Sociology

Students learn about the science of wellbeing, including wellbeing as a measure of welfare and its different conceptualizations such as evaluations and experiences of happiness; behavioral scientific phenomena uniquely captured by wellbeing such as adaptation to changing life circumstances, our tendency to make mistakes and mispredict what actually makes us happy, and relative comparisons (or jealousy); and how happiness differs between individuals and societies. Importantly, students then learn how to apply these insights to policy-making, including policy design, appraisal, and evaluation. Students are being familiarized with wellbeing theories and frameworks; data, measurement, and survey design; methods for wellbeing policy appraisal, including cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis; wellbeing policy evaluation; social welfare; and wellbeing interventions.

The aim of this course is two-fold: to take a retrospective view to trace the evolution of media sociology, and a prospective view to assess current challenges confronting sociological analyses of the new media paradigm – monopoly-owned and user-driven digital platforms – the business models which underpin them, including algorithmic journalism, and their perceived "surveillance" effects.

Through the teaching of this course, students can master the basic concepts, basic theories and methods of social administration. It covers social service plan formulation, service organization organization design, personnel motivation and leadership, service coordination and supervision, project evaluation, and institutional development. 

This course explores how people engage in political activism to challenge structures of domination and oppression, and to bring about social and political change. It explores key debates about political activism and social change in contemporary societies, drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives (e.g. sociology, political science, cultural studies, oral history) and different case studies (e.g. public housing, environment activism, gender and LGBTQ activism, anti-racist movements, black power movements, workplace and labor activism, student activism). 

The course introduces the evolution of the social service professions in South Africa and the global, national, and regional contexts within which they work. It focuses on the socio-political context created by pre- and post-democratic social policies within which social services in South Africa are now delivered. The course provides an introduction to the main policies, legislation, and programs that shape the developmental context in which social service professions now work in South Africa. It also introduces the global and national trends that impact on social service provisions in the South. Lastly, the course reviews the specific roles of social service professionals in promoting human wellbeing. Assessment: coursework (50%), final exam (50%).

This course explores the processes through which we come to experience our body as sexed, gendered, and sexualized, and situates them in particular political and economic contexts at specific historical moments. We take the “body” as a focal site through which power is exercised and subverted. Rather than viewing the body as what is “naturally” given, we examine how bodies are constantly made and remade through knowledge practices and political struggles. Drawing on the theories and methods developed in cultural anthropology, feminist and queer theories, and feminist STS (science and technology studies), we ask how the ideologies of normativity and productivity are built into seemingly “natural” bodies. We consider debates about reproduction, sciences of sex/gender/ sexuality, and experiences of illness that allow us to ask how bodies come to matter. Students develop the ability to critically analyze diverse materials ranging from pop culture to scientific literature that contribute to shaping the body as sexed, gendered, and sexualized; Students apply theories and methods from cultural anthropology, feminist and queer studies, and feminist science and technology studies (STS) to explore how power dynamics operate in the (re)construction of bodies; and Students enhance their ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds—through active participation in group discussions, projects, and interactive learning activities.

This course introduces definitions, concepts, and debates relating to museums and heritage, and associated cultural organizations and industries. It draws on both theory and contemporary practice to encourage students to think critically and reflexively, and to interrogate the roles of museum and heritage institutions in the past, present and future. It poses questions, such as: What are the different roles played by museums and heritage, and the people who work in these sectors? Who and what are these institutions for? Who do they reach and speak to, and who is excluded or marginalized in the spaces and discourses of museums and heritage? Scholarly texts are combined with policy and industry materials, and lectures and seminars are augmented by visits to museums and heritage sites.

This course examines the field of environmental sociology. In particular, it examines how societies build a sense of human/nature divide into their concepts of collective identity and how the struggle to responsibly utilize natural resources is a vexing social problem. It focuses on environmental social movements globally, analyzing how this growing site of social conflict interacts with other inequalities. It also explores the social transformations being enacted globally to build sustainability, improve human/animal coexistence, address environmental racism, and to think about climate change risk beyond the nation-state.

Group social work is an important method among the three major practice methods of social work. This course mainly introduces the basic principles of group social work, the theoretical basis of group work, group types, elements of group systems, group dynamics, group social work process and the evaluation of group social work. The purpose of setting up this course is to enable students to systematically understand the meaning, origin and development of group social work as well as the theoretical basis of group social work practice, to have an in-depth understanding of the structure, process and development of the group, and to master the principles and characteristics of each different implementation stage. On the basis of comprehensively using various methods and techniques of group social work to organize the implementation of group social work. The course will explain practical theories while supplementing them with relevant cases. While paying attention to the analysis of practical theories, it will also focus on teaching group work skills and methods to prepare students for group social work.