SDG Detail

ANTHRO 321 : Equality and Inequality

Undergraduate course

Project description

Examines conceptualisations, realities and consequences of equality and inequality cross-culturally. Considers whether there are egalitarian societies and whether inequality is inevitable. Covers types and systems of inequality such as slavery, gender inequality, caste and class, as well as differences between economic and political inequality, and between equality of opportunity and equality of results. Inequality affects all of us, both in the details of our everyday lives and in our general understandings of who we are and how we fit in the societies in which we live. We live in times of tremendous and increasing economic inequality, in which the wealthiest ten percent of the world�s population owns 84 percent of the wealth, and the world�s 42 wealthiest individuals own more than the combined assets of the poorest 50 percent of the world�s population (source: inequality.org). Understanding this massive economic inequality is critical since, as Thomas Piketty has recently observed, inequality and redistribution are central to political conflict.

Year 2022

Location New Zealand

Organization University of Auckland

Project aims

Project outcome

By the end of this course, students will be able to: Demonstrate an understanding of key concepts in anthropological studies of equality and inequality. (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3) Demonstrate a familiarity with anthropological case studies of equality and inequality. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3) Demonstrate an understanding of what capitalism is and how capitalism is related to equality and inequality. (Capability 1.1, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3) Demonstrate demonstrate reading, writing and discussion skills at an appropriate level. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)