Course Title: Social Construction of the Self

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Social Construction of the Self

Credit Points: 12

Course Coordinator: Belinda Johnson

Course Coordinator Phone: +(61 3) 9925 8280

Course Coordinator Email:belinda.johnson@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 37.2.10

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

Through undertaking this course you will become familiar with theories on self and society developed in the social sciences and understand the relationship between theory, practice and research on self and society. You will analyse concepts of social interaction, consider key contemporary explanations of self and society and identify ways theory and knowledge of self and society relate to professional practice.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

During this course you will develop an understanding of social constructionism as an approach in psychology and other social sciences, apply ideas of social constructionism to issues which are central to us as human beings as we move through life. You will also compare and contrast different ideas about the self; relate the ideas and theories studied in the course to your own life and work, and understand the ways in which texts which come from different disciplines and perspectives can assist us in creating meaning for ourselves and our world.

Upon successful completion of the course you will be able to:

• Apply social constructionist ideas to develop a deeper understanding of issues in contemporary urban society.
• Analyse a range of visual and written materials from a variety of disciplines including psychology philosophy, literature and history as they relate to the self;
• Engage the complexity of social meanings in relation to an area of society related to your future professional practice.
• Use the ideas and theories studied in this course to reflect upon your own life and experiences,
• Develop your ability to make engaging presentations and present critique in public.

In this course you will develop the following program capabilities:

• Critical analysis
• Knowledge 
• Social responsibility

Overview of Learning Activities

You are expected to attend a one-hour lecture and a two-hour workshop each week. Lectures will take place in a large lecture theatre with hundreds of students attending. This means that you will have few opportunities in lectures to ask questions or discuss issues. Workshops are the place to discuss, question, and process the weekly readings and lecture. They are also the forum for developing key skills and working towards assessment items.

Overview of Learning Resources

Reading materials will be available through the RMIT bookshop and RMIT Library.

Overview of Assessment

You will demonstrate your learning in this course by completing assessment tasks with a total word length or equivalent of 4,000 words.