SOCS201 - Social Justice and the New Economy

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Incompatible

SOCS301 Social Justice and Economy

Unit rationale, description and aim

Sociologists provide key data and research on issues such as justice and injustice in global, national and local contexts. In doing so sociology highlights systemic dimensions of inequality. This unit examines the significance of economic considerations in realizing the goals of social justice, and in particular how inequalities of economic participation and control impact the current patterns of social inequality. The unit thus considers how the economic system, its operations and consequences, contributes to the causes of social inequality. Structures of ownership, corporatization, employment and education not only have social consequences but may provide opportunities for affecting changes in the social generation of inequality that will also be considered in the unit. The aim of the unit is to explore how social justice may be considered as a policy goal containing or correcting economic inequality and in doing so protecting both basic rights and human dignity for all.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the social justice implications of economic inequality (GA1, GA4, GA5) 

LO2 - Identify different sociological approaches and perspectives that apply to the general problem of social justice and the economy (GA4, GA6, GA8) 

LO3 - Communicate sociological concepts and perspectives relevant to social justice and the economy clearly through written and/or oral forms (GA8, GA9, GA10) 

LO4 - Apply sociological theories, concepts, and evidence to the analysis of the nature and cause of social and economic inequality and disruptions of social justice (GA3, GA4, GA5, GA6) 

LO5 - Construct sociologically based options that can be applied to social and economic inequality using sociological theories and empirical evidence (GA1, GA2, GA3, GA6) 

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity 

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA3 - apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will include: 

• The extent and nature of poverty and economic inequality on a global and local scale 
• Analysis of theories and causes of economic inequality   
• How the unequal distribution of wealth and life chances are related to social justice and human rights 
• Analysis of concepts, measurements, and definitions of poverty and their implications on social policy 
• Solutions to economic inequality including social policy options and community development strategies  
• The connections between the economic system, work, education, and the reproduction of inequality  
• Modern-day human slavery and approaches to its elimination 
• The meaning and nature of work through different historical and cultural contexts 
• Post Industrial society, neoliberalism, and the future of social justice  

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Attendance or Multimode: 

The unit’s learning and teaching strategy is based on the delivery of lectures and student participation in tutorials. Lectures provide students with expert knowledge of unit material organized in terms of theoretical approaches, case material and problem solving. Lectures provide students with opportunities to learn relevant theoretical approaches and case material in order to enhance their reflections on the topic and subject matter and independently seek additional readings and other sources. Tutorials provide students with opportunities for active participation in learning through discussion and debate, preparing and delivering oral presentations and raising questions directed to further exploration of topics. 

This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. 

Online: 

The unit’s learning and teaching strategy when taught online is based on online lecture material to provide students with expert knowledge of unit material organized in terms of theoretical approaches, case material and problem solving. Lectures provide students with opportunities to learn relevant theoretical approaches and case material in order to enhance their reflections on the topic and subject matter and independently seek additional readings and other sources. Online materials provide additional information, case studies, relevant to the unit. Online learning activities provide students with opportunities for active participation in learning through discussion and debate, preparing and delivering oral presentations online and raising questions directed to further exploration of topics. 

This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total across the semester. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, students will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

Assessment tasks for the unit are designed to encourage and contribute to student learning and at the same time to ascertain the success of the learning process. Assessments are designed to meet unit learning outcomes and encourage development of graduate outcomes. A variety of tasks are undertaken by students enrolled in the unit in order to develop skills appropriate to a second-year study in sociology. The first assessment requires students to critically analyse social justice campaigns and policy. The second assessment is a research task where students will investigate a topic in more depth. The final assessment will be an evidence-based assignment that explores a social issue and relevant policy approaches.  

Overview of assessments

Attendance or Multimode ;

*Equivalent tasks may also be used  

Online 

*Equivalent tasks may also be used  

Representative texts and references

Aspers, P. & Dodd, N. (2015). Re-Imagining Economic Sociology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

Boushey, H. et al. (2017). After Piketty: The Agenda for Economics and Inequality. Harvard University Press. 

Lindsey, B. & Teles, S.M. (2017). The Captured Economy: How the Powerful Enrich Themselves, Slow Down Growth, and Increase Inequality. Oxford University Press. 

Milanovic, B. (2016). Global Inequality: A New Approach for the Age of Globalization. Harvard University Press. 

Payne, K. (2017). The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Affects the Way we Think, Live and Die. New York: Penguin. 

Piketty, T. (2017). Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Harvard University Press. 

Royce, E. (2015). Poverty and Power: The Problem of Structural Inequality. New York: Rowman & Littlefield. 

Stilwell, F., & Jordan, K. (2007). Who Gets What? Analysing Economic Inequality in Australia. Cambridge University Press.   

Wacquant, L (2008) Urban Outcasts. Polity Press