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SOCIOLOGY I

2021: Term 2

A Critical Introduction to Social Inequality and Institutions

LECTURERS Thoko Sipungu (t.sipungu@ru.ac.za)

Tarryn Alexander (t.alexander@ru.ac.za)

Department of Sociology & Industrial Sociology Prince Alfred Street, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa

Tel: +27 (0) 46 603 8361/7544 www.ru.ac.za/sociology

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INTRODUCTIONWelcometothecourseonsocialinstitutionsandinequality!Havingmadeitthroughthefirstterm,youshouldhaveagoodunderstandingofwhatsociology is,andsomeof the issueswhichareimportanttosociologists.Thiscoursebuildsonthematerialcoveredinthepreviouscourse,soyouwillbeexpectedtoapplyyourgeneralunderstandingofsociologytotheareasunderscrutiny.Thecoursecoverstwoimportantandinter-relatedareasofsociology:socialinequalityandsocialinstitutions.Socialinequalityinvolveslarge-scaleinequalitywithinsociety.Inthiscourse,wewillfocuson class inequality, global inequality, gender inequality and racism. All these forms ofinequalityaremanifestinandtovaryingdegreesreproducedthroughsocialinstitutionsthataffectourdailylives.Forthisreason,socialinequalityandinstitutionswillbestudiedinanintegralmanner,wherebywelookateachformofsocialinequalityinconjunctionwiththeinstitutions associated with it. We also consider the interrelationship between differentforms of social inequality. The institutions that will be included in this focus are thefamily/household,theworkplace,education,familyandmedia.Oneaspectofthecoursethatmustbestressedisthatnoformofinequalityorinstitutioncanbeeffectivelystudiedinisolation.Societyisahugelycomplexandfluidentity,whichisinaconstantstateofchange,attimesweneedtoholdoneormorevariablesconstantinordertoinspectaparticularrelationship(forexample,betweeneducationandracismorbetweenadvertising,racismandsexism).Wedothis,however,withtheknowledgethatrealitycannotbeholisticallysummed-upbysuchpractices.Youwillnotice,duringthecourse,thatnoissueisleftontheshelfoncewehavedealtwithit.Issueswillkeepreappearingaswemovealong–notonlyinthiscourse,butthroughoutyoursociologycareer.Theissuescoveredinthiscoursearebothimportantandrelevanttoourunderstandingofoursociety,andwillbepresentedthroughamulti-mediaapproach,incorporatinglectures,videos, the Internet and printed material. It is hoped that you will respond by activelyengagingwiththecoursematerial,askingquestionsandopeningupconversationsonissuescovered.HOWTOPREPAREFORTHISCOURSEDueto theCOVID-19pandemic, thiscourse is tobeconducted largelyonline. If forsomereasonthepandemicisbroughtundercontrolandwecanresumeface-to-facelectures,thenwewilldoso.Therecordedvideoand/oraudiolectureswillbeuploaded,togetherwiththelectureslides,onRUconnected.MrsJuanitaFuller,ourdepartmentaladministrator,willsendyou the key. The necessary reading materials will also be uploaded on RUconnected.AssessmentsandtutorialsubmissionswillbedoneviaRUconnected/email.

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Itisinyourintereststoreadtherelevantreadingpriortoeachlecturebeinguploadedsothatyouhavesomeideaastowhatthelecturewillcover.Ifyoureadpriortothelectureyouwillrealisethatalotofthethingscoveredinthelecturesarenotnewtoyou.Youcanthendofurtherreadingaroundthesesectionsof thework.Pleasedonothesitatetocontactusshouldyouhaveanyquestionsorseekfurtherclarificationregardingthecoursematerial.Forthetutorialassignments,termessayandexaminationyouareexpectedtoknowwhathasbeencoveredinlectures,butyoualsoneedtoprovideevidenceofhavingreadrelevantsociologicalmaterial.Youwillberewardedforevidenceofreading,especiallyindependentreadingofmaterialnotrecommendedinthecourseoutline.Justmakesurethatthereadingsyou consult are froma reliable sociological source suchas apublishedbook, a sociologydepartmentwebsiteorarefereedjournalarticle.PART1:INTRODUCTIONTOSOCIALINSTITUTIONS,ANDINEQUALITY

This section introduces the course. Students will be introduced to sociological

understandingsofsocialinstitutionsandsocialinequality.Attheendofthissection,students

should be able to: (i) identify and define institutions and inequalities; (ii) distinguish

between social institutions and organisations and; (iii) should be able to determine and

explain the different types of institutions and inequalities. The following readings are

compulsory:

• Gelderblom,D.(2004).IntroductiontoSociology.Socialinstitutions,pp.2-9.Cape

Town:OxfordUniversityPress.

