SWB108 Australian Society, Social Justice and Policy
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | SWB108 |
|---|---|
| Antirequisite(s): | SWB103, SWB218 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | The Commonwealth supported place student contribution amount for this unit depends upon the course of study. Find out more |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | The pre-2021 commonwealth supported place (CSP) contribution amount only applies to students enrolled in a course prior to 2021. To learn more, visit our Understanding your fees page. |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,024 |
| International unit fee | $4,224 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | SWB108 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Anti-requisite: | SWB103, SWB218 |
| Coordinator: | Jenni Mays | j.mays@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Social work and human service professionals practice from a social justice perspective to engage with people who experience disadvantage. This unit focuses on understanding the structural dimensions of Australian society influenced by the global neoliberal context that produces, reproduces and entrenches inequality, poverty and precarity through uneven resource distribution and major social problems. Critical theory with a sociological lens is used to examine the contested space of policy (e.g. health, education, and income support), diverse institutions and systems (such as parliament, social services, media) that underpin the political economy of Australia and the welfare state. The unit is located in the first year as it provides the foundation for developing a critical orientation to practice and aspiring to create a more democratic, egalitarian society by introducing students to the fundamentals of Australian society, social policy and social service provision.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Describe essential normative, structural and institutional foundations of Australian society in relation to global context and the welfare state
- Critically analyse important contemporary Australian social issues, discourses and social policy responses in relation to global context using critical theory
- Critique popular perceptions and constructions of social policy and Australian society
- Explain and critically reflect on the relevance of knowledge of Australian society for real world professional practice
Content
This unit is committed to ensuring that you have a fundamental understanding of Australian society and the policy landscape and the relevant knowledge through a critical approach and sociological lens to develop critical analytical and reflective thinking that guides your professional practice and social justice mandate. Topics are grouped around three key thematic areas;
Who are we?
Here we take a snap shot of who is in Australia, where we live, what shaped our history, what we believe, how we live and present to each other in traditional and social media. This theme positions Australia within a global context to examine the way free-market policy has become entrenched in all aspects of Australian life. There will be an overview of critical social theories with a sociological lens to provide different approaches to analysing contemporary policy challenges such as unequal distribution, precarity, and trade-offs between the free-market and universal schemes. You will engage with critical perspectives, incl. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and diversity and inclusion perspectives.
Are we equal?
Here we take a look at the movers and shakers of Australian society and the ''haves and have-nots'. We will explore some fundamental questions about equality and wellbeing. This theme looks at the way different theories produce different explanations of Australian society. Topics in this theme also include the sources of inequality and ideas for reducing inequality and injustice, the role of discourse, political ideology and constructions in shaping beliefs and values, and aspects of Australian society, such as health and well-being, education, families, work, class, media, race and ethnicity, gender and government. This theme also considers who are the winners and losers of distribution, redistribution and restructuring and why do some ideas about social justice, distribution and inequality get translated into social policy and practice while others do not?
Where are we going?
Here we look at several 'big' picture challenges facing us and our future. We will do so in the context of the never-ending technological revolution and increasing connectedness of our global world. The theme explores potentials for change in policy areas such as service delivery systems, climate change, sustainability and poverty. The theme also invites you as emerging practitioners to reinvision society and propose a way forward that responds to these modern challenges.
These themes will be re-enforced during the semester and you will be encouraged to engage in critical thinking, dynamic debate and discussion during lectures and tutorials as we explore topics presented within the unit. The three themes provide a framework for examination of Australian society, social policy spheres and service delivery systems through a critical theory approach with a sociological lens to explore policy principles, sociological concepts, and critical policy perspectives. New ways of thinking about the welfare state are provided (such as basic income, sustainability in social and environmental justice, strengthening the public sector and policy advocacy) to situate the ideas in the practice context.
Relates to learning outcomes
Learning outcomes link to:
AASW Education and Accreditation Standards (2020): 1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.3, 4.4, 6.1, 6.2
AASW Practice Standards (2013): 4.1, 4.4
ACWA Practice Guidelines (2017), 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.5, 2.8, 3.1, 4.1, 4.4, 5.1, 5.8, 6.1, 7.1, 7.9, 8.1, 8.8
Learning Approaches
The unit is underpinned by critical social work pedagogies and adult learning principles. The unit is delivered in lecture block mode with tutorial workshops. You are expected to preview the Canvas material including notes, podcasts or videos and relevant chapters from the textbooks. You must maintain a current affairs watch linking lecture material to real world contemporary events.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will gain feedback in this unit by participating in weekly lecture and tutorial discussion forums. You will also receive written and verbal feedback on your proposed approach to both assessments and comments on summative assessment in addition to criteria sheets.
