Constructions of Childhood, the Family and Society
|Course code SOCA1040||Units 10||Level 1000||Faculty of Education and ArtsSchool of Humanities and Social Science|
The course provides an introduction to the study of children and families within a social and political context. The course encourages a critical perspective by examining debates about the historical and sociocultural constructions of childhood in relation to families. The diversity of family forms in contemporary Australia will be examined in the context of class, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity. There will be a particular focus on how those constructions impact upon young children and how young children understand them. An analysis of the role of the family in liberal democracy and the policing of families will form the foundation for a critical understanding of current policy debates.
Available in 2014
|Objectives||On successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate:|
1. An understanding of a sociological approach to children in Australian families.
2. Ability to understand the complexity and diversity of family life in Australia.
3. Ability to analyse and deal critically with different viewpoints on family policy, especially concerning child protection issues.
4. Skills in writing an academic essay, reading critically and doing research.
|Content||1. The history of the family and childhood.|
2. Sociological theories of the family.
3. Families in multicultural Australia and Aboriginal families.
4. Family types, sexualities and the construction of gender.
5. Gender, power and the family in Australia.
6. Children, risk and child protection.
7. The family, social policy and the nation state.
|Replacing Course(s)||Not applicable.|
|Transition||Students who have completed SOCA3165 are not eligible to enrol in this course.|
|Modes of Delivery||Internal Mode|
|Contact Hours||Tutorial: for 1 hour(s) per Week for Full Term|
Lecture: for 1 hour(s) per Week for Full Term
|Timetables||2014 Course Timetables for SOCA1040|