ISOC117 — Introducing Social Science
Major issues facing Australia and the world today - including poverty, food security, climate change, inequality, the platform economy, digital surveillance, cyber crime, automation, refugee resettlement, global health and more - invariably have a social dimension. How can we respond to these complex and important issues without understanding them? This unit searches for insights into contemporary issues by surveying the social sciences. This unit has three parts. The first part introduces social science as a field of inquiry, tracing pivotal historical developments and asking what it means to think socially. The second part explores a series of contemporary issues, highlighting the distinct contributions that the social sciences offer our understanding of recent transformations. And, by reflecting on our explorations of contemporary issues, the third part concludes the unit by drawing out the close relationship between theory, methods and analysis for social science practice today. From the three parts of this unit, you will gain an insight into social scientific inquiry and contemporary issues facing our society.