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Handbook 1997 : Faculty of Arts : Social Theory
Coordinator: Dr John Rundell.
Social Theory analyses the ways in which social life is organised and, sometimes, transformed. It questions the everyday assumptions which shape our lives and reflects in a systematic manner about such issues as the division of power, the nature of identity, forms of agency and rationality and our experiences as pre-modern, modern or postmodern subjects.
Social Theory critically assesses the adequacy of the descriptions, analyses and critiques which are already prevalent in the social science literature and responds, at the level of theory, to the inadequacies it uncovers. In this manner it serves as a field of critical inquiry which is interdisciplinary in character and which addresses the various social and human sciences.
The interdisciplinary setting of Social Theory provides a context where the theoretical and substantive issues raised in such disciplines as Sociology, History, Women's Studies, Political Science, Anthropology and Cultural Studies can be further explored and critically reflected upon. This makes Social Theory an appropriate choice for students with a critical interest in any of the social or human sciences.
Students may elect to take any one subject from the full list of Social Theory offerings or they may elect to begin a major in Social Theory.
Entry into Social Theory is at second year. There are no prerequisites apart from the completion of 50 points of Arts Faculty subjects; from any department. Students may elect to take any one subject from the full list of Social Theory offerings or they may elect to begin a major in Social Theory. A major in Social Theory consists of at least five subjects at second and third-year level, totalling 83.3 points.
Course structure
A major in Social Theory must include: 136-209 Critical Theories 16.7 2nd and 3rd year and at least one subject chosen from: 136-251 Theoretical Foundations of Sociology 16.7 2nd and 3rd year 136-234 Interpreting Society: the Hermeneutic Imagination 16.7 3rd year 166-242 An/Other China: Theorising Everyday Life
The remaining subjects may be chosen from those listed below.
Optional Subjects
Students undertaking an honours program in Social Theory will do so as part of a combined honours degree with another discipline; for instance Social Theory and English or Social Theory and History or Social Theory and Political Science. The prerequisite for entry to Social Theory combined honours is a major in Social Theory at an overall average grade of H2A or better and admission to honours in another area of study within the Faculty.
Students enrol in either:
a) two single semester subjects agreed by the Honours coordinator (33.3 points), comprising basic areas of social theory, plus 136-460 Social Theory Honours Thesis, and 33.3 points of coursework in the combining department; or
b) two single semester subjects agreed by the Honours coordinator (33.3 points), comprising basic areas of social theory, plus 66.6 points, including a thesis, in the combining department.
Students enrolled in the honours programme will be required to do one common seminar 136-454 Theories of Modernity (Second semester). Students doing their thesis component in Social Theory (i.e. not in another department) will be required to choose their other Social Theory seminar from among the following:
Honours subject choices
Social Theory 136-447 Reading Texts in Social Theory 16.7 4th year 136-482 Imagined Societies: Ideology, Subjectivity and Politics 16.7 4th year Department of Political Science 166-445 Postcolonial Concerns, Postmodern Theory Students doing their thesis in another department may choose from this additional range of subjects: Department of English 106-403 Writing the Subject: Psychoanalysis and Other Stories 106-417 Feminist Readings 106-443 Department of History 131-431 Gender and History: Issues in Theory and Historiography 131-637 Department of Philosophy 161-433 Political Philosophy I
Ashworth Centre for Social Theory
Department of History and Philosophy of Science
Telephone: (03) 9344 7168
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Handbook 1997 : Faculty of Arts : Social Theory
Status: OFFICIAL 1997 Last Modified: Wednesday March 12 3:36 pm SGML to HTML Conversion: Information Technology Services Authorised by: Academic Registrar Email Enquiries: Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au
Copyright © University of Melbourne 1997.