50183 Inequality and Power

Handbook description

This subject analyses in detail the concepts of inequality and power, and examines the huge variety of kinds of inequality that exist throughout all contemporary cultures. Specific attention is paid to race, ethnicity, sex, sexuality and disability as markers of difference and inequality. Power relationships that emerge from the examination of social inequalities are explored in depth, particularly in the context of contemporary Australian life. Additionally, there is an analysis of growing global inequalities and power relationships. Examining organisations such as the World Trade Organisation and the current 'war on terror', we look at what has been described as the new 'Empire'.

Through online discussions and independent research projects, students investigate many aspects of the problems facing current attempts to develop a just society here and overseas.

Subject objectives/outcomes

The objectives of this subject are to have students:

1. gain a much deeper understanding of themselves as social beings and of the ways in which as they live their social and communal lives they encounter forms of inequality and different manifestations of power
2. develop a greater awareness of the nature of the society they live in
3. analyse complex concepts of interpersonal, collective, social, political and evaluative categories
4. synthesis the insights such analyses yield into consistent theoretical positions
5. present coherent view on these crucially important problems in the field of contemporary social science
6. apply advanced skills in using library and internet facilities, and in applying and assessing the findings these skills yield
7. demonstrate reflective intellectual habits when they are dealing with complex social ideas and practices.

Contribution to graduate profile

The knowledge acquired and the researching skills developed in the course of successfully completing this subject will contribute to having students achieve the Faculty's desired graduate profile. This subject will help develop more observant and sharp-minded individuals, improve the quality of graduates' analytic thinking, assist graduates to develop as well-informed and inquiring people, equip graduates with useful research-skills, enhance the social consciousness of graduates, and stimulate graduates towards a greater commitment to social justice.

Teaching and learning strategies

The subject combines:

• lectures
• student presentation-based seminars
• group project work involving collaboration via the UTSOnline facilities
• literature review
• research essay.

There will be each week one three-hour in-class session, usually deployed as a one-hour lecture followed by a two-hour seminar, though sometimes used as a three-hour symposium.

Content

The subject involves defining inequality, sameness and difference and types of power.

It clarifies notions such as identity, marginalisation and cultural diversity. It investigates racism, sexism, prejudice and discrimination. It demands of students a close analysis of such concepts as equality, social justice and inclusiveness. Multicultural policies and practices are also scrutinised, and aboriginality is taken as a case study of the operations of Power and Inequality in Australia. Finally the subject examines what an 'Equal' society would be like.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Tutorial presentation

Assessment item 2: Literature review (quotebook) (1,000 words)

Assessment item 3: Contributing to the online discussions

Assessment item 4: Research essay (1,000 words)

Minimum requirements

Students are expected to read the subject outline to ensure they are familiar with the subject requirements. Since class discussion and participation in activities form an integral part of this subject, you are expected to attend, arrive punctually and actively participate in classes. If you experience difficulties meeting this requirement, please contact your lecturer. Students who have a reason for extended absence (e.g. illness) may be required to complete additional work to ensure they achieve the subject objectives.

Recommended text(s)

The 'Book of Readings' for the subject is the recommended text.

Indicative references

The following are some additional useful references:

Afshar, H and Maynard, M (eds) The Dynamics of 'Race' and Gender: some feminist interventions, Taylor and Francis, London 1994.
Attwood, B. (1992) 'Introduction', in Attwood, B. & Arnold, J. Power, Knowledge & Aborigines, La Trobe University Press, Bundoora, Victoria Australian Feminist Studies, Gender and Ethnicity, (special issue), No.18, Summer 1993.
Balibar, E and Wallerstein, I Race Nation Class: ambiguous identities, Verso, London, 1991.
Banton, M Racial and Ethnic Competition, Camb UP, Camb, 1983.
Barker, M The New racism, Junction Books, London, 1981.
Bhabha, H (ed) Nation and Narration, Routledge, London, 1990.
Bottomley G., de Lepervanche M & Martin J Intersexions, Allen & Unwin, Sydney 1992.
Bottomley, G From Another Place: Migration and the Politics of Culture, Camb UP, Melb, 1992.
Braham, P, Rattansi, A and Skellington, R (eds) Racism and Antiracism, Sage, London 1992.
Calhoun, C Nationalism, Open University Press, Buckingham 1997.
Castles S & Kozak G Immigrant Workers in the class structure in Western Europe, OUP, 1973
Castles S, Cope B, Kalantzis M & Morrissey M Mistaken Identity: Multiculturalism and the demise of nationalism in Australia Pluto Press 1989/92
Castles, S and Miller, M The Age of Migration: international population movements in the modern world, Macmillan, London, 1993
Collins, J Migrant Hands in Distant Lands, Pluto Sydney 2nd ed 1991.
Donald J & Rattansi A (ed) 'Race', Culture and Difference, Sage, London 1992
Eriksen, T Ethnicity and Nationalism, Pluto, London, 1991.
Fairclough, N. (1993) 'Discourse and Power', Ch. 3 in Language and Power, Longman, London & New York
Fanon F Wretched of the earth (preferably the edition with the introduction by J.P.Sartre)
Featherstone, M Undoing Culture: globalization, postmodernism and identity, Sage, London 1995.
Ferguson R., Gever M., Minh-ha T & West C Out there: marginalisation and contemporary cultures MIT Press 1990
Foucault, M. (2003) Society Must Be Defended, Picador, New York.
Guerra, C and White, R (eds) Ethnic Minority Youth in Australia: challenging the myths, National Clearing House on Youth Issues, Hobart, 1995.
Guibernau, M and Rex, J (eds) The Ethnicity Reader: nationalism, multiculturalism, and migration, Polity, Cambridge 1997.
Habermas, J. (1962) The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere: An Inquiry into a Category of Bourgeois Society (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought), The MIT Press; Reprint edition (1991), Cambridge, MA.
Hardt, M. and Negri, A. (2000) Empire, Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
Hardt, M. and Negri, A. (2004) Multitude, Penguin Press, New York.
Jakubowicz, A (ed) Racism Ethnicity and the Media Allen & Unwin, Sydney 1994.
Pettman J Living in the margins: racism, sexism and feminism in Australia Allen & Unwin 1992
Robinson, C. (2007) Understanding iterative homelessness: The case of people with mental disorders, www.ahuri.edu.au
Rowan, L and McNamee, J (eds) Vocies of a margin: speaking for yourself, Central Qld Uni Press, Rockhampton, 1995.
Roy, A. (2004) The chequebook and the cruise missile: Conversations with Arundhati Roy, Harper Perennial, London.
Said E Orientalism Harmondsworth Penguin 1968
Stiglitz, J.E. (2002) Globalisation and its discontents, Allen Lane, London.
Yuval-Davis, N and Anthias, F (eds) Woman-Nation-State, Macmillan, London 1989.
Zournazi, M. (2002) Hope, Pluto Press, Annandale.

Recommended journals
Black Scholar
Cultural Critique
Cultural Studies
Ethnic and Racial Studies
International Migration Review
Journal of Intercultural Studies
New Formations
Race and Class
Social Identities
Third Text