A Critical Introduction to Social Inequality and Institutions
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Department of Sociology & Industrial Sociology
Prince Alfred Street, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0) 46 603 8361/7544
www.ru.ac.za/sociology
SOCIOLOGY I
2021: Term 2
A Critical Introduction to Social
Inequality and Institutions
LECTURERS
Thoko Sipungu (t.sipungu@ru.ac.za)
Tarryn Alexander (t.alexander@ru.ac.za)
0
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the course on social institutions and inequality! Having made it through the first
term, you should have a good understanding of what sociology is, and some of the issues
which are important to sociologists.
This course builds on the material covered in the previous course, so you will be expected to
apply your general understanding of sociology to the areas under scrutiny. The course covers
two important and inter-related areas of sociology: social inequality and social institutions.
Social inequality involves large-scale inequality within society. In this course, we will focus
on class inequality, global inequality, gender inequality and racism. All these forms of
inequality are manifest in and to varying degrees reproduced through social institutions that
affect our daily lives. For this reason, social inequality and institutions will be studied in an
integral manner, whereby we look at each form of social inequality in conjunction with the
institutions associated with it. We also consider the interrelationship between different
forms of social inequality. The institutions that will be included in this focus are the
family/household, the workplace, education, family and media.
One aspect of the course that must be stressed is that no form of inequality or institution can
be effectively studied in isolation. Society is a hugely complex and fluid entity, which is in a
constant state of change, at times we need to hold one or more variables constant in order to
inspect a particular relationship (for example, between education and racism or between
advertising, racism and sexism). We do this, however, with the knowledge that reality cannot
be holistically summed-up by such practices. You will notice, during the course, that no issue
is left on the shelf once we have dealt with it. Issues will keep reappearing as we move along
– not only in this course, but throughout your sociology career.
The issues covered in this course are both important and relevant to our understanding of
our society, and will be presented through a multi-media approach, incorporating lectures,
videos, the Internet and printed material. It is hoped that you will respond by actively
engaging with the course material, asking questions and opening up conversations on issues
covered.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR THIS COURSE
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this course is to be conducted largely online. If for some
reason the pandemic is brought under control and we can resume face-to-face lectures, then
we will do so. The recorded video and/or audio lectures will be uploaded, together with the
lecture slides, on RUconnected. Mrs Juanita Fuller, our departmental administrator, will send
you the key. The necessary reading materials will also be uploaded on RUconnected.
Assessments and tutorial submissions will be done via RUconnected/email.
1It is in your interests to read the relevant reading prior to each lecture being uploaded so
that you have some idea as to what the lecture will cover. If you read prior to the lecture you
will realise that a lot of the things covered in the lectures are not new to you. You can then
do further reading around these sections of the work. Please do not hesitate to contact us
should you have any questions or seek further clarification regarding the course material.
For the tutorial assignments, term essay and examination you are expected to know what
has been covered in lectures, but you also need to provide evidence of having read relevant
sociological material. You will be rewarded for evidence of reading, especially independent
reading of material not recommended in the course outline. Just make sure that the readings
you consult are from a reliable sociological source such as a published book, a sociology
department website or a refereed journal article.
PART 1: INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, AND INEQUALITY
This section introduces the course. Students will be introduced to sociological
understandings of social institutions and social inequality. At the end of this section, students
should be able to: (i) identify and define institutions and inequalities; (ii) distinguish
between social institutions and organisations and; (iii) should be able to determine and
explain the different types of institutions and inequalities. The following readings are
compulsory:
• Gelderblom, D. (2004). Introduction to Sociology. Social institutions, pp. 2-9. Cape
Town: Oxford University Press.
• Korgen, K.O. & White, J.M. (2014). The engaged sociologist: Connecting the classroom
to the community (fifth edition), pp. 73-76. Bentley: SAGE Publications.
• Deghaye, N., McKenzie, T. & Chirawu, P. (2014). Inequality in South Africa: A two-part
document on the current understanding and dimensions of inequality in health, gender
and livelihoods, pp. 7- 10. Oxford: Oxfam. (On RUconnected).
PART 2: GENDER INEQUALITY AND SEXISM
This section begins by introducing students to home/household/family as the oldest and
most fundamental social institution. The main goal of this section is to demonstrate the ways
in which the home, as a social institution, is deeply implicated in the creation and
2perpetuation of gender inequalities in society. At the end of this section, students should be
able to: (i) define and identify home as a social institution; (ii) demonstrate an understanding
of how the home, through gender socialisation, creates gender inequalities; (iii) Describe and
evaluate the ways in which the home reproduces gender inequalities, and; (iv) be able to
explain and apply the different theoretical traditions about gender inequality. The following
readings are compulsory:
The Family/Household as a Social Institution
• Gelderblom, D. (2004). Introduction to Sociology. Social institutions, pp. 11-32. Cape
Town: Oxford University Press.
