Sociological Perspectives
Unit code: LSS201
| Credit points | 12.5 Credit Points |
| Duration | One Semester |
| Contact hours | 36 hours over the teaching period (normally 3 hours per week) |
| Campus | Lilydale |
| Prerequisites | Any two sociology units |
Related course(s)
Effective 2010, current student refer to unit outline
This is a prescribed unit of study in the Social Science Major/s. It may also be undertaken as a unit of study in any other Swinburne degree program, subject to the prerequisite and degree requirements.
Aims and objectives
This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of sociological theories and different forms of sociological explanation. It explores both historical and current traditions in sociology using contemporary case studies to ground sociological theories and concepts. The objective is for students to examine how differing sociological perspectives may inform or support practical outcomes, for example, formulating social policy and conducting sociological research. They also consider how values and ethics are implicated in social research, for example, in the choice of research problem and the outcomes; and in formulation of social policy.
Teaching methods
Units will be taught in a variety of modes including face to face, online, distance and blended modes. Delivery of this unit may be through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, laboratories, seminars and online.
Generic skills outcomes
LSS201 Sociological Perspectives will provide discipline-based knowledge and professional capabilities and experiences contributing to students’ progress in attaining skills such as:
• team working capacities developed via collaborative activities in tutorials
• communicating and negotiating on a plurality of views on complex social issues to support managing diversity constructively
• tackling unfamiliar problems and applying contrasting perspectives to real world social issues
• working independently on challenging assignments requiring research capabilities and critical thinking
• applying conceptual frameworks to evaluate current social and organisational issues; social policy formulation, and the role of values on decision making
Content
Topics and themes may include:
• The contribution of the Enlightenment and Counter-Enlightenment to the development of nineteenth and twentieth century sociological thought
• Changing Worldviews from the Middle Ages to Modernism and beyond
• The ideas of classical sociological theorists, such as Comte, Marx, Durkheim and Weber
• Contemporary sociological perspectives including Symbolic Interactionism, Structuration, Feminism and Postmodernism
• Recent challenges from post modernism to sociological paradigms of inquiry
Reading materials
Ashley, D. & Orenstein, D. 2001, Sociological theory: classical statements, Allyn and Bacon, Massachusetts.
Best, S. 2003, A beginner's guide to social theory, Sage, London.
Farganis, J. (Ed.) 2008, Readings in social theory, 5th edn, McGraw Hill, Boston.
Ritzer, G 1997, Postmodern social theory, McGraw Hill, New York.
Wallace, R. & Wolf, A 2006, Contemporary sociological theory: expanding the classical tradition, 6th edn, Pearson Education, New Jersey.
Zeitlin, I. 2001, Ideology and the development of sociological theory, 7th edn, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
