§-Society and Culture syllabus

SA · SACE Board← Society and Culture

Society and Culture syllabus, dot point by dot point

Every dot point in the SA Society and Culture subject outline, in syllabus order, with a focused answer for each. Open any dot point for the answer, exam-style questions and links to related points.

Module 1: Culture and Identity

Topic overview →

What is culture and how does it shape who we are?

Define culture and explain how its values, beliefs and practices shape individual and group identity in Australian society.

How do values and norms hold a society together and keep behaviour predictable?

Explain how values, norms and mechanisms of social control regulate behaviour and maintain social order in Australian society.

How do individuals learn the culture of their society?

Explain the process of socialisation and the agents that transmit culture, and evaluate how they shape behaviour, values and identity.

How is the self constructed through social interaction and group membership?

Explain how personal and social identity are constructed through interaction, roles and group membership in contemporary Australian society.

How does Australia manage cultural diversity and build social cohesion?

Analyse ethnicity, multiculturalism and the factors that build or undermine social cohesion in contemporary Australian society.

How are gender roles socially constructed and how are they changing?

Analyse how gender is socially constructed, how gender roles are transmitted, and how gender shapes opportunity and inequality in Australian society.

How do popular culture and the media shape values, identity and behaviour?

Analyse how popular culture and the media transmit values and shape identity, perception and behaviour in contemporary Australian society.

How are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures sustained and what challenges do they face?

Analyse the nature, continuity and contemporary situation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in Australian society.

How and why is the structure and role of the family changing in Australian society?

Analyse the family as a social institution, the diversity of family forms, and how and why family structures are changing in Australia.

Module 2: Contemporary Social Issues

Topic overview →

How do we analyse a contemporary social issue fairly?

Explain how to identify and analyse a contemporary social issue, including stakeholders, perspectives and the use of evidence.

How does power operate in contemporary societies?

Analyse how power and authority operate through social structures and institutions, and how this produces inequality in Australian society.

What makes authority legitimate and how is political power exercised and limited?

Analyse the sources of legitimate authority, how political power is exercised through the state, and how it is held accountable in Australian society.

How do ideology and perspective shape the way social issues are defined and debated?

Analyse how ideologies, values and competing perspectives shape the way contemporary social issues are defined, framed and debated in Australian society.

Why does inequality persist and how does disadvantage become entrenched?

Analyse the forms, causes and consequences of social inequality and disadvantage in contemporary Australian society.

Module 3: Globalisation and Social Change

Topic overview →

What is globalisation and how does it connect societies?

Explain globalisation and its economic, cultural, political and technological dimensions, and evaluate its effects on Australian society.

Why and how do societies change?

Explain the causes and processes of social change, the role of social movements, and the tension between change and continuity in Australian society.

Is global culture eroding local identities or creating new hybrid ones?

Analyse how cultural globalisation affects local cultures and identities, including homogenisation, hybridisation and cultural resistance in Australia.

How is economic globalisation reshaping work and livelihoods in Australia?

Analyse how economic globalisation and technological change are reshaping work, employment and livelihoods in contemporary Australian society.

How are environmental challenges driving social change and shaping futures?

Analyse how environmental challenges and sustainability are driving social change and shaping future societies in Australia and globally.

How do social movements organise to create social change?

Analyse how social movements form, organise and use collective action to bring about social change in Australian society.

How is digital technology transforming social life, relationships and power?

Analyse how digital technology is transforming communication, relationships, participation and power in contemporary Australian society.

Module 4: Social Inquiry and Investigation

Topic overview →

Which research methods gather the best evidence for a social inquiry?

Explain primary and secondary research methods and select appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods for a social inquiry.

How do you carry out a structured social inquiry?

Describe the stages of the social inquiry process and the research methods used to gather and analyse evidence about a social issue.

How do you plan and write the external investigation?

Explain the requirements of the external investigation and how to plan, research and present an independent study of a contemporary social or cultural issue.

How do you plan and reflect on a collaborative social action for the Interaction?

Explain the requirements of the Interaction, and how to plan, carry out and reflect on a collaborative social action linked to a social inquiry.

How do you conduct social research ethically and responsibly?

Explain the ethical principles that guide social research and apply them when investigating people and communities.

How do you analyse evidence and present findings convincingly in a social inquiry?

Explain how to analyse social research data, evaluate sources, and present findings and conclusions clearly in a social inquiry.