• Korgen,K.O.&White,J.M.(2014).Theengagedsociologist:Connectingtheclassroom

tothecommunity(fifthedition),pp.73-76.Bentley:SAGEPublications.

• Deghaye,N.,McKenzie,T.&Chirawu,P.(2014).InequalityinSouthAfrica:Atwo-part

documentonthecurrentunderstandinganddimensionsofinequalityinhealth,gender

andlivelihoods,pp.7-10.Oxford:Oxfam.(OnRUconnected).

PART2:GENDERINEQUALITYANDSEXISM

Thissectionbeginsby introducingstudents tohome/household/familyas theoldestand

mostfundamentalsocialinstitution.Themaingoalofthissectionistodemonstratetheways

in which the home, as a social institution, is deeply implicated in the creation and

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perpetuationofgenderinequalitiesinsociety.Attheendofthissection,studentsshouldbe

ableto:(i)defineandidentifyhomeasasocialinstitution;(ii)demonstrateanunderstanding

ofhowthehome,throughgendersocialisation,createsgenderinequalities;(iii)Describeand

evaluatetheways inwhichthehomereproducesgender inequalities,and;(iv)beableto

explainandapplythedifferenttheoreticaltraditionsaboutgenderinequality.Thefollowing

readingsarecompulsory:

TheFamily/HouseholdasaSocialInstitution• Gelderblom,D.(2004).IntroductiontoSociology.Socialinstitutions,pp.11-32.Cape

Town:OxfordUniversityPress.

• Rabe,M.(2014).Familyandhouseholds.In:P.Stewart&J.Zaaiman(eds.)Sociology:

ASouthAfricanintroduction,pp.227-231.CapeTown:Juta.

Home/HouseholdasthePlantationofPatriarchyandViolentMasculinities

• Hooks,B.(2004).Thewilltochange:Men,masculinity,andlove.pp.17-32.NewYork:

Beyond Words/Atria Books. (Chapter 2: Understanding patriarchy). (On

RUconnected).

• Helman, R. & Ratele, K. (2016). Everyday (in) equality at home: Complex

constructionsofgenderinSouthAfricanfamilies.GlobalHealthAction,Vol.9(1),pp.

1-5.(OnRuconnected).

GenderInequalityandOppressionintheFamily/Household• Adams,M.&Coltrane,S.(2005).Boysandmeninfamilies:thedomesticproduction

of gender, power and privilege. In:M. Kimmel. & J. Hearn, & R.W. Connell. (eds.).

Handbookofstudiesonmenandmasculinities,pp.230-248.ThousandOaks,CA:SAGE

Publications.

• Morettini, F.M. (2016). HegemonicMasculinity: How the DominantMan subjugates

otherMen,WomenandSociety.

GenderInequality:OverviewofTheoreticalContributions• Rabe,M.(2015).Gender.In:P.Stewart&J.Zaaiman(eds.)Sociology:AconciseSouth

Africanintroduction,pp.158-163.CapeTown:Juta.

