Humanities - Sociology
2229 SOCIOLOGY: PATTERNS OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
This unit provides an introduction to basic sociological concepts from a Christian perspective, and their use in understanding contemporary Australian society and the relationships between individuals in this society. Particular attention is given to the relationship between church and society. A selection of the following are addressed: the nature of sociology and sociological theories; gender issues; marriage and family – the debate over marriage, divorce and the family; gender, patriarchy and family roles; education – formal and informal, role in socialisation and social stratification; social institutions; religion; social control; technology and work; mass media; social stratification; leisure and recreation; multiculturalism; Aboriginal issues; social change; politics and power; globalisation and its consequences; and other topics of current sociological significance.
4274 CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
This unit provides an introduction to the discipline of cultural anthropology in a Christian context and will help the student to develop skills and perspectives to facilitate effective involvement in cross-cultural mission and ministry. Topics include most or all of the following: introduction to anthropology; the concept of culture – culture change, culture shock and reverse culture shock, three types of society, universals and differences, and cultural ecology; describing culture – methods of anthropological research and writing an ethnography; awareness of one’s own culture and personal cultural assumptions; basic concepts in anthropology – worldview, form, function, meaning, status and stratification; important topics in anthropology – life cycles and enculturation, acculturation, technology and the economy, kinship, marriage and family, language and non-verbal communication, political and social/community organisation and leadership, magic, science and religion; and application of anthropological principles to specific areas of mission, e.g. church-planting, missionary-national relationships, leadership development, understanding of the gospel and living in a culturally different society.
6341 FAMILY, MARRIAGE AND SOCIETY: HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL DIMENSIONS
This unit analyses and evaluates the historical roots of the modern family, the historical transition from the pre-modern to the modern family, the key functions and roles of the family and their ‘universality’, the conservative defence of the ‘traditional’ family, the influence of feminism on the family and society, the state as a third party to the marriage contract (Locke, Kant, Hegel), the state in relation to marriage and divorce, the ‘postmodern’ family and youth suicide, and, finally, marriage and family as ‘heterosexual’ institutions.
