HSC Depth Study: Equality and Difference
The focus of this study is the nature of equality and difference in societies and cultures.
Content
Students learn about:
Concepts
The fundamental concepts of society, culture, persons, environment, time and the concepts of power, authority, gender and technology are to be integrated across Equality and Difference.
The key concepts to be integrated across Equality and Difference are:
• equality • conflict • ethnicity
• social differentiation • cooperation • ‘race’
• prejudice • discrimination • hierarchy
• human rights • socioeconomic status • identity
• continuity • social class • change
The Nature of Equality and Difference
Students develop an understanding of the nature of equality and difference through
Consider equality in Australia by investigating:
Examine ways to reduce inequality
• legislation introduced to reduce inequality – local, national and global
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Local, National Global Legislation.docx Task
Larissa Behrendt Stop this Intervention Human Rights Day 2009
Question: How effective are local, national and global legal measures in reducing discrimination and inequality? Consider the concepts such as power, authority, continuity/change.
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• affirmative action policies |
Ways to reduce Inequality.docx
One Step Forward: Two Steps Back? Women and Affirmative Action: A case study of the Victorian Teaching Service - Research Paper
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/RP9596/96rp33
One Step Forward - affirmative action.docx Task
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• community initiatives
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Example 1: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
Close The Gap Community Guide
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/close-gap-community-guide
Smoke Free Project
http://www.naccho.org.au/health-reform/smoke-free-project/
NACCHO health awards:Unique trial of a smoking intervention for pregnant Aboriginal women is the winner National Prize for Excellence
http://nacchocommunique.com/2013/05/24/naccho-health-awardsunique-trial-of-a-smoking-intervention-for-pregnant-aboriginal-women-is-the-winner-national-prize-for-excellence/
Example 2: An Indigenous Australian Employment Initiative
In 1997, Dick Estens established the Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES)- a service with the goal of providing employment opportunities for Aboriginal people in Moree. The inequalities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous members of the community were stark. For example, in the year 2000 the Indigenous unemployment rate was 44%, compared to 7% for non-Indigenous people. The AES is an example of a community led affirmative action campaign that has grown to a national level, as it now has nine operational sites throughout Australia and provides employment for approx 130 Aboriginal people per year. |
• welfare systems
2012-13 Budget Spending Australia
2013 Budget Spending USA
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Governments around the world provide different kinds of services and welfare for their citizens, based on their taxation system. In Australia, forms of welfare include unemployment benefits, old age pensions, youth allowance, disability pensions, war veteran allowances and a range of other payments such as the baby bonus. In general, the greatest proportion of government expenditure in Australia is spent on social security and welfare. In the 2011 budget, this proportion was approximately 33% of total government spending (the overall budget expenditure was expected to be approximately $365.8 billion). 2012-13 data is shown in the graph.
Social security and welfare spending is generally designed to help members of society with a low socio-economic status, so that such individuals/families/social groups can have greater access to resources and the essentials of living, such as housing, food, education, etc.
How fair is Australia’s welfare state?
Australia redistributes more to the poorest fifth of the population than virtually any other OECD country, writes Peter Whiteford
11 July 2011
http://inside.org.au/how-fair-is-australia’s-welfare-state/
Australian governments face a decade of budget deficits
http://theconversation.com/australian-governments-face-a-decade-of-budget-deficits-13616
The welfare system in Australia is broken - The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/the-disability-welfare-system-in-australia-is-broken/story-e6frg6n6-1226614493682
The Working Poor - USA
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/04/17/poor-a17.html
The US Welfare System
http://www.welfareinfo.org
2013 Welfare Spending USA
http://www.usgovernmentspending.com/us_welfare_spending_40.html
Task: Compare the social security and welfare system in Australia with the USA. Discuss the inequalities that exist in these countries and evaluate if they are being addressed by the current welfare system?
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Examine individual and group commonality and difference:
• the similarities that exist between people from different social and cultural groups |
Despite our differences as people, we all share many things in common. Commonality refers to aspects of humanity that we all share. The desire to laugh or cry, to feel happy or sad; the full range of emotions are part of being human. Humans have needs such as food, shelter and clothing. At another level, humans have a need to feel safe. This is therefore a commonality. Difference can be measured in terms of 'social differentiation'. Social differentiation is demonstrated as a result of both physical and cultural differences and can be observed through social class systems whereby some members of societies are perceived to possess higher levels of prestige, status and wealth. Socioeconomic status can also measure social differentiation as person of higher socioeconomic status usually possess higher paying occupation, demonstrate a higher level of wealth in terms of material goods and services. On the other hand, those of lower socioeconomic status may be either unemployed or termed 'working poor', meaning that despite having a job the income level is not sufficient to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Indeed, income is an obvious indicator of wealth, power and status and often the sole indicator of an individual's or groups' ability to access socially valued resources.
Does a class system exist within Australia?