• Rabe, M. (2014). Family and households. In: P. Stewart & J. Zaaiman (eds.) Sociology:
A South African introduction, pp. 227-231. Cape Town: Juta.
Home/Household as the Plantation of Patriarchy and Violent Masculinities
• Hooks, B. (2004). The will to change: Men, masculinity, and love. pp. 17-32. New York:
Beyond Words/Atria Books. (Chapter 2: Understanding patriarchy). (On
RUconnected).
• Helman, R. & Ratele, K. (2016). Everyday (in) equality at home: Complex
constructions of gender in South African families. Global Health Action, Vol. 9 (1), pp.
1-5. (On Ruconnected).
Gender Inequality and Oppression in the Family/Household
• Adams, M. & Coltrane, S. (2005). Boys and men in families: the domestic production
of gender, power and privilege. In: M. Kimmel. & J. Hearn, & R.W. Connell. (eds.).
Handbook of studies on men and masculinities, pp. 230-248. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE
Publications.
• Morettini, F.M. (2016). Hegemonic Masculinity: How the Dominant Man subjugates
other Men, Women and Society.
Gender Inequality: Overview of Theoretical Contributions
• Rabe, M. (2015). Gender. In: P. Stewart & J. Zaaiman (eds.) Sociology: A concise South
African introduction, pp. 158-163. Cape Town: Juta.
3Sexual Violence and Institutions (Home, Police, Schooling)
• Wood, K. & Jewkes, R. (1998). 'Love is a dangerous thing': Micro-dynamics of violence
in sexual relationships of young people in Umtata. CERSA (Women's Health), Medical
Research Council. Available at: http://196.21.144.194/gender/finallove.pdf (NB:
This reading is for your assignment/tutorial)
PART 3: CLASS INEQUALITY
This section introduces students to the concept of class and class inequalities. The
institutions through which class inequalities are examined are the media and the health
system. At the end of this section, students should be able to identify and define class and
class inequality, (ii) demonstrate an understanding of Marx and Weber’s theoretical
understandings of class, (iii) explain and apply Ralph Miliband’s theory of legitimation in
relation to advertising, and (iv) assess class inequalities within the health system in relation
to the Covid-19 pandemic. The following readings are compulsory:
Introduction to Class
• Stewart, P. & Greenstein, R. (2015). Class. In: P. Stewart & J. Zaaiman (eds.) Sociology:
A concise South African introduction, pp. 197-199. Cape Town: Juta.
Theoretical Contributions to Class: Marx and Weber
• Stewart, P. & Greenstein, R. (2015). Class. In: P. Stewart & J. Zaaiman (eds.) Sociology:
A concise South African introduction, pp. 199-208. Cape Town: Juta.
Legitimation and Advertising (the promotion of capitalist social relations) (Media)
• Miliband, R. (1973). The state in capitalist society, pp. 189-195. London: Quartet Books.
• Miliband, R. (1991). Divided societies, pp. 145-150. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Class Inequalities in the Time of Covid-19 (Health)
• Pretorius, E. (2015). Medicine and Health. In: P. Stewart & J. Zaaiman (eds.) Sociology:
A concise South African introduction, pp. 409-411, 420-423. Cape Town: Juta.
• Mahlatsi, M. (2020). Covid-19 exposes class, racial inequalities in SA. Sowetan Live, 18
March. Available at: https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2020-03-
18-covid-19-exposes-class-racial-inequalities-in-sa/
4• Jacub, A. (2020). The coronavirus and Africa: Exposing our vulnerabilities and
inequalities. Mail & Guardian, 22 March. Available at: https://mg.co.za/africa/2020-
03-22-the-coronavirus-and-africa-exposing-our-vulnerabilities-and-inequalities/
(accessed on 3 April 2020).
PART4: GLOBAL INEQUALITIES
This section begins by tracing the origins and development of the world capitalist system
and looks at the various forces which resulted in a specific instantiation of capitalism in
South Africa, defined as ‘racial capitalism’. At the end of this section, students should be able
to describe (i) capitalism as a global system, (ii) how the discovery of gold led to a specific
form of racial capitalism in South Africa, (iii) the violent attempts to deny the culture of those
oppressed by racial capitalism, and (iv) the role played by the institution of education in
perpetuating colonial and class inequalities.
