SY2022 - Family, Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Society

[Offered in odd-numbered years]

Family life, gender relations, and sexuality have been significant sites of concern, activism, and contestation for decades in Australia and internationally. For some, a greater diversity of family forms, changing relations between women and men, and an increasing tolerance of diverse sexualities have been signs of socio-cultural enlightenment. For others, the decline of the family, the erosion of traditional gender roles, and sexual permissiveness herald a more general unravelling of the social order. This subject places these differing perspectives in a sociological context and considers questions about what the changes mean for social justice, social cohesion, and the future of Australia.

Learning Outcomes

• interpret the major changes to family life, gender relations, and sexuality, including how society understands these concepts, in Australia;
• appraise the sociological concepts and arguments that are used in the field of families, gender and sexualities;
• employ sociological concepts and be able to critique real life representations of families, gender, and sexualities.

Subject Assessment

• other exams (40%)
• multidraft Essays (40%)
• assignments (20%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.