This course focuses on a wide range of social changes that have transformed everyday life and institutional settings over the past couple of decades. These themes will be interwoven with an exploration of some important 'myths' surrounding 'the Australian way of life' and 'the egalitarian ethos'. A variety of explanations of the processes of change that have shaped Australia's contemporary social landscape will be considered and used to map the contours of possible futures. Although the focus in on contemporary social issues and social problems, each theme will be examined from an historical perspective - mainly from the 1890s onward.

The course is divided into three distinct, though interrelated, sections: structures of inequality; urbanisation and inequality; and culture and identity. Throughout, students will be encouraged to take these dimensions of inequality, theories of social change and popular culture and apply them to their own specific fields of interest in any aspect of Australian society.

One Research Essay (45%), 3 tutorial papers (45%) and tutorial participation (10%).

22 hours of lectures and 10 hours of tutorials.

Completion of first year, including any two first-year Sociology courses or with the permission of the lecturer.