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SexualViolenceandInstitutions(Home,Police,Schooling)• Wood,K.&Jewkes,R.(1998).'Loveisadangerousthing':Micro-dynamicsofviolence

insexualrelationshipsofyoungpeopleinUmtata.CERSA(Women'sHealth),Medical

Research Council. Available at: http://196.21.144.194/gender/finallove.pdf (NB:

Thisreadingisforyourassignment/tutorial)

PART3:CLASSINEQUALITY

This section introduces students to the concept of class and class inequalities. The

institutions throughwhich class inequalities are examined are themedia and the health

system.Attheendofthissection,studentsshouldbeabletoidentifyanddefineclassand

class inequality, (ii) demonstrate an understanding of Marx and Weber’s theoretical

understandingsofclass, (iii)explainandapplyRalphMiliband’s theoryof legitimation in

relationtoadvertising,and(iv)assessclassinequalitieswithinthehealthsysteminrelation

totheCovid-19pandemic.Thefollowingreadingsarecompulsory:

IntroductiontoClass

• Stewart,P.&Greenstein,R.(2015).Class.In:P.Stewart&J.Zaaiman(eds.)Sociology:

AconciseSouthAfricanintroduction,pp.197-199.CapeTown:Juta.

TheoreticalContributionstoClass:MarxandWeber

• Stewart,P.&Greenstein,R.(2015).Class.In:P.Stewart&J.Zaaiman(eds.)Sociology:

AconciseSouthAfricanintroduction,pp.199-208.CapeTown:Juta.

LegitimationandAdvertising(thepromotionofcapitalistsocialrelations)(Media)

• Miliband,R.(1973).Thestateincapitalistsociety,pp.189-195.London:QuartetBooks.

• Miliband,R.(1991).Dividedsocieties,pp.145-150.Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress.

ClassInequalitiesintheTimeofCovid-19(Health)

• Pretorius,E.(2015).MedicineandHealth.In:P.Stewart&J.Zaaiman(eds.)Sociology:

AconciseSouthAfricanintroduction,pp.409-411,420-423.CapeTown:Juta.

• Mahlatsi,M.(2020).Covid-19exposesclass,racialinequalitiesinSA.SowetanLive,18

March. Available at: https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2020-03-

18-covid-19-exposes-class-racial-inequalities-in-sa/

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• Jacub, A. (2020). The coronavirus and Africa: Exposing our vulnerabilities and

inequalities.Mail&Guardian,22March.Availableat:https://mg.co.za/africa/2020-

03-22-the-coronavirus-and-africa-exposing-our-vulnerabilities-and-inequalities/

(accessedon3April2020).

PART4:GLOBALINEQUALITIES

Thissectionbeginsbytracingtheoriginsanddevelopmentoftheworldcapitalistsystem

and looks at the various forceswhich resulted in a specific instantiationof capitalism in

SouthAfrica,definedas‘racialcapitalism’.Attheendofthissection,studentsshouldbeable

todescribe(i)capitalismasaglobalsystem,(ii)howthediscoveryofgoldledtoaspecific

formofracialcapitalisminSouthAfrica,(iii)theviolentattemptstodenythecultureofthose

oppressedbyracial capitalism,and(iv) theroleplayedby the institutionofeducation in

perpetuatingcolonialandclassinequalities.

Imperialism:OriginsofGlobalCapitalistExpansion

• Szymanski, A. (1979). Capital accumulation on aworld scale and the necessity of

imperialism.CriticalSociology,Vol.7(2),pp.35-53

ColonialisminSouthAfrica

• Callinicos,L.(1985).Goldandworkers.Johannesburg:RavanPress.

CulturalAssimilationandCulturalStruggle

• Biko,S.(1988).IwritewhatIlike,pp.115-119.London:Penguin.

TheoreticalApproachestoCapitalismandEducation:Functionalism,Marxismand

Interactionism

• Rugunanan,P.(2014).Education.InP.Stewart&J.Zaaiman(eds.)Sociology:ASouth

AfricanIntroduction,pp.249-250.CapeTown:Juta.

• Haralambos, M. & Holborn, M. (2008). Sociology: Themes and perspectives (7th

edition),pp.602-605.London:Collins.

Capitalism,ColonialismandEducation

• Carnoy,M. (1974).Educationas cultural imperialism, pp. 15-20,69-72.NewYork:

Longman.

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• Magubane,Z.(2004).Apigmentoftheimagination?Race,subjectivity,knowledgeand

theimageoftheBlackintellectual.In:R.O.Mabokela&Z.Magubane(eds.)Hearour

voices:Race,genderandthestatusofblackSouthAfricanwomenintheacademy,pp.

41-58.Pretoria:UnisaPress.

