Sociology of the Body

Subject 166-209 (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 2 (Undergraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

Semester 2, - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: A 1.5-hour lecture and a 1-hour tutorial per week
Total Time Commitment: 3 contact hours/week , 5.5 additional hours/week. Total of 8.5 hours per week.
Prerequisites: Recommended: 12.5 points of Level 1 Sociology
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Dr Millsom Selina Henry-Waring

Contact

Dr. Millsom Henry-Waring
millsom@unimelb.edu.au
Subject Overview: For sociologists, the human body is not just a physical/psychological entity, it is a key site of the social. This subject will critically examine ways of thinking sociologically about the body in society. By outlining an historical context, this subject will explore the social construction of the body and its increasing significance in contemporary society. In particular, the ways in which the body is shaped by gender, race, sexuality, class, disability and age. Drawing on these key social markers, Sociology of the Body will explore issues such as the relation between sex and the body; science, culture and the body; the body, social structure and social interaction and the re-emergence of the Self, identity and the body in contemporary society. Specific attention will be paid towards the body as a contested site of the social, which will draw upon the importance of contemporary social scientific theory and research for understanding the body.
Objectives:
  • be able to use sociological approaches to analyse principal forms of cyberspace
  • be able to critically assess the diverse social implications of cyberspace for individuals and groups
  • be able to identify and analyse social processes involved in the rise and maintenance of cyberspace
  • be able to use sociological analysis to explore the relationship between real and virtual dimensions of cyberspace
  • be able to use sociological analyses to explore the relationship between cyberspace and wider patterns of social, political and cultural change
  • be able to analyse the core dynamics of cyberspace within local and global contexts.
Assessment: A short paper of 1000 words 25% (due mid-semester), a take-home test of 1000 words 25% (to be held towards the end of semester), and a research essay of 2000 words 50% (due during the examination period).
Prescribed Texts: A subject reader will be available.
Breadth Options:

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:
  • demonstrate critical thinking and analytic skills, through research and written communication;
  • be able to communicate knowledge intelligibly and economically, both orally and in writing;
  • display awareness and understanding of the social, ethical and cultural contexts of research and of our place as researchers.
Notes:

Formerly available as 166-209. Students who have completed 166-209 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

Available as a Breadth subject
Related Course(s): Bachelor of Arts(Media and Communications)
Diploma in Arts (Sociology)
Related Majors/Minors/Specialisations: Gender Studies
Gender Studies
Sociology
Sociology
Sociology
Sociology Major

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