Imperialism: Origins of Global Capitalist Expansion
• Szymanski, A. (1979). Capital accumulation on a world scale and the necessity of
imperialism. Critical Sociology, Vol. 7 (2), pp. 35-53
Colonialism in South Africa
• Callinicos, L. (1985). Gold and workers. Johannesburg: Ravan Press.
Cultural Assimilation and Cultural Struggle
• Biko, S. (1988). I write what I like, pp. 115-119. London: Penguin.
Theoretical Approaches to Capitalism and Education: Functionalism, Marxism and
Interactionism
• Rugunanan, P. (2014). Education. In P. Stewart & J. Zaaiman (eds.) Sociology: A South
African Introduction, pp. 249-250. Cape Town: Juta.
• Haralambos, M. & Holborn, M. (2008). Sociology: Themes and perspectives (7th
edition), pp. 602-605. London: Collins.
Capitalism, Colonialism and Education
• Carnoy, M. (1974). Education as cultural imperialism, pp. 15-20, 69-72. New York:
Longman.
5• Magubane, Z. (2004). A pigment of the imagination? Race, subjectivity, knowledge and
the image of the Black intellectual. In: R.O. Mabokela & Z. Magubane (eds.) Hear our
voices: Race, gender and the status of black South African women in the academy, pp.
41-58. Pretoria: Unisa Press.
PART 5: RACE AND RACISM
In this section, you will be introduced to various sociological approaches to understanding a
crucial inequality of modern society, that is, racism. At the end of this section, you should be
able to (i) discuss sociological perspectives on the connection between race, racism and
modernity; and (ii) explain the national legacy of racial capitalism as reflected in present day
post-apartheid education systems.
Introduction to Race and Racism
• Greenstein, R. (2014). Race. In: P. Stewart & J. Zaaiman (eds.) Sociology: A South
African introduction, pp. 173-180. Cape Town: Juta.
Racism and Colonialism
• Greenstein, R. (2014). Race. In: P. Stewart & J. Zaaiman (eds.) Sociology: A South
African introduction, pp. 180-183. Cape Town: Juta.
Race, Class and Education in Post-Apartheid South Africa
• Rugunanan, P. (2014). Education. In: P. Stewart & J. Zaaiman (eds.) Sociology: A
South African introduction, pp. 249-250, 253-265. Cape Town: Juta.
• Soudien, C. (2008). The intersection of race and class in the South African university:
Student experiences. South African Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 22 (3), pp. 662–
678.
• Nordling, L. (2019). Racism rife at top South African University, says report. Nature.
9 April. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01129-2
FORMS OF ASSESSMENT
• Tutorial Assignments
6You are required to complete and submit two compulsory tutorial assignments. If you fail to
submit an assignment without a valid reason that would necessitate a Leave of Absence (LOA)
certificate, you will put your Duly Performed (DP) certificate in jeopardy. LOA forms are
available in the department – please consult with the departmental secretary
(noluvuyo.sakata@ru.ac.za) in this regard. An application for an LOA must be accompanied
by relevant supporting documentation (doctor’s certificate, letter from warden, letter from
psychologist, etc.). You must find out if your application has been approved, as the granting
of an LOA by the Head of Department is not automatic (see Handout 1 for details).
• Tests
There will be two tests for this course. The tests constitute 100% (each 50%) of the term
mark (which, in turn, constitutes 30% of your overall mark for this course).
Test 1: 24 May 2021
Test 2: 14 June 2021
• June Examination
You will write an examination on the first semester’s work in June. This exam will count for
70% of the overall mark for this course.
Tutorial Assessment 1:
(Due date: 21 May 2021)
Before answering the following questions, refer to page 15 of Handout 1 for an explanation
of the terms used when phrasing questions. This will enable you to answer these questions
adequately. Your answers should not be longer than one paragraph.
1. Define social institutions.
2. Describe the main purpose of social institutions.
3. List five social institutions.
4. Illustrate the distinction between a social institution and a social organisation.
75. In the Introduction to Sociology in the first term you learned about primary and
secondary socialisation. Discuss one institution responsible for primary
socialisation and one institution responsible for secondary socialisation.
6. Define inequality.
7. Explain the difference between inequality and inequity.
8. List five types of inequalities prevalent in society.
9. When you learned about the sociological imagination in the first term, you were
introduced to the distinction between personal troubles vs public issues. Explain
whether you would classify gender inequality and the oppression of women as a
public issue or personal trouble.
10. Define class in the sociological tradition.
11. Outline and compare Marx and Weber’s theories in relation to class inequality (not
more than two paragraphs).
12. Which social institution, according to you, breeds class inequalities in South Africa
and why? (One paragraph)
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