Assessment
Overview
There are three assessment items for this unit. Assessment 1 task is assessing your critical questioning and thinking skills in an abridge Bacchi analytical framework to make sense of information, explore competing interests, policy agendas and trade-offs. The second assessment task requires you to demonstrate your capacity to formulate and articulate an appropriate essay framework to the tutorial group. The third assessment task (linked to assessment 2) requires you to critically analyse a particular field of social policy and pose an alternative vision for a socially just society. The content from the lectures, readings and on-line material will along with feedback from discussion forums (assessment 2) provide the necessary knowledge for successful completion of this task.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Critique (Written)
Written discourse analysis and critique of chosen media or policy speech in an associated social policy area. Using the (abridged) Bacchi analytical framework, you will critically unpack problem representations, assumptions and silences in discourses and particular stances in media (print, online, newspaper, television) and policy speeches. You will then advocate for an alternative solution or narrative construction. This task of applying an analytical framework for practice is central to the activities that social workers and human service workers engage in daily.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Discussion Forum
Taking the role of practitioners in the field, you are presenting your essay framework to your peers in a tutorial discussion forum, simulating a professional forum. You will provide an outline of your critical analysis (critical lens and theory), your chosen essay policy topic relevant to real world practice, associated policy problems or effects on vulnerable groups and your proposed alternative policy vision. Feedback from the discussion forum will inform development of your essay (assessment 3). You are also expected to ask questions and provide feedback to your peers during their essay framework presentations.
Assessment: Written Essay
You are required to write an essay that describes and analyses one topic drawn from the unit content about a particular field of social policy. In the essay you will critically explore societal perceptions, distributional effects and policy relevance for real world practice. You must also reflect on policy fairness, nature of competing claims and impact of inequality, injustice and uneven distribution to frame an alternative vision of policy and/or society. You will incorporate feedback generated from the discussion forum (see assessment item 2).
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
Carson, E., & Kerr, L. (2020). Australian social policy and the human services (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Recommended text(s)
Garrett, P.M. (2018). Welfare words: Critical social work and social policy. Sage.
Van Krieken, R., Habibis, D., Smith, P., Hutchins, B., Martin, G., & Maton, K. (2020). Sociology (7th ed.). Pearson.
Other
Students will have access to material on Canvas including a weekly current affairs watch.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no particular risks associated with this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.SW04 Bachelor of Social Work
- Critique and apply coherent theoretical, practical and contextually relevant social work knowledge, skills and values, and cultivate a commitment toward meeting diverse clients and community needs. [Knowledge, Practice, Values and Disposition]
Relates to: Critique (Written) , Written Essay - Access, evaluate, and utilise relevant social work information that informs and assists in intra- and inter-professional communication in a range of contexts, through effective oral, written and digital interactions. [Practice, Knowledge]
Relates to: Critique (Written) , Discussion Forum - Critically examine tenets of diversity and diverse perspectives in social work, and advocate for a socially just society and the promotion of human dignity that reflect different social, political, cultural and historical circumstances, on the beliefs, values and aspirations of various groups, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. [Values and Disposition, Knowledge, Practice]
Relates to: Critique (Written) , Discussion Forum, Written Essay
SW05 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
- Critically evaluate theoretical, practical and contextually relevant social work knowledge, skills and values and, as a change facilitator, meet diverse client and community needs that promote social justice
Relates to: Critique (Written) , Written Essay - Formulate and implement strategies using advanced knowledge and research skills to analyse, consolidate and synthesise social and practice evidence to generate solutions and to inform professional practice and decision-making
Relates to: Critique (Written) - Develop advanced knowledge, skills and values, to inform culturally safe communication and effective intra- and inter-professional collaboration and with a wide range of audiences and contexts, including accessing, evaluating and utlising digital health information.
Relates to: Discussion Forum - Construct and implement strategies for practising collaboratively and independently, focused on socially progressive, anti-oppressive, culturally safe and ethical practice, integral to the standards of professional social work practice
Relates to: Discussion Forum, Written Essay