SOCIOL 728 : Family, Gender and the State
Arts
2025 Semester Two (1255) (30 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
In this course, we examine the relationship between contemporary families, gender and the late modern state. We begin the semester by conceptually examining family, gender and the state as well as the family-gender-state relationship. We will explore the varying ways that the state influences, constrains and/or governs our gendered and family lives. We examine the family-gender-state nexus through an examination of contemporary family issues. We will examine how our gendered and family lives are influenced by social policies, national laws as well as state institutions and interventions. We will spend the first 6 week laying the theoretical frameworks for examining the family-gender-state nexus. We then move on to focus on particular contemporary issues, including policies, laws and interventions related to reproductive justices, family poverty, social welfare support, family violence and post-separation family life.
The class format consists of weekly three-hour sessions that include discussion of assigned readings and other activities, for example, individual writing and reflection, small group exercises. Weekly attendance at the seminars is essential, and you will need to come having read and prepared to discuss the assigned readings for the week.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
Learning Outcomes
- Be able to critically discuss the contemporary state treatment of families from a intersectional, feminist and decolonial perspective, paying attention to gender differences and inequalities as well as how these intersect with other social structures of inequality, for example, ethnicity/race, sexuality and dis/ability. (Capability 1 and 4)
- Be able to theorise the way gendered and other axes of inequality are articulated in legislation, policies, programmes and other state interventions and the implications of these articulations for different kinds of families, different family members and everyday family life (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 5)
- Be able to analyse and interrogate the influence of state legislation, policies, programmes and other interventions on your own family (your family of origin or in your created family/families) (Capability 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Be able to draw on appropriate academic literature to develop and execute a research agenda (Capability 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Be able to write well-researched, scholarly papers about various issues to do with familial life and the way it is treated in policy, law, programmes and other state interventions (Capability 1, 3, 4 and 6)
- Be able to present this research in written and oral formats and provide constructive feedback on the work-in-progress of peers (Capability 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Media Analysis | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| Research Abstract & Bibliography | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Seminar Oral Presentation | 20% | Individual Coursework |
| Research Essay | 40% | Individual Coursework |
| 4 types | 100% |
Exam Mode
Further information about exams can be found at https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/about-exams.html
Workload Expectations
This course is a 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 in seminar discussions, 6-8 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 8-10 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is required at scheduled activities, including weekly classes. As a seminar-based course, discussions will not be recorded.
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.
The course relies on readings taken from journals, edited books and monographs. An up-to-date reading list will be available as a course outline on Canvas shortly before the course starts in Semester 2.
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.
Student evaluations of the course in semester 2, 2024 were overwhelmingly positive. The key suggestion for improvement related to the room location of seminars.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations 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. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
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 your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, 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 you may be asked to submit your 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. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.