Year
2020
Units
4.5
Contact
1 x 2-hour workshop weekly
Prerequisites
1 1 first year topic in American Studies
1a 1 first year topic in Development Studies
1b 1 first year topic in Asian Studies
1c 1 first year topic in History
1d 1 first year topic in International Relations
1e 1 first year topic in Political Studies
1f 1 first year topic in Sociology
1g 1 first year topic in 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)))
Enrolment not permitted
1 of SOCI2019, SOCI3037 has been successfully completed
Course context
Associated majors: Sociology; Development Studies
Topic description
Two of the most widely studied issues in the discipline of sociology have been modernity and globalization. These issues have been at the centre of much debate in contemporary social thought both within the academic setting and in the society at large. Economic globalization represents a single most powerful social force that is reshaping the lives of all people around the globe at unprecedented pace. This topic attempts to find out how global economic processes influence social change on a global, national, and local levels.

The first part of the topic focuses on modernisation and its consequences'. It covers the classical foundations of modernity as well as critiques of its shortcomings. Also included in this section is an exploration of postmodern thought and its relationship to modernism. For the second part of the topic, attention is shifted onto globalisation. A range of modern social problems and issues including development, economic inequality, and environmental degradation are examined using economic globalization as explanatory framework.

This topic will engage with a myriad of different authors who span across many different disciplines and time periods. Thus, students will have the opportunity to read the work(s) of Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, Sigmund Freud, Anthony Giddens, Immanuel Wallerstein, Charles Lemert, Nancy Fraser, David Held, Hardt and Negri, and others.
Educational aims
This topic introduces students to two main concepts which have been at the heart of much debate in the discipline of sociology and more broadly in the social sciences: modernity and globalization. Knowledge gained from this topic therefore will help students grasp some of the key issues which confront individuals today. As students will have the opportunity to read some of the main influential classical and contemporary works in sociology, this topic will be of great value for those wishing to pursue advanced study in the social sciences. However, the analytical skills gained in this course will also help students prepare for successful careers in the rapidly changing economic landscape of the 21-century.
Expected learning outcomes
On successful completion of this topic students should be able to:
  • Summarize the central arguments and themes from contemporary social theory on the themes of modernity and globalization
  • Critically interpret key sociological texts
  • Apply the themes, concepts and arguments of social theory to personal life and that of others in a balanced and critical manner
  • Interpret different (and sometimes opposing) intellectual and moral positions
  • Develop important research skills via electronic and non-electronic means
  • Design sociological research based on the knowledge attained in the topic
  • Use appropriate academic referencing conventions and language