ISSUES IN SOCIAL THEORY AND RESEARCH: MARGINALITY, NEOLIBERALISM AND THE STATE

SOC4COR

2021

Credit points: 30

Subject outline

In this subject you will closely read an ethnography: Bourgois & Schonberg's Righteous Dopefiend (2009); a gritty urban monograph dealing with a community of marginalized and disenfranchised homeless addicts in San Francisco. Bourgois & Schonberg take the particular insights of their ethnographic field and use them to illuminate the larger issues of race, class, gender, femininity, masculinity, violence, humour, sadness, criminality and morality. Their work is also an example of a critically applied social science, in that the authors sought to influence policy in relation to health service delivery for homeless addicts. In exploring such themes Bourgois & Schonberg's work dissolves the putative divide between anthropology, sociology and development studies, and gives us concrete examples of some of the big-ticket concepts that you will be tackling throughout your Honours year.

SchoolHumanities and Social Sciences

Credit points30

Subject Co-ordinatorAnthony Moran

Available to Study Abroad/Exchange StudentsNo

Subject year levelYear Level 4 - UG/Hons/1st Yr PG

Available as ElectiveNo

Learning ActivitiesSeminar activities including small group discussions, annotated bibliography, readings, small group presentations and essay.

Capstone subjectNo

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites Acceptance by Honours convenors of application to enrol in the Sociology and Anthropology honours program

Co-requisitesN/A

Incompatible subjectsN/A

Equivalent subjectsN/A

Quota Management StrategyN/A

Quota-conditions or rulesN/A

Special conditionsCore subject for Sociology students and students undertaking joint Honours degrees that include Sociology

Minimum credit point requirementN/A

Assumed knowledgeN/A

Career Ready

Career-focusedNo

Work-based learningNo

Self sourced or Uni sourcedN/A

Entire subject or partial subjectN/A

Total hours/days requiredN/A

Location of WBL activity (region)N/A

WBL addtional requirementsN/A

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

Graduate Capabilities

COMMUNICATION - Communicating and Influencing
COMMUNICATION - Cultural Intelligence and Global Perspective
DISCIPLINE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Creativity and Innovation
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
INQUIRY AND ANALYSIS - Research and Evidence-Based Inquiry
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Adaptability and Self-Management
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Ethical and Social Responsibility
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL - Leadership and Teamwork

Intended Learning Outcomes

01. Demonstrate advanced writing and critical thinking skills
02. Demonstrate high level engagement with social theory for the social sciences

Subject options

Select to view your study options…

Start date between: and    Key dates

Melbourne (Bundoora), 2021, Semester 1, Blended

Overview

Online enrolmentYes

Maximum enrolment sizeN/A

Subject Instance Co-ordinatorAnthony Moran

Class requirements

SeminarWeek: 10 - 22
One 3.00 hours seminar per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via blended.
We require a room at Bundoora campus with video-conferencing, to accommodate regional students.

Assessments

Assessment elementCommentsCategoryContributionHurdle% ILO*

Oral presentation (2000 word equivalent)

N/AOral presentationIndividualNo25 SILO1, SILO2

One 1,500-word annotated bibliography

N/AOtherIndividualNo15 SILO1, SILO2

One 5,000-word essay

N/AAssignmentIndividualNo60 SILO1, SILO2