This unit will critically examine sociological perspectives on the family, building on the approaches and theories introduced in first year. The familiarity of family life will be thrown into question and students will be asked to examine their beliefs, decode the meaning, and discard the myths of the 'naturalness' of family life. The family will be viewed as part of the wider social structure, its constitution shaped by history, economic factors, and cultural systems. The unit will primarily focus on Australia, but we will also consider material from other Western and non-Western societies in order to demonstrate the historical specificity of the nuclear family and the many different forms of the family as they occur in different cultural contexts.

The Sociology of Medicine and Health Care starts from the basic premise that illness and health are social as well as biological processes. Traditional areas of the discipline are explored and in each case their applicability ot publich health is stressed. At the same time, an important goal is to suggest how that field is being redefined and reinvigorated by social and cultural studies of science and technology. The theoretical perspectives and substantive issues raised and developed to study them are critically examined. The provision and organisation of health care are examined with emphasis on the social and political context in which public health is pursued and ill health treated within Australia.

Using contemporary and historical sociological accounts of migration and ethnicity, this unit analyses the social, cultural and economic impact of international migration, with specific reference to Australia. It further introduces students to major sociological issues, both theoretical and empirical, relating to the construction of migrant groups within settler societies. Key concerns of the unit include the position of indigenous peoples, race and racism, ethnic identity, and ethnic conflict and cooperation in society.

In this unit some of the main sociological approaches to the study of religion will be considered. The unit will be orientated particularly to the tension between religion and social theory in the evolution of sociological thought. It addresses the impact of religion and religious bodies on Australian society and politics. The unit will focus on the relation of theory and practice, on the research of contemporary religious practice, and on the contemporary relevance of major theorists in the sociology of religion. It will address issues such as Buddhism, Fundamentalism(s), gender in religion, globalisation, Islam, modernity/post modernity, neo-paganism, networks in spiritualities, New Age, popular culture, and new religious movements.

This unit builds on the content covered in 'Understanding Society'. It is intended for students who wish to explore sociology in greater detail and depth, in particular to gain an understanding of those regional, national and global social forces which shape an individual's life and life chances. Key debates to be considered include: is Australia a society of the 'fair go'? What does colour gender and religious difference mean to Australians? Is there a 'new global economy' and in Australia, a 'new poor' and a 'new rich'? In addressing these questions, this unit offers an analysis of social inequality, as it exists, and how it might be overcome. It utilises the insights of sociologists such as Bauman, Bourdieu, and Marx, and considers the most recent governmental and NGO reports on these issues.

The discipline of Sociology has witnessed a transformation reflecting significant changes in society and social life. This unit re-examines the sociological dimensions of a variety of social concerns, for example: environmental issues, global migration, health, religion, indigeneity, gender, ethnic conflict, and sub-cultural groups and asks: In the 'brave new world' of contemporary society do we need to re-evaluate the conventional sociological concern of social structure and inequality in the face of these broad social changes. This unit will examine the social transformations which characterise contemporary social life in particular the pace of social change and the implications of social media. In exploring these social concerns the links are drawn between more recent theoretical constructs and the more traditional focus on national social structures and inequalities. The unit will place special emphasis on concepts such as risk, individualism and uncertainty.

This unit examines the process of globalisation and its impact on contemporary society via an analysis of identity and modes of belonging. Beginning with an exploration of sociological thinking about identity and belonging, it moves to a consideration of local foci of identity, such as generation, gender and home, and contrasts these to supranational groupings, such as ethnic groups and 'civilisations'. It asks questions like, do national identities mask social tensions, conflicts and inequality? Do institutions of global governance such as the United Nations create stability and a sense of unity among the world's people? Is it possible to simultaneously identify with an ethnic group, a nation, and a 'civilisation'? Is the idea of race dead? The unit equips students with the concepts and theories necessary to an understanding of social change, and social continuity.

The focus of the unit is on the ways social order is produced, maintained, reproduced, and transformed. Constructions of normality and deviance are framed within the structured power relations of social class, ethnicity, religion, gender and age. The aim is to provide a critical understanding of hegemonic ideologies; of practices of ethnic, youth and religious (e.g. 'cults') groups; and of the language of control. This unit also addresses issues of social control and deviance within popular culture and the information society. The units ends with an assessment of the validity of deviance theories in postmodernity and consumer culture.

This core theory unit for sociology majors introduces students to traditional and contemporary debates in social thought. The unit reviews sociological thought in the context of changing conceptions of the relation between the individual and society and the formation of the self. A number of theorists and theoretical areas are addressed, employing as the focal point of study or analysis what has been called middle range theory. This enables students to better grasp the relation between theory and application and to uncover competing theorists and ideas that may complement or be opposed to the positions argued in the unit.