Psychology of Social Identity and Oppression (PSY322)
Introduction
The aim of the Psychology of Social Identity and Oppression course is to facilitate students’ engagement with the social aspects influencing identity construction within a contemporary South Africa. It encourages students to critically examine the social and contextual issues in South African society, introducing students to themes and concepts such power, oppression, ideology, racism, identities, etc., in order to celebrate diversity and to effect social change in society.
Course Content
• Basic Introduction to Social Psychology
• Race, Racism and Identities
• Race, Racism and the Media
• Bodies, Apartheid and Post-Colonial Context
• Frantz Fanon and Racial Identity in Post Colonial Contexts
• Black Adolescents during and after Apartheid
• Politics of Self-Definition
Assessment Method
Final Mark = CE (50%) + Examination (50%)
• Semester Test (50 MCQs)
• Assignment
• Exam (5 essay questions)
Prescribed Text
Ratele, K. & Duncan, N. (2003) (eds). Social Psychology: Identities and Relationships. Lansdowne: UCT Press.
E-Teaching
All course material will be posted on the e-teaching forum. Students are required to visit the site regularly for updates and additional information.
Lecturer: S. Savahl
Assignment Question
|GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES |SKILL AND ABILITIES |TEACHING ACTIVITIES |ASSESSSMENT CRITERIA |ASSESSMENT TASKS |LEARNING ACTIVITIES |
| | | | | | |
|Scholarship: critical |Inquiry-focused and |Lectures |Demonstrate understanding |Online Test |Reading/preparation for class |
|attitude towards |knowledgeable | |of key concepts in social | | |
|knowledge | | |psychology | |Collaborating with peers |
|Lifelong learning | |Utilization of e-pedagogy) | | | |
| |Critically Literate | |Engage critically with | | |
| | | |social psychology | | |
| | | |literature | | |
| | |Critical class discussions | |Assignment |Contribute to class discussions|
| | | |Illustration of contextual| | |
| | | |awareness | | |
|Critical citizenship |Autonomous and |Consultations | | | |
|and the social good |collaborative | | | | |
| | | | | |Reflection on engagement with |
| | | | | |the subject matter |
| | | | | | |
| |Ethically, |Enhance conceptual and practical |Application of theoretical|Examination | |
| |environmentally and |understanding of key concepts in |understanding to practical| | |
| |socially aware |social psychology, social identity|example | | |
| | |and social oppression | | | |
| | | | | |Independent literature searches|
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
Critically discuss the role that Psychology as a discipline played in the endorsement and maintenance of Apartheid. In your answer you need to consider its historical progression from an instrument and mechanism of oppression to its current emancipatory aspirations. It is of critical importance that you reflect on the role that you think Psychology should play in the reconstruction of South African society.
• The assignment should be completed in a minimum of 5 typed pages (1.5 Times New Roman Font), excluding cover and reference pages.
• Students are advised to follow the SAJP writing and referencing convention. Details are available on E-Learning
• The assignment is due on the 25th August at 13h00.
Graduate Attributes
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the study of social psychology—how people interact with and think about others. Students are able to explore and discuss topics such as self-concept, social perception and cognition, attitudes, social identity, interpersonal attractions, social influence, human aggression, and applications of social psychology.…
- 2860 Words
- 12 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Explanations of narcolepsy are in majority biological. Scientists have discovered that narcoleptics often are lacking in hypocretin which is a chemical in the brain that control sleep and wakefulness. A lack of this chemical may explain the sudden attacks of sleep.…
- 943 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
Lyons, H., Giordano, P. C., Manning, W. D., & Longmore, M. A. (2011). Identity, peer…
- 2196 Words
- 9 Pages
Powerful Essays -
The importance in developing greatness and achieving success lies within the ability to carry out Level 5 leadership.…
- 4715 Words
- 19 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Kenrick, D. T., Neuberg, S. L., & Cialdini, R. B. (2007). Social Psychology: Unraveling the Mystery.4th Edition. Allyn and Bacon. ISBN: 0-205-49395-5…
- 6643 Words
- 27 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
In social science, Identity is defined as the conception, qualities, beliefs, and expressions that make a person or group of persons (particular social category or social group). These includes the race, gender, education, class, sexuality of people and so on. The formation of one's identity occurs through one's identifications with significant others in an environment (which may be father, mother, families, friends at home, peers in school and so on). These others may be benign—such that one aspires to their characteristics, values and beliefs (a process of idealistic-identification), or malign—when one wishes to dissociate from their characteristics (a process of defensive contra-identification)” (Weinreich & Saunderson 2003,…
- 2263 Words
- 10 Pages
Powerful Essays -
