issues, problems, inequalities and injustices that they will be working with. The subject will prepare students with a range of skills relevant to scholarship in the social sciences, such as critical reading, sociological theorisation and analysis, as well as statistical and spatial literacy.

School Western Sydney The College

Discipline Sociology

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 4 10cp

Check your fees via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 1 subject

Restrictions

Students must be enrolled in an existing Diploma program at WSTC.

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this subject, students will be able to: 

1. Understand theories of culture, identity, difference and power.
2. Describe the concept of intersectionality and its application in contemporary Australian society.
3. Identify the social and spatial contexts of diversity and difference in Australia.
4. Recognise the impacts of global forces (such as globalisation and environmental change) on people, place and society.
5. Utilise primary and secondary data to observe patterns of diversity and difference over time and space.
6. Apply key concepts to contemporary case studies. 

Subject Content

1. Concepts of culture, cultural difference and identity
2. Social stratification, inequality, polarisation and power
3. Intersectionality
4. Historical and social contexts of diversity and difference in Australia
5. Social and spatial impact of diversity and difference on people
6. Global and local impact of globalisation and environmental change
7. Alternatives: Good practice, policy and research on working with diverse contexts