Expand+SSJ10060 Inequality and Social Justice in Irish Society
Academic Year 2020/2021

Despite significant increases in income and wealth over the past two decades, Ireland is often described as one of the most deeply unequal societies within the Europe...

Hide-SSJ10060 Inequality and Social Justice in Irish Society
Academic Year 2020/2021

Despite significant increases in income and wealth over the past two decades, Ireland is often described as one of the most deeply unequal societies within the European Union. Why has this happened? How do we explain the persistence of injustices in a relatively wealthy country like Ireland and how can we bring about change?

The aim of this course is to enable students to develop a critical understanding of inequalities in Irish society and to identify ways of addressing these. It will use a range of academic materials and sources from different disciplines, including online resources, to develop a critically informed orientation. The course will be taught through a series of lectures and seminars. The active participation of students will be encouraged through dialogue and discussion.

The course has three main objectives: 1) It will map inequalities in Ireland for different social groups to enable students to understand the scope and depth of injustices; 2) It will provide students with conceptual frameworks to enable them to analyse the roots of these inequalities; and 3) It will identify frameworks for action that will promote social justice and respect for all in Ireland.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this course students will have developed:

1. The ability to conceptualise the equality problems of Irish society within a coherent academic framework

2. The research and analytical skills for understanding how social injustices and inequalities can be understood and challenged

3. A sound knowledge of the research evidence on the levels and scope of inequality in Ireland

4. The ability to create, understand and interpret quantitative tables and charts on experiences of inequality

5. A recognition of the complexity of the equality/inequality issues facing Irish society and an understanding of the available policy responses to these challenges

Indicative Module Content:
The course will focus on four major types of inequalities and how each of these can be explained and addressed in Ireland: 1) Economic inequalities; 2) Cultural inequalities; 3) Political inequalities and 4) Affective inequalities.

To complement the above analysis the Course will explore the role of key institutions in the perpetuation of inequality and in creating a more equal society including the media, the educational system, and the health care system. It will also explore possible solutions to Inequality in Irish Society and pathways towards achieving these