Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Ideology and Youth Work Practice

• Unit Code

  YWK3107

• Year

  2017

• Enrolment Period

  1

• Version

  2

• Credit Points

  15

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  On Campus
  Online

• Unit Coordinator

  A/Prof Trudi COOPER

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Description

This unit examines how different ideologies and worldviews influence youth policy, youth work, and young people's perception of the world and their place in the world. The unit explores both political and faith perspectives. The unit examines how different values and assumptions lead to political disagreement about youth policy. In this context we examine values and assumptions related to human nature, human rights, liberty, social justice, human purpose, our relationship with the natural world and about what constitutes an ideal society. The unit relates these themes back to youth policy, youth work and to young people.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded YWK1107

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Explain the key features of major and minor political and faith ideologies
2. Analyse the implications of different perspectives for youth policy.
3. Contrast the beliefs and assumptions of two or more political ideologies and show how each applies to a contemporary issue affecting young people.
4. Integrate theoretical understanding of ideology with personal and professional values to explore implications for future career choices in work with young people.
5. Discuss how ideologies that have influenced youth work methods and practices in different cultures and different places
6. Analyse the influence of major ideologies (liberalism, social democracy, nationalism, environmentalism and neo-conservative and neo-liberal ideology) on contemporary youth work policy and practice in Australia.

Unit Content

1. Ideologies include: conservatism, liberalism, social democracy, socialism, environmentalism, religious fundamentalism, nationalism, fascism and feminism.
2. Ideology as a framework for action in youth work.
3. How competing values such as social justice, human rights, equality, respect, solidarity, freedom, individualism, cultural diversity, spiritual development, care for others, influence how we see the world and how we see the purpose of youth work.
4. Questions about human nature, power relationships between different social and cultural groups, the relationship between human beings and nature, the role of the state, the role of religion in society. Political debates about tolerance, and how a tolerant ideology should respond to intolerance. Contemporary debates in youth work, which could include topics such as the construction and ethics of 'deradicalisation'
5. Topical issues are selected. Past issues have included economic policies. (e.g. Youth wages, environmental policies and climate change) and rights and freedoms (e.g. marriage equality, alcohol and drug legislation, free speech, religious belief and politics, policy on Indigenous recognition, multiculturalism, refugees and immigration and the apology to Indigenous Australians).

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, tutorial and online discussion

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Core Reading(s)

• Heywood, A. (2012). Political ideologies: An introduction (5th ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

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