Course syllabus

 

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SOCIOL 101/G: Understanding Aotearoa New Zealand

SUMMER SCHOOL, 2018

15 points

 
Course Director: 

 Vivienne Elizabeth v.elizabeth@auckland.ac.nz 

 Teacher:

Jordan King jkin838@aucklanduni.ac.nz

Course outline:

Available under the 'files' tab

Course delivery format:

5 hours of lectures and 1 hour of tutorial per week

(Timetable and room details can be viewed on Student Services Online)

Tutorials commence during week two

 Summary of Course Description:              

This course provides an introduction to the sociological analysis of New Zealand society. We look at familiar events, institutions, social processes from a sociological point of view and offer ways to understand them in new and different ways. The course focuses on the structure of New Zealand society and on social and political changes that affect the lives of New Zealanders and shape their society.

This course invites you to think sociologically about life in Aotearoa New Zealand, asking you to think in possibly new and different ways about what it means to live here today. In particular, you will have an opportunity to explore the way in which your life and the lives of your family and friends are shaped by major axes of difference such as

  • Ethnicity
  • Gender
  • Sexuality
  • Class

Additionally, you will get to explore a number of current social debates, for example, about violence, punishment and the environment. We will use both written texts and audiovisual material to examine these matters.

Course structure

The course is organised around the following themes in order:

  • Introduction to sociology (Week 1)
  • Settler colonial foundations and Māori-Pākehā relations (Week 1-2)
  • Neoliberalism & class inequalities (Week 3)
  • Multiculturalism and new settler identities (Week 3-4)
  • Gender and sexuality (Week 4-5)
  • Contemporary social issues (Week 5-6)

Reading forms a central component of this course and you can buy the course textbook, A Land of Milk and Honey? from the UBS.

Learning outcomes

On the successful completion of this course you should:

  • Be able to define and apply a range of sociological concepts to the study of society
  • Be able to explain the sociological imagination and apply it to a range of social issues
  • Have a foundational sociological understanding of New Zealand society
  • Have developed skills in analysing sociological readings

 Assessment Summary:

Weighting of assignments and due dates if available, eg:

20% test in week 3

30% responsive reading assignment  due week 5

50% exam

Prescribed Texts:

A. Bell, V. Elizabeth, T. McIntosh & M. Wynyard (eds) 2017 A Land of Milk and Honey? Making Sense of Aotearoa New Zealand. Auckland University Press.

NB Required readings that are not in the textbook will be available through the Reading List in Canvas.

 Recommended Texts:

See the Course Outline for additional recommended readings.

 Workload and deadlines for submission of coursework:           

The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 20 hours per week on a 15-point Summer School course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material. You should submit your work on time. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, you may seek an extension but you may be required to provide supporting information before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension may be penalised by loss of marks – check course information for details.

Course summary:

Date Details Due