Sociology for the Asking An Introduction to Sociology for New Zealand

by Hird, Myra; Pavlich, George

• ISBN13: 9780195584301
• ISBN10: 0195584309
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-08-18
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This book offers a critical introduction to sociology for New Zealand students. Written in an accessible narrative style, it seeks to challenge and debunk students' assumptions about key elements of their social worlds, encouraging them to develop a 'critical imagination' as a tool to identify broader social themes in personal issues.

Table of Contents

Notes on Contributors	ix
Acknowledgments	xii
Introduction: What is Sociology?	1	(1)
Sociologists and the sociological imagination	2	(3)
The sociological imagination and other disciplines	5	(2)
Three sociological approaches and imaginations	7	(5)
Why the questions?	12	(1)
Summary of chapters	13	(6)
Part I: Subjective Troubles	19	(86)
Whose Life is it Anyway? The Changing Self in a Changing Society	21	(18)
Introduction	21	(1)
Resistance, subjectivity, and the `real me'	22	(2)
Work, leisure, and the formation of identity	24	(3)
Production, consumption, and the `Fordist self'	27	(2)
The Fordist self and modernity's promise	29	(3)
Modernity's promise and contemporary practices of selfhood	32	(4)
Icons, identities, and the postmodern	36	(1)
Conclusions	37	(2)
Am I Free?	39	(18)
Introduction	39	(2)
Sociology and liberal images of freedom	41	(7)
An alternative view of individual freedom	48	(7)
Conclusions: Am I free?	55	(2)
Am I Queer?	57	(17)
Introduction	57	(1)
Our sexual selves	58	(1)
Dividing `sex' and `gender'	59	(1)
Joining sex and gender	60	(2)
The ambiguity of sex	62	(5)
The variability of gender	67	(4)
Invented sexuality	71	(1)
Inventing sexuality	72	(1)
Conclusions	73	(1)
Am I a New Zealander?	74	(18)
Introduction	74	(1)
The meaning of identity	75	(1)
Creating ethnicity and race	76	(6)
Creating nationalism	82	(2)
Ethnicity and nationalism in Aotearoa/New Zealand	84	(7)
Conclusions	91	(1)
What Difference do I Make?	92	(13)
Introduction: `difference' and `change'	92	(2)
The Disability Co-ordinator	94	(2)
Making a difference at `the university'	96	(3)
The disabled student	99	(1)
Male disability identity	100	(3)
Conclusions	103	(2)
Part II: Imagining The Social	105	(82)
Is Society the Opposite of Nature?	107	(18)
Introduction: getting back to nature	107	(2)
Conserving nature: Maori and Pakeha perspectives	109	(2)
Different perspectives, different assumptions	111	(1)
The truth about nature?	112	(1)
Nature and society: the great divide	113	(2)
But nature sneaks back into the picture	115	(2)
Sociology meets environmentalism	117	(3)
Sociology rethinks society and nature	120	(2)
The future of nature and society	122	(1)
Conclusions: and finally, what about us, here in New Zealand?	123	(2)
Is the Social Dead?	125	(20)
Introduction: postmodern social formations	125	(2)
The nation--state: haven or contract guarantor?	127	(1)
Bureaucratic authority or performance?	128	(2)
The `death of the social' and new liberal strategies of rule	130	(2)
The possibility of the public sphere?	132	(1)
Community---yes, state---no!	133	(2)
Welfare `talk': the fading language of the social?	135	(1)
Citizenship ideals: the social hope and expectation	136	(1)
Whither the social? Differing welfare paradigms	137	(2)
Welfare `culture--change': a New Zealand quest?	139	(3)
What is to be done?	142	(1)
Conclusions	143	(2)
Should Social Welfare Survive?	145	(19)
Introduction	145	(1)
Categorising welfare regimes	146	(3)
Feminist critiques	149	(1)
Neo-liberalism and the rhetoric of dependency	149	(4)
Dependency and the `unaffordable' welfare state: the New Zealand case	153	(1)
Changing labour markets and employment poverty	154	(1)
Welfare to work programmes: assumptions and effectiveness	155	(2)
Neo-liberalism and poverty	157	(5)
Conclusions	162	(2)
Who Decides who Lives?	164	(16)
Introduction	164	(1)
What is life and when does it start?	165	(5)
When are we dead and when can we choose to die?	170	(2)
Who suffers the most sickness and early death?	172	(3)
Who gets access to treatment?	175	(3)
Conclusions	178	(2)
What is Sovereignty?	180	(7)
Introduction	180	(1)
The January 1840 proclamations	180	(1)
The Treaty Agreement	181	(2)
Contemporary approaches to the recognition of the Tiriti/Treaty	183	(1)
Outstanding issues: sovereignty and self-determination	184	(3)
Part III: Critical Sociology	187	(45)
Is There Justice for Young People who Commit Offences?	189	(18)
Introduction	189	(1)
Images of young people	190	(2)
Describing the past	192	(4)
Shaping the present	196	(2)
Introducing restorative values	198	(1)
Describing restorative practices	198	(1)
Providing justice	199	(1)
Achieving restorative objectives	200	(2)
Meeting international standards	202	(2)
Creating injustice?	204	(1)
Conclusions	205	(2)
Does Academic Freedom Exist?	207	(14)
Introduction	207	(1)
From social democracy to market liberalism	208	(3)
The Treaty of Waitangi	211	(1)
The market environment	212	(1)
Commercial relationships	212	(2)
Commercialisation of research	214	(2)
Market-driven tuition	216	(1)
The role of managerialism	217	(1)
Academic responsibility	218	(2)
Conclusions	220	(1)
Can Sociologists do Critical Research?	221	(11)
Introduction	221	(1)
Why ask questions about the production of knowledge?	222	(1)
A litmus test for critical research and academic freedom	222	(2)
Critical knowledge and power	224	(2)
Market model universities and the production of private knowledge	226	(3)
Conclusions	229	(3)
Glossary of Terms	232	(20)
Bibliography	252	(23)
Index	275