Download Sociology 1 2017 Institutions inequality

A critical introduction to social
inequality and institutions
Lecturer: Michael Drewett
SOCIOLOGY I: 2ND TERM 2017
Department of Sociology
Rhodes University
Introduction
Welcome to this course! Having made it through the first course, you should have a good
understanding of what sociology is, and some of the issues which are important to
sociologists.
This course builds on the material covered in the previous course, so you will be expected to
apply your general understanding of sociology to the areas under scrutiny. The course covers
two important and inter-related areas of sociology: social inequality and social institutions.
Social inequality involves large scale inequality within society. In this course we will focus
on class inequality, global inequality, sexism and racism. All these forms of inequality are
manifest in and to varying degrees reproduced through social institutions which affect our
daily lives. For this reason social inequality and institutions will be studied in an integral
manner, whereby we look at each form of social inequality in conjunction with institutions
associated with it. We also consider the interrelationship between different forms of social
inequality. The institutions which will be included in this focus will be the state, the
workplace, education, family and media. One aspect of the course which must be stressed is
that no form of inequality or institution can be effectively studied in isolation. Society is a
hugely complex and fluid entity which is in a constant state of change, at times we need to
hold one or more variable constant in order to inspect a particular relationship (for example
between education and racism, or between advertising, racism and sexism). We do this,
however, with the knowledge that reality cannot be holistically summed-up by such practices.
You will notice, during the course, that no issue is left on the shelf once we have dealt with it.
Issues will keep reappearing as we move along - not only in this course, but throughout your
sociology career. For example, advertising is examined as a means to promoting capitalism,
but it also plays a part in ongoing sexism, racism and colonialism.
The issues covered in this course are both important and relevant to our understanding of our
society, and will be presented through a multi-media approach, incorporating lectures, videos,
the internet and printed material. It is hoped that you will respond by interacting in lectures,
providing lively debate on issues covered.
How to prepare for this course
A lecture structure is provided below. Each lecture has a title and accompanying reading. It is
in your interests to read the relevant reading prior to each lecture so that you come to the
lecture prepared and with some idea as to what the lecture will be about. It is useful to make a
note of any questions you would like to have answered, and ask these at the lecture, or
alternatively, to look out for answers during the lecture. After each lecture you might want to
go over the reading again to clarify any remaining areas of confusion. There are also many
general sociology library books relevant to the course. You are encouraged to browse the
shelves and dip into books when necessary.
Not only is reading prior to a lecture an important means of preparation, but it also allows
you to concentrate more on what the lecturer has to say, and less on taking notes. If you read
prior to the lecture you will realise that a lot of the things covered in the lectures are not new
to you, so you won’t have to write everything down. Rather, you will be able to jot down
important points, the structure of the lecture, examples and so on. Lectures are not to be used
entirely for taking down notes. Try to participate in the lecture as much as possible - not only
through asking questions, but by thinking about what is being said and jotting down areas
which interest or confuse you. You can then do further reading around these sections of the
work.
Given that lectures are based on a wide variety of readings, no single reading is able to
capture a lecture in its entirety: recommended readings do not mirror lectures. Sometimes the
recommended readings will include a lot of the lecture material, other times not. On occasion
additional readings will be referred to in lectures. You are advised to consult these when
necessary.
For the test and examination you are expected to know what has been covered in lectures but
you also need to provide evidence of reading relevant sociological material. You will be
rewarded for evidence of reading, especially independent reading of material not
recommended in the course outline. Just make sure that the readings you consult are from a
reliable sociological source such as a published book, a sociology department website or a
refereed journal article.
COMPULSORY READING
Callinicos, L. 1985. Gold and workers. Johannesburg: Ravan Press.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TEXT
Stewart, P. and Zaaiman, J. (eds). 2014. Sociology: A South African introduction. Cape
Town: Juta.
A CRITICAL APPROACH TO SOCIAL INEQUALITY AND INSTITUTIONS
LECTURE
TOPIC
READING
Part One: An introduction to social institutions
1
Introduction to the course
Part Two: Class inequality
Introduction to class: Marx
2
and Weber
3
4
5
6
7
Power and the state
The role of the state in
capitalist society: Pluralist
approach
The role of the state in
capitalist society: Marxist
approach
Legitimation and
advertising (the promotion
of capitalist social
relations)
Capitalism and advertising
No reading
Haralambos, M. and Holborn, M. 2008.
Sociology: Themes and Perspectives (7th ed.)
pp. 26-30. London: Collins.
Haralambos, M. and Holborn, M. 2008.
Sociology: Themes and Perspectives (7th ed.)
pp. 521-523. London: Collins.
Helliker, K. 2014. “Politics and governance” in
Stewart, P. and Zaaiman, J. (eds) Sociology: A
South African Introduction. pp. 349-350; 359361. Cape Town: Juta.
Haralambos, M. and Holborn, M. 2008.
Sociology: Themes and Perspectives (7th ed.)
pp. 536-537. London: Collins.
