SOCI2026 Contemporary Social Problems

2020

4.5

1 x 3-hour seminar weekly

1 1 first year topic in American Studies
1a 1 first year topic in Development Studies
1b 1 first year topic in History
1c 1 first year topic in Asian Studies
1d 1 first year topic in International Relations
1e 1 first year topic in Political Studies
1f 1 first year topic in Sociology
1g Social Admin & Social Work
1h 1 first year topic in Women's Studies
2 EDUC1120 - Teaching and Educational Contexts
2a DRAM1002 - Drama 1B: Bodies of Work
2b SCME1001 - Media and Society
2c SCME1002 - Convergence Cultures
2d ENGL1101 - Approaches to Literature
2e JUSS1000 - An Introduction to Justice and Society
2f LEGL1101 - Australian Justice System
2g LEGL1102 - Contentious Justice Issues
2h CRIM1101 - Crime and Criminology
2i CRIM1102 - Criminal Justice System
2j PSYC1101 - Psychology 1A
2k PSYC1102 - Psychology 1B
2l DSRS1201 - Perspectives on Disability and Rehabilitation
2m DSRS1209 - Human Diversity
2n HLTH1003 - Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Care
2o ENVH1702 - Our Environment, Our Health
2p HLPE1541 - Social Determinants of Health
2q NURS1003 - Psychosocial Perspectives of Health Care
2r LEGL1201 - Law in Australian Society
Must Satisfy: (((1 or 1a or 1b or 1c or 1d or 1e or 1f or 1g or 1h)) or ((2 or 2a or 2b or 2c or 2d or 2e or 2f or 2g or 2h or 2i or 2j or 2k or 2l or 2m or 2n or 2o or 2p or 2q or 2r)))

1 of SOCI3010, SOCI3031 has been successfully completed

Students should be aware that third level sociology topics assume that they have attained knowledge and skills from first and second level offerings.

Associated majors: Sociology

This topic interrogates how and why social issues are defined or ignored as social problems, and the social and economic implications of these definitions. It explores these processes across multiple social sites including families, policy, law and the media.

This topic aims to equip students with the data, concepts and theories that assist in understanding how and why contemporary social issues are defined or ignored as social problems. It also aims to encourage students to think critically about the implications of legal, media, policy and practice responses to these issues.

On completion of this topic, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Explain how and why specific social issues are defined and managed as social problems using sociological theories and concepts

2. Analyse how definitions of social problems are shaped by media, law and social policy and practice

3. Evaluate the effectiveness of legal, policy and practice responses to social problems.