PART5:RACEANDRACISM

Inthissection,youwillbeintroducedtovarioussociologicalapproachestounderstandinga

crucialinequalityofmodernsociety,thatis,racism.Attheendofthissection,youshouldbe

able to (i) discuss sociological perspectives on the connection between race, racism and

modernity;and(ii)explainthenationallegacyofracialcapitalismasreflectedinpresentday

post-apartheideducationsystems.

IntroductiontoRaceandRacism

• Greenstein,R.(2014).Race.In:P.Stewart&J.Zaaiman(eds.)Sociology:ASouth

Africanintroduction,pp.173-180.CapeTown:Juta.

RacismandColonialism

• Greenstein,R.(2014).Race.In:P.Stewart&J.Zaaiman(eds.)Sociology:ASouth

Africanintroduction,pp.180-183.CapeTown:Juta.

Race,ClassandEducationinPost-ApartheidSouthAfrica

• Rugunanan,P.(2014).Education.In:P.Stewart&J.Zaaiman(eds.)Sociology:A

SouthAfricanintroduction,pp.249-250,253-265.CapeTown:Juta.

• Soudien,C.(2008).TheintersectionofraceandclassintheSouthAfricanuniversity:

Studentexperiences.SouthAfricanJournalofHigherEducation,Vol.22(3),pp.662–

678.

• Nordling,L.(2019).RacismrifeattopSouthAfricanUniversity,saysreport.Nature.

9April.Availableat:https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01129-2

FORMSOFASSESSMENT

• TutorialAssignments

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Youarerequiredtocompleteandsubmittwocompulsorytutorialassignments.Ifyoufailto

submitanassignmentwithoutavalidreasonthatwouldnecessitateaLeaveofAbsence(LOA)

certificate, youwillputyourDulyPerformed (DP) certificate in jeopardy.LOA formsare

available in the department – please consult with the departmental secretary

(noluvuyo.sakata@ru.ac.za)inthisregard.AnapplicationforanLOAmustbeaccompanied

byrelevantsupportingdocumentation(doctor’scertificate,letterfromwarden,letterfrom

psychologist,etc.).Youmustfindoutifyourapplicationhasbeenapproved,asthegranting

ofanLOAbytheHeadofDepartmentisnotautomatic(seeHandout1fordetails).

• Tests

Therewillbetwotestsforthiscourse.Thetestsconstitute100%(each50%)oftheterm

mark(which,inturn,constitutes30%ofyouroverallmarkforthiscourse).

Test1:24May2021

Test2:14June2021

• JuneExamination

Youwillwriteanexaminationonthefirstsemester’sworkinJune.Thisexamwillcountfor

70%oftheoverallmarkforthiscourse.

Tutorial Assessment 1:

(Due date: 21 May 2021)

Beforeansweringthefollowingquestions,refertopage15ofHandout1foranexplanation

ofthetermsusedwhenphrasingquestions.Thiswillenableyoutoanswerthesequestions

adequately.Youranswersshouldnotbelongerthanoneparagraph.

1. Definesocialinstitutions.

2. Describethemainpurposeofsocialinstitutions.

3. Listfivesocialinstitutions.

4. Illustratethedistinctionbetweenasocialinstitutionandasocialorganisation.

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5. IntheIntroductiontoSociologyinthefirsttermyoulearnedaboutprimaryand

secondary socialisation. Discuss one institution responsible for primary

socialisationandoneinstitutionresponsibleforsecondarysocialisation.

6. Defineinequality.

7. Explainthedifferencebetweeninequalityandinequity.

8. Listfivetypesofinequalitiesprevalentinsociety.

9. Whenyoulearnedaboutthesociologicalimaginationinthefirstterm,youwere

introducedtothedistinctionbetweenpersonaltroublesvspublicissues.Explain

whetheryouwouldclassifygenderinequalityandtheoppressionofwomenasa

publicissueorpersonaltrouble.

10. Defineclassinthesociologicaltradition.

11. OutlineandcompareMarxandWeber’stheoriesinrelationtoclassinequality(not

morethantwoparagraphs).

12. Whichsocialinstitution,accordingtoyou,breedsclassinequalitiesinSouthAfrica

andwhy?(Oneparagraph)