Miliband, R. 1973. The State in Capitalist
Society. pp. 189-195. London: Quartet Books.
Miliband, R. 1991. Divided Societies. pp. 145150. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
No reading.
Part Three: Global inequality
8
9
Imperialism: capitalist
expansion
Cultural assimilation and
cultural struggle (in Africa)
10
Colonialism in South
Africa
11
Capitalism and education:
Functionalism and
Marxism
12
13
Capitalism and education:
Interactionism
Capitalism, colonialism
and education
MacEwan, A. 1972. “Capital expansion,
ideology and intervention” in Edwards, R. et. al.
(ed). The Capitalist System. New Jersey:
Prentice- Hall.
Szymanski, A. 1979. “Capital accumulation on
a world scale and the necessity of imperialism”
in Quinney, R. (ed.) Capitalist Society.
Illinois: Dorsey Press.
Biko, S. 1988. I Write What I Like. pp. 115119.London: Penguin.
Cabral, A. 1972. “Culture, colonization, and
national liberation” in de Bragança, A. and
Wallerstein, I. (eds.) The African Liberation
Reader 1. London: Zed Press.
Callinicos, L. 1985. Gold and Workers.
Johannesburg: Ravan Press.
Miles, R. 1987. Capitalism and Unfree labour.
Chapter 6. London: Tavistock.
Rugunanan, P. 2014. “Education” in Stewart, P.
and Zaaiman, J. (eds) Sociology: A South
African Introduction. pp. 249-250. Cape Town:
Juta.
Haralambos, M. and Holborn, M. 2008.
Sociology: Themes and Perspectives (7th ed.)
pp. 602-605. London: Collins.
Carnoy, M. 1974. Education as Cultural
Imperialism. pp.15-20; 69-72. New York:
Longman.
Part three: Sexism
14
Theoretical approaches to
women’s oppression - a
brief overview
Rabe, M. 2014.”Gender” in Stewart, P. and
Zaaiman, J. (eds) Sociology: A South African
Introduction. pp. 158-163. Cape Town: Juta.
15
Women’s oppression: the
family and the workplace
16
Sexism in the media
Rabe, M. 2014.”Family and households” in
Stewart, P. and Zaaiman, J. (eds) Sociology: A
South African Introduction. pp. 227-231. Cape
Town: Juta.
Andersen, M. 1997. Thinking About Women
(4th ed.) pp.55-61.Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Hattingh, M. 2016. I’m the Girl Who Was
Raped. Chapters 2 & 3; pp.140-144; 190-191.
Cape Town: Modjaji.
17
18
Social institutions and
sexual violence
Sexism in the media
Richardson, L. 1988. The Dynamics of Sex and
Gender (3rd ed.). Chapter 5. New York: Harper
Collins.
Part five: Racism
19
20
Introduction to race and
racism
Racism and colonialism
23
Racism in South Africa:
the race-class debate
24
Racism and education in
South Africa
25
Race and class in post1994 South Africa
Greenstein, R. 2014. “Race” in Stewart, P. and
Zaaiman, J. (eds) Sociology: A South African
Introduction. pp. 173-180. Cape Town: Juta.
Greenstein, R. 2014. “Race” in Stewart, P. and
Zaaiman, J. (eds) Sociology: A South African
Introduction. pp. 180-183. Cape Town: Juta.
Funde, E. 1987. “Racial inequality in South
Africa” in Jennett, C. And Stewart, R. (eds.)
Three Worlds of Inequality. Melbourne:
Macmillan.
Rugunanan, P. 2014. “Education” in Stewart, P.
and Zaaiman, J. (eds) Sociology: A South
African Introduction. pp. 249-250; 253-265.
Cape Town: Juta.
Christie, P. 1991. The Right to Learn. (2nd ed.).
Chapters 2, 8. Johannesburg: Ravan Press.
Greenstein, R. 2014. “Race” in Stewart, P. and
Zaaiman, J. (eds) Sociology: A South African
Introduction. pp. 183-192. Cape Town: Juta.
Assessment for this course
CLASS TEST
The form of assessment is a 45-minute class test which will take place on Monday the 8th
May at 19h00 in the two Barratt Lecture Theatres (Students with surnames A-M in Lectures
Theatre 1 and N-Z in Lecture Theatre 2). You must be seated ten minutes before the test
begins (at 18h50). You will need to write one essay during this time (out of a choice of three
questions). All work covered in the course up to and including Lecture Topic 13 must be
included in your test preparation.
Your June examination for this section will include a 45-minute essay answer in the same
format as this test. This test will thus provide you with a clear indication as to how well you
cope with an examination-type situation. Put a lot of effort into preparing for the test so that
you can learn as much as possible from the experience. (There will also be a short-answer
section in the June examination). This test will constitute 100% of the term mark.
NB: June Exam.
The June exam is a write-off. This means that you will be examined on the first and second
term’s work in the exam and will not be examined on the same material again this year.
Tutorials
There will be three tutorials this term – in the weeks of the 8th May, 15th May and 22nd May.
A separate tutorial handout will follow.