Inequity and Inequality Workshop Notes

Cultural Acknowledgement

  • The Wadjuk Noongar people are acknowledged as the traditional owners of the land.
  • Respect is paid to Elders past, present, and emerging.
  • The land was never ceded; it always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

Workshop Objectives and Structure

  • The workshop focuses on three primary learning outcomes:
    • Exploring current Australian attitudes regarding inequality.
    • Understanding the persistence of inequality within Australia.
    • Linking the concept of inequality to broader sociological frameworks.
  • The workshop activities are structured as follows:
    • Weekly recap of lecture and readings.
    • Examination of the concept "I got here on merit."
    • Analysis of the persistence of inequality.
    • Connecting inequality to other sociological concepts.

Weekly Recap and Materials

  • Student groups are assigned specific materials for review and discussion:
    • Group 1: Responsible for the Weekly Lecture recap.
    • Group 2: Focused on Reading 1, titled "Inequity vs. Inequality."
    • Group 3: Focused on Reading 2, titled "Inequality in Australia."
    • Group 4: Focused on Reading 3, titled "Who Screwed Millennials."

Australian Perspectives on Meritocracy

  • Analysis involves a 2019 SBS video titled "The Frant: I got here on merit and other not-quite truths."
  • Key discussion points include:
    • Reasons why many Australians find it difficult to acknowledge the existence or limitations of 'meritocracy.'
    • Evaluating whether Australian perceptions of hard work and merit have evolved since the video was produced in 2019.

The Youth Vote and Entrenched Inequality

  • Media coverage during the 2025 federal election highlighted the high proportion of younger voters.
  • The 'youth vote' was identified as a critical political battleground.
  • Predictions were made that this demographic shift would threaten the dominance of the two major political parties and impact the future of Australia.
  • Inquiry into why these predictions may not have come to fruition and what this suggests about how inequality is entrenched in society.
  • Discussion centers on the factors that allow inequality to persist despite demographic shifts in voting power.

The Australian Census of Population and Housing

  • The next Australian Census of Population and Housing is scheduled for Tuesday 11 August 2026.
  • The Census is conducted every 55 years.
  • It serves as the most comprehensive snapshot of Australia, collecting essential data on economic, social, and cultural characteristics.
  • Key investigative questions regarding the Census and inequality:
    • How Census data is utilized and its specific links to inequity and inequality.
    • Potential ways the Census data can be used to challenge existing inequality.
    • Methods through which the Census might unintentionally perpetuate inequality.

Sociological Frameworks of Inequality

  • Inequality is analyzed through three specific lenses: economic, health, and social inequality.
  • These forms of inequality are connected to fundamental sociological concepts:
    • The sociologic imagination.
    • Social constructionism.
    • Structure and agency.
    • Power, positionality, status, and life chances.

Social Work Community Events and Future Schedule

  • An event titled "Warm up with Social Work" is scheduled for first-year social work students.
    • Details: Hot chocolate and a chat with social work staff.
    • Location: Undercover - Guild Building (106).
    • Date and Time: Wednesday 26 August (Week 6) from 12:0012:00 to 1:30 pm1:30\,pm.
  • Upcoming Curriculum Schedule:
    • Week 5: Tuition Free week.
    • Week 6: Topic covers Difference, Discrimination, and Oppression.