April 04, 2013 , 4:22 PM by Hayley Crane
http://blogs.abc.net.au/victoria/2013/04/does-a-class-system-exist-within-australia-.html
Struggling, middle class or super wealthy?
http://www.news.com.au/money/federal-budget/struggling-middle-class-or-super-wealthy/story-fn84fgcm-1226640994274
1. According to McCRindle, What is class based upon in Australia?
2. Outline and describe the typical characteristics of the five quintiles in Australian society.
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• the perception of groups by other groups within society |
matterfact.pdf |
• influences on individuals’ perceptions of others |
The State of the Australian Middle Class.docx
Read the article and complete the following;
Account for the disparity (difference) between the perceptions of a struggling Middle Class, and the reality. 500-750 words.
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• how members of groups see themselves |
Sunrise Family First Debate 2 Aug 2010
Watch the video debate between Family First and The Australian Sex Party. Who you agree with isn't the important part of this exercise - instead, pay attention to how each side speaks about their own party, and their own views. Both sides believe that they are morally and factually right.
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• how attitudes of group members towards other groups influence behaviour |
Sample essay
2010 Trial paper Equality and Difference model essays.docx
E&D Commonality and Difference, consequences and institutionalisation.docx
The Shame - Four Corners - Domestic Violence in Aboriginal Communities
We need to get the children out of here - SMH 2008
Vanishing Orphans of the Intervention SMH - 2009
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• the role and influence of historical, political and legal forces in the generation and maintenance of social inequality, prejudice and discrimination in Australian society and culture |
Racism in Australia.docx
Timeline - Key Dates - Racism, Australia
http://www.racismnoway.com.au/about-racism/timeline/index.html
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• the extent to which inequality is institutionalised |
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2010/07/12/gender-race-and-top-billing-at-paramount-pictures/
http://www.racebending.com/v3/featured/paramount-pictures-diversity-in-the-21st-century/
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A Focus Study
Students are required to have knowledge of the nature of commonality and difference within ONE society. They will achieve this by examining:
studied in relation to at least ONE of the following:
• ‘race’ and ethnicity • gender • social class
• location • disability • age
• sexuality • health • religion and belief systems
The Future
Consider possible futures for equality and difference in the focus study society
• evaluating continuity and change in relation to equality and difference |
Timeline - Key Dates - Racism, Australia
http://www.racismnoway.com.au/about-racism/timeline/index.html
Use the timeline to identify continuities and changes in indigenous equality and difference. Discuss these continuities and changes in 700-1000 words. Use examples.
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• what are the possible futures if existing inequalities are maintained? |
Futures for Indigenous Society.docx
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• how can people with widely divergent viewpoints work together cooperatively? |
Stronger Futures in the NT
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory is a commitment by the Australian Government to work with Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory to build strong, independent lives, where communities, families and children are safe and healthy.
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory is a $3.4 billion investment and responds directly to what Aboriginal people told the Government was important to them.
Stronger Futures is directed to improving the lives of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory, particularly those living in remote communities and town camps, who experience much higher levels of disadvantage than anywhere else in Australia.
We are working with all levels of government and with communities in the Northern Territory to:
- improve services
- create more local jobs
- tackle alcohol abuse, and
- encourage children to go to school every day.
The Government will support Aboriginal organisations to deliver services under Stronger Futures and all services will be expected to employ local Aboriginal people wherever possible. Complementing this investment, the Stronger Futures legislation aims to help deal with the issues that Aboriginal people have said are the most urgent.
http://indigenous.gov.au./stronger-futures/
Newslines Radio: Working together to Close the Gap in Walgett
Published: 5 February 2013
This Newslines Radio program is part of this month’s community profile featuring the Walgett community and their work to Close the Gap in Indigenous disadvantage.
http://www.indigenous.gov.au/newslines-radio-working-together-to-close-the-gap-in-walgett/
Health
Improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is a critical component of Closing the Gap.
The Council of Australian Governments has a target to close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation.
To achieve this target we are working across all levels of government and with communities to:
- look after children’s health
- expand primary health care services in partnership with Indigenous health organisations
- train more local health workers and employ more doctors and other health professionals
- tackle chronic disease and its causes, including smoking
- target specific health problems, including eye and ear disease
- help people who abuse alcohol and other substances
- stop-petrol sniffing
- provide more mental health services
- make sure there is healthy food in remote community stores
http://indigenous.gov.au./health/
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• how can desirable outcomes be achieved for all persons? |
Futures for Indigenous Society.docx |
• what can individuals and groups do to help achieve desirable outcomes? |
Read the following article ‘For the People’ from Outback Magazine about a private construction company responsible for the development of an employment program aimed at reducing poverty in the remote indigenous community of Galiwin’ku, Arnhem Land. |
Students learn to:
• construct scenarios for future directions in equality and difference on a local, national and global scale
• identify and describe equality and difference in their own lives and in the macro world
• utilise social and cultural research methodologies by:
– applying the methodology of case study to their research of the focus study of Equality and Difference
– using content analysis to examine media coverage of equality and difference
• select, organise and evaluate information and sources by utilising ONE of the following methodological tasks:
– survey (using interview or observation or questionnaire), eg attitudes towards equality and difference
– use statistical analysis of data relating to aspects of equality and difference
– ethnographic study, eg a student spends time in a nursing home to study the interaction between staff and residents
– focus group, eg to examine the extent of discrimination within the local community.
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