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South Africa is most famous for its system of apartheid and, recently, the relatively peaceful transition into a democratic ‘rainbow nation’. Many international sociology texts use apartheid in South Africa as an illustration of racial inequality, with several providing this as an example of a modern racial caste system of inequality. Other sociologists would argue that focusing on caste obscures the functions apartheid had for providing the ruling capitalists with cheap black labour. They, instead, emphasize the importance of class analysis. As New South Africa has matured, we now have nearly two decades of hindsight to consider what the transition from apartheid has meant for patterns of inequality in South Africa in terms of race, class, gender, ethnicity and race. Anybody can see that poverty is still a feature of South African social landscape. This was very much evident in the unrest of July 2021. There is a global rise in inequality, discrimination, social divisions and social stratification.  In this sense, South Africa is a microcosm of the world and cannot be understood in isolation. We must go beneath surface understandings of poverty, discrimination and inequality to examine the social processes and theories that explain why we have such an inequitable social order.

Welcome to the module Social Issues: Practice and Theory (SOCY 306). The term ‘social issue’ is widely used and sometimes used interchangeably with the ‘social problem’ concept. Despite sufficient research on these two sociological concepts, there is little consensus on what condition or behaviour can be considered a social issue. In recent years, much emphasis has been placed on social issues as a sociological concept largely because socially problematic conditions and behaviours are shrouded in value judgments, cultural relativity, and political contention, which problematizes individuals and communities. Given the wide range of social issues challenging society, the sociological study of social issues raises passionate and compassionate feelings. Still, beyond such feelings, it raises serious questions on how to minimise its prevalence and indirectly help those who become victims.  It must be noted that social issues are not only culture-specific but also vary from time to time. Since societies are differently affected by social issues, their perceptions and definitions will vary. In this context, some foundation knowledge on the study of social issues is necessary, especially about how it becomes defined as one, how it is constructed conceptually from different sociological perspectives, and how one goes about studying it and finding a solution.

The first part of the module will consider diverse theoretical perspectives and social science research methods used to study and understand social issues. Almost universal amongst sociologists is the assumption that certain social issues directly result from poverty. The poor, by their social status, are more vulnerable to certain social problems compared to certain other classes. Often, the poor can least afford the best levels of education or secure basic job skills, resulting in being trapped perpetually in a cycle of poverty that is extremely hard to break. The frustration and hopelessness of a life in poverty exact a heavy human toll.  The second part of the module thus seeks to analyse social issues such as racial inequality, unequal access to education, poverty, gender-based violence and unemployment. A wide range of examples drawn from international and national experiences are highlighted.