Food Systems, Sustainability & Social Change

This course will focus on building understanding of contemporary debates about food, sustainability, and society by exploring contemporary food systems and efforts to transform them. We will examine a range of socio-environmental challenges relating to food’s production, distribution, consumption, and waste. How these challenges are framed and analysed will be critically considered using sociological approaches that draw out social, cultural, political, economic, and ethical dimensions. We will then explore social action aimed at improving the sustainability and/or justice of food systems' structuring, governance, and/or practice. Local, national, and international examples will be used to ground our examinations of these efforts. More specific approaches or actions discussed may include regenerative agriculture, corporate concentration, food redistribution, alternative proteins, food sovereignty, application of Maori principles to food systems, among other things. Combining in-class and field experiences, as well as a social action project, the course is designed to foster critical thinking and motivate community engagement for transforming food systems.

30 points

Subject to approval of the Head of Department.

SOCI377, ANTH326

Ethnicity, Migration and Multiculturalism

This course explores ethnicity, race, racism, indigeneity, migration, nationalism and related phenomena in a range of different times and places.

30 points

Subject to approval of the Head of Department.

MAOR422

Sexualities, Gender and Relationalities

This course explores the changing landscape of sexuality and gender categories and identities, as well as new forms and understandings of intimacy and relationality. It considers how various identities, representations and practices disrupt and/or reproduce gendered, sexual and non-sexual intimacies and relationship normativities in a range of sites. These include mediated intimacies, polyamory and other non-consensual non-monogamies, asexualities, incels and PUAs ('pick up artists'), 'sexting' and dating apps.

30 points

Head of Department approval

SOCI303

Independent Course of Study

30 points

Subject to approval of the Head of Department

Individual Course of Study: The Politics of Need

Individual Course of Study: The Politics of Need

30 points

Subject to approval of the Head of Department.

SOCI368, SOCI420

The Politics of Need: Globalisation, Poverty and Welfare Provision

An advanced study of globalisation that examines how our new world of risk (including global financial risk) shapes our experiences of wealth, poverty and belonging. As well as using case studies from around the world, it covers groundbreaking theorisations of globalisation and an interrogation of New Zealand's place in a global world.

30 points

Approval of the Head of Department.

SOCI368

Supervised Research

This course is intended to allow students to explore a research topic of their choice under the supervision of an appropriate staff member.

30 points

Subject to approval of the Head of Department.

MA Dissertation

MA Dissertation

60 points

Subject to approval of the Head of Department.

MA Thesis

120 points

Subject to approval of the Head of Department.