PUBL113 cram

What is a social problem?

A condition with negative consequences for many people that is recognised as needing to be addressed

What are the two components of a social problem?

Objective and subjective

Objective component

Harm affecting many people

Subjective component

Society recognises it as a problem

What is the sociological imagination?

Linking individual experiences to larger social structures

Why is sociological imagination important?

Helps turn private troubles into public issues

What is public policy (Dye)?

What government chooses to do or not do

Public policy (Anderson)?

A purposive course of action to address a problem

Public policy (Jenkins)?

Interrelated decisions about goals and means

What is social policy?

Government measures to improve wellbeing and reduce risks

Why is social policy a subset of public policy?

It focuses specifically on wellbeing and redistribution

Social problem vs social policy

Problem = issue; Policy = solution

What are values?

Beliefs about what is important in society

Examples of values

Equity, efficiency, liberty, security

Why are values important?

They shape policy decisions

What is policy change?

Modification of goals, tools, or institutions

Drivers of change

Crisis, technology, political shifts

Incremental change

Small gradual adjustments

Transformative change

Major system overhaul

Who described “muddling through”?

Lindblom

What is ideology?

A system of beliefs about society and the state

What do ideologies do?

Shape how problems and solutions are understood

Four functions of ideology

Explanatory, evaluative, orientive, programmatic

Explanatory function

Explains why society is the way it is

Evaluative function

Judges whether conditions are good or bad

Orientive function

Gives identity and direction

Programmatic function

Provides action plans

What is political ideology?

Beliefs about power and government roles

Colonialism

Control, exploitation, and cultural imposition

Liberalism

Individual rights, rule of law, limited government

What is economic ideology?

Beliefs about wealth production and distribution

Socialism

Collective ownership and redistribution

Neoliberalism

Free markets, privatisation, deregulation

Key difference socialism vs neoliberalism

Collective vs individual focus

What is social ideology?

Beliefs about relationships in society

Social conservation

Traditional values and social order

Social liberalism

Individual rights + welfare support

Social democracy

Market economy + strong welfare state

Feminism

Challenging gender inequality

What is cultural ideology?

Beliefs about culture organisation

Multiculturalism

Multiple cultures coexist equally

Biculturalism

Two founding cultures share power

Eurocentrism

European values seen as universal

What is justice?

Fair distribution of rights and resources

Plato’s theory

People perform roles suited to them

Aristotle distributive justice

Fair allocation based on merit/need

Aristotle corrective justice

Restoring fairness after harm

Utilitarianism

Greatest happiness for the greatest number

Example of utilitarianism

COVID lockdowns

Libertarian justice

Individual freedom and minimal state

Nozick’s entitlement theory

Acquisition, transfer, rectification

Criticism of libertarianism

Leads to inequality

Rawls theory

Fairness through the original position

Veil of ignorance

No knowledge of personal position

Equal liberty principle

Equal freedoms for all

Difference principle

Inequality only if benefits least advantaged

Capability approach

Focus on what people can do and be

Feminist justice

Focus on gender and power structures

Ethics of care

Emphasis on relationships and care

Indigenous justice

Focus on balance, relationships, collective wellbeing

Key Māori justice concepts

Mana, rangatiratanga, utu, whakapapa

Environmental justice

Fair distribution of environmental harms

Examples environmental justice

Climate policy, emissions trading

Two constitutional traditions in NZ

Māori and Crown

What is tikanga Māori?

System of values and practices

Key Māori legal norms

Whakapapa, whanaungatanga, mana, tapu, utu

What is a hui?

Māori decision-making assembly

Why are hui important?

Central to governance and legitimacy

What does Te Tiriti achieve?

Establishes relationship between Māori and Crown

Article 1

Kāwanatanga (governance)

Article 2

Tino rangatiratanga (authority)

Article 3

Equal rights

Key issue with Te Tiriti

Different interpretations of sovereignty

Article 1 breach example

Tohunga Suppression Act

Impact of Tohunga Suppression Act

Loss of Māori knowledge

Article 1 breach example

Native Schools Act

Impact Loss of te reo

Māori

Article 1 breach example

Child protection laws

Article 1 breach example

Crime legislation

Impact of Crime Legislation

High Māori imprisonment rates

Article 2 breach example

Land purchases

Impact of Land purchases

Loss of land, poverty

Article 2 breach example

Raupatu (confiscation of Maori land)

Impact of Paupatu

Loss of connection to land

Article 2 breach example

Native Land Court

Impact of Native Land Court

Breakdown of collective ownership

Why Treaty principles exist

Guide modern application

Key Treaty principles

Partnership, protection, rangatiratanga, equity, redress

What are the “3 Ps”?

Partnership, protection, participation

Why are the 3 Ps limited?

Too simplistic

Tiriti-aligned policy

Shared power and Māori involvement

Tokenistic policy

Appearance of inclusion without power

Crown-centred control

Government retains decision-making

Key policy analysis question

Who has power?

What is a constitution?

Framework of state power

NZ constitution type

Uncodified

Parliamentary sovereignty

Parliament is supreme

Role of Parliament (4)

Law-making, representation, accountability, budget

What is Royal Assent?

Final approval of laws

What is the judiciary?

Courts interpreting law