SOCI101 Sociology of New Zealand Society

An introduction to core concepts in sociology, dealing in particular with class, gender and race/ethnicity.

SOCI 101 will provide an introduction to key concepts in sociology and apply them to case studies in New Zealand society. The paper concentrates on issues of race/ethnicity, gender and class in New Zealand society. Additionally, SOCI 101 is set up to act as an introduction to the academic skills required for studying sociology at university level.

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Schedule C

Arts and Music,

Eligibility

Suitable for undergraduate students interested in the study of society and identity

Contact

sgsw@otago.ac.nz

More information link

View more information on the Department of Sociology, Gender and Social Work's website

Teaching staff

Course Co-ordinator: Dr Lesley Procter

Teaching Arrangements

This paper is 100% internally assessed.

Textbooks

Procter, L. (2007). Class, Ethnicity and Gender: A Sociological Primer for the Beginning Student. Pearson Education.

Course outline

A course outline will be made available at the start of the teaching semester.

Graduate Attributes Emphasised

Scholarship, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Information literacy.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.

Learning Outcomes

Objective 1: By the end of the paper students will understand the processes involved in individual socialisation:

• Be able to demonstrate understanding of the socially constructed nature of categories such as class, gender and race
• Be able to differentiate between the mechanisms of social (structure) and personal (agency)
• Be able to identify the tensions between social (structure) and personal (agency)

Objective 2: By the end of the paper students will be able to identify conservative and critical approaches to categories such as class, gender and race:

• Be able to identify their own personal position on a continuum between conservative and critical approaches

Objective 3: At the completion of this paper students will have achieved the following objectives outlined in the Australian and New Zealand Information Literacy Standards at an elementary or intermediary level:

• To recognise the need for information and determine the nature and extent of the information needed
• To find needed information effectively and efficiently
• To critically evaluate information and the information seeking process
• To manage information collected or generated
• To apply prior and new information to construct new concepts or create new understandings

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