A social identity is an element of a person’s self-concept, which is a derivative of a supposed membership in a certain significant social group. The social identity theory, as at first put together by John Turner and Henri Tajfel in the 70s and 80s, was able to introduce the idea of a social identity as a means in which to give an explanation about inter-group behavior (Kolak & Martin, 1991). The social identity theory can best be described as a speculation, which is able to predict specific inter-group relationships and behavior based on known group status distinctions, the apparent stability and authenticity of those status distinctions, as well as the perceived capability of moving from one group to the other. As a result, this concept…
- 3208 Words
- 13 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Howard, Judith A. "Social Psychology of Identities." Annual Review of Sociology 26.No. (2000): 367-93. Social Psychology of Identities. Web. 2015.…
- 1648 Words
- 7 Pages
Best Essays -
American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, The Emergence of Psychologists and Behavioral Scientists as Human Factors and Performance Consultants to Law Enforcement…
- 1106 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Making of Modern South Africa: Conquest, Segregation and Apartheid. Nigel Worden. 1 July 2000. 194 pages.…
- 2254 Words
- 10 Pages
Powerful Essays -
1. Introduction This report will discuss the history of psychology and how its unique elements add to the social sciences. The four main psychological theories to be discussed below are: ? Psychoanalysis ? Behaviourism ? Humanistic Psychology ? Bio-psychology In order to stress the importance of psychology and its distinctive and intricate attributes, this report will attempt to reveal the essence of the discipline of psychology. In doing this, this report will answer: How does psychology?s mission add unique elements to the social sciences?? 2. Social Science Social science has a number of different factors and is made up of many different disciplines which include geography, anthropology, psychology, political science, economics and sociology. Although some of these disciplines have been researched and developed more thoroughly than others, psychology may be argued as being the most prominent. Psychology?s theories have been evolving for well over a century and are the subject of continuous debate in the academic world and beyond. The key factor that differentiates psychology from the other five social sciences is its individual humanistic focus. The study of psychology is based upon the human condition (who am I? why am I?) whereas the other five disciplines are focused on humans as a group (who are we? why are we?). It is this factor that separates psychology from the other social sciences.…
- 989 Words
- 4 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Psychology is the study of the human mind and any of its functions. It also includes the behavior resulting from any changes in our environment. Psychology is very important to mankind in that it is important in understanding the world we live in. Psychology helps us and allows us to better understand the emotional and behavioral effects of our surroundings. According to Taylor (1988), many prominent researchers believe a healthy mental outlook on the world and what we perceive it to be is very important. Psychology is a mandatory course for so many programs of study because it is so widely used in occupations across the world. Using any number of research methods, a psychologist can apply research to the field of Public Relations in order to predict how a demographic will respond to certain things that occur. Not only is psychology widely used in many professions, but basic elements of psychology affect us as individuals each day.…
- 1057 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
They believed that hostile behaviour was not caused by individual attitudes but by group dynamics. Studies showed that discrimination appears in intergroup comparison even if there is only a minimal difference between the two groups and group boundaries are only based on the minimal difference. This minimal group paradigm shows that mere categorization is sufficient to elicit intergroup discrimination. Social identity theory (Tajfel,1981; Turner,1996; Turner et al., 1987) was basically based on this paradigm, and offered a psychological model. “in situations involving group membership, interpersonal behavior is replaced by intergroup behavior, that is, one’s behavior results not from one’s personal identity but from one’s social identity, therefore intergroup behavior is to be explained based not on group members’ individual attributes but on their social identity ”(Janos L,…
- 510 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The wildly known governmental policy of Apartheid affected the people of this country psychologically, as well as politically, socially, economically and medically. It did so in a variety of ways, including the humiliating effects on blacks and arrogance inducing effects on whites, the disruption of family life by the enforced migrant labour system, the slow brain development and behavioural effects that resulted from the unjustifiably widespread childhood malnutrition in this wealthy country, the world’s 6th largest food exporter, the distortions and alienations in personality development, on racial lines; the mental breakdowns and suicides that result from the physical and mental torture (Dommisse, 1986).…
- 1983 Words
- 8 Pages
Powerful Essays -
To discuss the importance of Psychology in our everyday lives we must first understand what Psychology is. The definition of Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental process; however, it can be applied to many other things in life. Everything we do in life is related to Psychology. Psychology is basically the study of who we are, why we are that way, and also what we can become.…
- 463 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays