Course syllabus
Sociology 222: Families, Labour and Love (15 points)
Lecturer: Moeata Keil
Lecture time: Friday 3-5pm in 102-G36 (Old Govt Hse, Room G36)
Super-tutorial time: Thursday 4-5pm in 303-102 (Sci Maths & Physics, Room 102)
Office hours: Friday 1-3pm (or by appointment) in HSB 936
Email: moeata.keil@auckland.ac.nz
Course Description
To what extent do we create our intimate relationships and family life from our own ideals and personal choices? How do labour market trends, policy changes, new ideas and technologies, public discourse and media representations influence our personal decisions and relationships? We answer these questions through an analysis of empirical research and theories relating to finding a partner, making a commitment, having children, dividing our household labour, and getting along or breaking up. The course focuses on the New Zealand context, but research from other liberal welfare states will be used and cross-national comparisons will continually be made.
Learning Goals
- To learn how personal choices about intimate relationships are shaped by socio-economic circumstances and changes in the wider society.
- To discover how families and relationships in New Zealand differ from those in similar countries (e.g. other liberal welfare states, like Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom).
- To learn to write well-researched, clearly-argued and scholarly papers using sociological theories and research findings about family practices and family patterns.
- To learn to distinguish between misconceptions or myths about personal life and actual research findings
Lecture Topics
Lecture 1: Introduction to the Course
Lecture 2: Conceptualising Families
Lecture 3: Family Trends in New Zealand
Lecture 4: Forming Relationships
Lecture 5: In-class term test
Lecture 6: Cohabitation and Legal Marriage:
Lecture 7: Reproduction and Childhood
Lecture 8: Unpaid Work in the Home
Lecture 9: Families and the Labour Force
Lecture 10: Separation, Divorce and Repartnering
Lecture 11: Family Violence
Lecture 12: The Future of Family Life and Exam Preparation
See Modules for further information and resources relating to weekly lecture topics.
Readings
Required readings for this course have been collated into a Course Reader that is available for purchase from the University Bookshop at a nominal price.
You are also able to access all essential readings through Talis (see the Reading Lists tab on the left)
Recommended Textbook: Baker, Maureen. (2010 or 2014). Choices and constraints in family life (2nd or 3rd edition). Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press.
Additional Readings: additional readings are provided for each lecture, with the full bibliographic details provided in Course Outline.
Workload
As with other 15-point courses, you are expected to spend at least 10 hours per week on this course. You should attend one two hour lecture and a one hour super-tutorial each week. This leaves 7 hours per week outside the classroom to study for tutorials, assignments and the exam. You should manage your academic workload and other commitments accordingly.
Assessments
(for more in-depth information see the Course Outline)
1. In-class Test (worth 20%)
The term test will take place in lecture on Week 5, Friday 25th August, 2017
2. Research Essay 2000 words (worth 30%)
Drawing on appropriate academic sources, prepare a research essay on one of the assigned questions (to be distributed in tutorial in Week 6, Thursday 31st August, 2017.
The research essay is due by 3pm on Friday 6th October.
3. Final examination 50%
A description of the final exam will be provided in class on Week 12 (note: previous years examinations provide a useful guide for what to expect)
Course summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
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