Sociology Subject
Guide
Sociology focuses on the study of human behaviour and social interaction to help understand how societies are organised, develop and change. Sociology uses scientific methods to explore how people and groups act, react and connect with each other. Students will be encouraged to question their assumptions and to reflect on their understandings and ideas about social relations.
Unit focus areas
Unit 1 – Youth and family
The first area of study explores how ‘youth’ is socially constructed and shaped as a sociological category, recognising the diverse and unequal experiences of young people. Students examine how categorisation can produce harmful consequences, including stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination, and consider how these labels influence expectations, opportunities and treatment in everyday life. They also explore how and why the experience of being young differs across time and place. Moreover, students investigate representations of young people in the media, analysing how dominant narratives can reinforce or challenge stereotypes.
Students examine the family as a key social institution, exploring sociological perspectives that view family life as a major influence on social behaviour and socialisation. They investigate current economic pressures on families and how these shape fertility decisions, birth rates, and the related short and long-term social consequences. In a multicultural society such as Australia, students consider the diversity of family forms and experiences across different communities, comparing family life across cultures. They also analyse how representations of family in the media have shifted over time, and how changing demographics, feminism, technology and government policies interact with broader social values to reshape family life.
Unit 2 – Deviance and Crime
This area of study introduces students to the sociological concept of deviance, examining why individuals and groups sometimes breach social norms and how definitions of deviance vary across time and place. Students explore key sociological theories including functionalism, social control theory and labelling theory which offer different lenses for understanding how deviance is produced, defined and regulated, and the effects it can have on individuals and society. Students also investigate the concept of a ‘moral panic’, in which a group or subculture is portrayed as a threat to dominant values; the Cronulla riots are examined as a case study. Finally, students consider whether deviance is always negative by exploring examples of positive deviance that challenge injustice and contribute to social change.
The final area of study focuses on crime in Australia and around the world. Students examine patterns and causes of crime, including factors such as poverty, addiction, abuse, and rebellion against social norms. They also investigate different approaches to punishment and evaluate their effectiveness in shaping behaviour and reducing recidivism. Students also compare how crime is punished in Australia with other countries and consider the increasingly global nature of crime through examples such as terrorism, the illicit drug trade and human trafficking. Finally, students explore alternatives to traditional sentencing, including culturally responsive justice initiatives such as the Koori Court in Victoria.
Unit focus areas continued
Unit 3 – Culture and ethnicity
The first area of study invites students to critically investigate how historically Australian Indigenous cultures have been suppressed and how public understanding of these cultures has grown over time. Students also consider how Indigenous communities have united to resist government control, assert self-determination, and protect and strengthen their cultures Students examine the long-term impacts of policies such as protection and segregation, assimilation, and the Northern Territory Emergency Response on identity, trust in authorities and institutions, and cultural continuity They explore a range of issues including reconciliation and the Australia Day debate through both Indigenous and nonIndigenous perspectives. Students also analyse common misconceptions about the world’s oldest living cultures, why these views persist, and what the historical and contemporary realities reveal.
In Area of Study 2, students examine ethnicity as a key sociological category that shapes everyday life in multicultural Australia. They explore how multiculturalism has shifted from a government immigration policy to a defining feature of Australia’s national identity. Students learn that ethnicity is not fixed; rather, ethnic identities continually evolve and are shaped by political, cultural and social forces. They investigate the experiences of a particular ethnic group, analysing the extent to which members feel a sense of inclusion and belonging. Students are introduced to the sociological concepts of cultural hybridity and othering and explore how responses to cultural practices, media representations and political factors can both enable and prevent migrant groups from feeling part of the nation, and how this can strengthen or erode social cohesion.
Unit 4 – Community, social movements and social change
In this unit, students explore the ways that sociologists have thought about the idea of community, and how the various forms of community are experienced. Communities involve a group of people who share social relationships through being geographically close, in regular contact and/or having mutual interests or ideologies. Students examine community with reference to the theories of Ferdinand Tönnies and Michel Maffesoli, as well as complete a detailed case study on a specific community of their choice. In doing so, they consider the challenges and influences posed by political, social, economic and technological change, as well as the nature of community.
Students conclude the course by investigating the types and stages of social movements, with a focus on how these movements and their opponents use power to advance their goals, shape public debate, and resist or drive social change. Students examine what makes social movements effective and engage with the work of Erica Chenoweth to analyse how different methods of mobilisation particularly nonviolent strategies can influence outcomes. As a class, students investigate a particular social movement, analysing how far it has progressed its aims and the key factors that have enabled or limited its impact
Pre-requisites
Students can take any Units 3 and 4 pathways without taking Units 1 and 2, although Units 1 and 2 give good preparation for Units 3 and 4 in the same area. See the Humanities Pathways card for more details.
Assessment
For Units 1 and 2, students complete a range of outcomes and classwork throughout each semester. There will also be an examination at the end of the academic year.
For Units 3 and 4, students complete School-Assessed Coursework (50%) subject to external moderation and a written examination (50%).
