The Anatomy of Social Problems: Social Critique and Policy

Undergraduate | 2026

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Area/Catalogue
SOCI 1006
Course ID icon
Course ID
201049
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
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Unit value
6
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Course level
1
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Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
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University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes
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Note:
Course data is interim and subject to change

Course overview

Why are some issues, such as gambling or domestic violence, defined as social problems which should be ‘fixed’, while others are not? Which actors are involved in turning social issues into problems and what interests might they serve? How does the definition of a problem shape the kinds of responses or policy interventions offered? This course responds to these questions by exploring the ways in which social problems are socially created. Students learn how social problems relate to different worldviews and theoretical perspectives and develop their capacity to analyse the social-economic processes surrounding the construction of issues as problems and attempts by policymakers to address them.  

  • Defining & Responding to Social Problems
  • Making Social Problems
  • Investigating Social Problems

Course learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate comprehension of sociological theories relating to social problems.
  • Develop an informed understanding of social problems, using high quality evidence and sociological perspectives.
  • Analyse a social phenomenon using an objectivist approach to social problems.
  • Examine a social phenomenon using a constructionist approach to social problems.

Assessment

Multiple Choice Questions, Multiple Choice Questions, Multiple Choice Questions, Essay, Essay