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SOCI3070 – Social Inequality

2025 – Session 1, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Professor of Sociology and Unit Convenor
Shaun Wilson
shaun.wilson@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email for quick consultations or Zoom appointments on request
Room 250 Level 2, 25B Wally's Walk
By email appointment or Zoom
Tutor
Kais Al-Momani
kais.al-momani@mq.edu.au
Sociology offices, Level 2, 25B Wally's Walk
via email
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
The organisational and institutional dynamics of modern societies are powerful generators of social inequality and yet they equally generate resources through which inequalities can be identified and challenged. This unit explores the social mechanisms that drive inequalities and surveys the impact of socio-economic inequality on a wide range of areas of social life (gender, culture, employment, and the economy). The unit considers how sociological theory can explain the emergence and persistence of social inequalities, the normative conflicts and struggles that inequalities produce, and the ways social institutions overcome, respond or merely adapt to inequality. We conclude the unit by looking at whether democratic societies can survive widening socio-economic inequalities and how we might explain the improvement in some types of inequality and discrimination and the curious persistence of others.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

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

  • ULO1: demonstrate an advanced understanding of the foundations, generative mechanisms and multi-dimensional nature of social inequality
  • ULO2: demonstrate an understanding of the technical and sociological measurement of inequality
  • ULO3: demonstrate an ability to interpret debates and policy, political and social-movement responses to inequality

General Assessment Information

Late penalties 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Problem set 1 50% No Sunday 27 April at 11.55pm
Problem set 2 50% No Friday 6 June at 11.55pm

Problem set 1

Assessment Type 1: Problem set
Indicative Time on Task 2: 28 hours
Due: Sunday 27 April at 11.55pm
Weighting: 50%

 

1250 word responses to questions about readings and problems in the field of social inequality.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • demonstrate an advanced understanding of the foundations, generative mechanisms and multi-dimensional nature of social inequality
  • demonstrate an understanding of the technical and sociological measurement of inequality
  • demonstrate an ability to interpret debates and policy, political and social-movement responses to inequality

Problem set 2

Assessment Type 1: Problem set
Indicative Time on Task 2: 29 hours
Due: Friday 6 June at 11.55pm
Weighting: 50%

 

1250 word responses to questions about readings and problems in the field of social inequality.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • demonstrate an advanced understanding of the foundations, generative mechanisms and multi-dimensional nature of social inequality
  • demonstrate an understanding of the technical and sociological measurement of inequality
  • demonstrate an ability to interpret debates and policy, political and social-movement responses to inequality

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Welcome to SOCI 3070 - our unit on the vast subject of Social Inequality.

Some basics:

SOCI3070 lectures go for 2 hours on Tuesday mornings from 10am to 12pm. They are held in 25WW A207 Tutorial Room

There is a weekly discussion online forum, which will (a) provide a scholarly community for you, (b) improve your understanding of the unit, and (c) help you with the two assignments in this Unit.

Dr Kais al-Momani will be your tutor this semester.

Enjoy the semester!

Shaun Wilson

Unit Schedule

week Topic Tutorial  
1 Intro: the challenge of social inequality in the 21st century (25 Feb) No classes in week 1 - see readings for that week  
2 The economics and sociology of measuring inequality (4 Mar) Origins and significance of social inequality  
3 Better or worse? Trends in global inequality (11 Mar) Should we focus on poverty or inequality? A look at current debate  
4 Thomas Piketty on inequality: Trends and reactions (18 Mar) Inequality and authoritarian politics  
5 Two concepts: exploitation and opportunity hoarding (25 Mar) Precarious workers  
6

Status and the role of hierarchical social organisation (1 Apr)

 Status anxiety  
7

Inequality and social justice: theory, equal opportunity & affirmative action (8 Apr)

Mid semester break follows

How does work reinforce gender inequalities?

Assignment due Sunday 27 April

  
8

Inequality and the labour market (29 Apr)

 How does social class shape life chances & Australian society?  
9 Building blocks of mobility: the education system (6 May) Battle of the generations  
10 Inequality and sport (13 May) A look at contemporary social movements focused on inequality   
11 Inequality, identity movements and Trump backlash (20 May) The 'Trump electorate' in the US and the Australian federal election of 2025  
12 Social futures: AI, automation and the basic income (27 May) Basic income trials around the world, the Jobs Guarantee  
13 Unit revision and extensions (3 June)

The future of inequality

Assignment due Friday 6 June

  

 

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Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

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Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

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The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

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Changes from Previous Offering

New content on the conservative defence of social inequality and hierarchy (Scruton) and an analysis of the 2022 election results from an inequality perspective. 

Unit information based on version 2025.02 of the Handbook