SOCIOL 706 : Special Topic: The Sociology of Disasters

Arts

2024 Semester One (1243) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Disasters are increasing in scale, cost, frequency and severity. This course examines their causes and consequences and considers their future avoidance. In doing so it draws on social theory, Science and Technology Studies, and broad literatures on disaster. Topics include: the risk society thesis, the social patterning of disasters, and the political economy of disasters (disaster capitalism).

Course Overview

Sociologists seek to make sense of contemporary reality: ourselves, each other, our prospects. There can be no doubting that disasters define the times. They are increasing in scale, cost, frequency and severity. This course will employ a Critical Disaster Studies frame to examine their causes and consequences and to consider their future avoidance. In doing so it will draw on social theory, science and technology studies, environmental scholarship and the broad literatures on disaster and decolonisation.
Topics include: the risk society thesis, structural violence, the social production of vulnerability, the patterning of disasters (victimology), disaster capitalism (the political economy of disasters), and billionaires.
Students will also be encouraged to pursue their own interests. 

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Master of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Be able to display knowledge and understanding of essential content (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  2. Critically analyse a range of pertinent texts to assess their relative merits (Capability 2, 3, 4 and 5)
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of of the foundational/canonical texts in the field (Capability 3, 4 and 5)
  4. Be able to communicate ideas and arguments effectively to the cohort (Capability 4, 5 and 6)
  5. Work collaboratively with classmates to share knowledge, offer support and communicate ideas (Capability 6, 7 and 8)
  6. Think beyond the confines of traditional disaster scholarship to identify workable solutions to problems (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Threshold Concepts 20% Individual Coursework
Conference Presentation 30% Individual Coursework
Podcast 20% Individual Coursework
Journal Article Critique 30% Individual Coursework

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course and students are expected to spend 20 hours per week involved in each 30 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures, 10 hours of reading and thinking about the content, and 7 hours of work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2024.

Weekly 3 hour lectures.

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including student presentations to receive credit for components of the course.
Due to the interactive nature of lectures these will not be available as recordings. Pre-recorded lectures may be available. There may be online live discussions. 
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Extensive resources are provided in the Talis reading list. These include books, book chapters, journal articles, documentary films, and reports by NGOs.
The course textbook is: Matthewman, S. (2015) Disasters, Risks and Revelation Making Sense of Our Times, Palgrave Macmillan: London. It is available in the General Library. 

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Updated reading lists, guests, and improvements to the assignment structure, including a new assignment which replaces the refereed article option.  

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 09/11/2023 11:49 a.m.