Pre-requisites

SS501 Introduction to Sociology

Co-requisites

None.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Explain the concepts of advocacy and the need for strategies that include social actions.

• Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the skills and strategies used in advocacy and social action.

• Discuss the complexity of advocating for others from a Christian Worldview, including working through ethical, organisational and legal constraints.

• Discover how the practical skills and strategies of advocacy can be applied.

Unit Description

This unit teaches innovative social action to promote social justice for disadvantaged groups. This unit also examines the context of advocacy work within the welfare state and various strategies to address this.

Over the past two decades, global capitalism had rapidly expanded and the Australian welfare state – like other welfare states around the world, has contracted. In contrast to the post war period, public welfare has been reoriented to promote economic development at the expense of social and environmental issues. Welfare recipients are asked to demonstrate their deservedness in order to receive assistance, while many services previously offered through the State have been sold off to private companies, where the bottom line is more important than the service they are providing. For many, these changes have been dramatic, harmful and confusing. To redress these changes and to prevent further disadvantage innovative social action is required.

This unit will examine both theoretical and practical ways to address these issues of disadvantage. Students will critique social movements and the different concepts of the welfare state that they correspond to, and learn to organise and participate in social action. Different concepts of protest and power are included in this exploration, as are the ‘tools’, skills and strategies of social action.

The starting point for this unit, is a Christian Worldview, commitment to equity, social justice and human rights. Therefore, you will be asked to consider your own values, beliefs and attitudes to these concepts, the reflection of which will impact greatly on the types social action that you will participate in.

Topics

• Introduction defining advocacy, social action and activism
• ‘Old’ social movements and the Australian Welfare State
• ‘New’ social movements and the Australian welfare state
• Using Party Politics & the role of Government Departments, Ombudsman, Law Reform
• Using the media, Internet & social networking sites
• International Advocacy
• Campaigning (5 weeks)
• Review

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Unit offerings

Face to face: (Every 2nd Year (Even), Semester 1)

Please note

The Unit Offerings listed above are a guide only and the timetable for any year is the final authority. The College may vary offerings based on demand, regulatory requirements, continual improvement processes or other conditions.

This unit may be available in different modes of delivery i.e. online and face-to-face as listed above. The unit content will not differ between these modes of delivery. There will possibly be a difference in the schedule and/or the prescribed assessment tasks, however both will cover and assess the same content.