University of Technology, Sydney

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58218 Ideology, Beliefs and Visions

8cp; availability: exchange and study abroad students with faculty approval
Requisite(s): 58122 Introduction to Social Inquiry OR 58123 Society, Economy and Globalisation OR 58124 Local Transformations
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 50139 Political Theory AND 50187 Comparative Belief Systems

Social change produces ideas but ideas also produce or prevent social change. The ideologies we live under, the beliefs we may hold and the visions to which we aspire are rooted in our experiences but they also transcend them. The capacity to change society can hinge on this ability to inspire people to action. Students examine matters such as what produces beliefs and ideologies and how they are built into coherent worldviews through successive generations, the differences between religious cosmologies, political ideologies and visions and the ways they transform peoples' lives and the source of their potency and danger. They explore different types of ideas in the context of political ideologies, religious values and visions for a better society. Students develop and investigate a research question relevant to the role of ideas in social change, using participant observation and qualitative interviews to analyse ideational dynamics in real world contexts.

Typical availability

Autumn semester, City campus
Spring semester, City campus


Detailed subject description.

Fee information

  • 2013 contribution for commencing Commonwealth-supported students: $978 (Note: Students who commenced prior to 1 January 2010 should consult the Fees Calculator by Subject for relevant student contribution charges for Commonwealth-supported students. Not all students are eligible for Commonwealth-supported places.)
  • 2013 amount for undergraduate domestic fee-paying students: $3375 (Note: Fees for postgraduate domestic fee-paying students and international students are charged according to the course they are enrolled in. Students should refer to the annual fees schedule.)
  • Subject EFTSL: 0.167

Access conditions

Note: The requisite information presented in this subject description covers only academic requisites. Full details of all enforced rules, covering both academic and admission requisites, are available at access conditions and My Student Admin.