A metropolitan university introduces a new “Belonging at Uni” initiative after reporting that some students feel socially isolated. As part of the initiative, the university releases a promotional video and a set of orientation-week resources.
In the video, a narrator says: “We celebrate diversity, but we also want everyone to fit in and share the same campus values.” The video shows quick scenes of students in traditional cultural dress at a food festival, followed by a scene in a tutorial where a student with a strong accent is subtitled with the words “hard to understand”. The video ends with the slogan: “Different backgrounds, one way of doing things.”
In the orientation resources, there is a page titled “Avoiding misunderstandings”, which advises: “If you’re new to Australia, try not to speak your first language on campus because it can make others uncomfortable.” Another page lists “common cultural barriers” and includes: “Some cultures are more emotional and may take feedback personally.”
After the resources are released, a student group posts online that the campaign is “just honest” and “helps newcomers adapt”. Another student group argues it “turns some students into outsiders” and encourages people to view certain ethnicities as a problem to manage.
Assume you are applying the sociological concept of the process of othering to interpret this case.
b. Examine the role of power in this case by explaining how institutional authority and public responses could intensify or challenge othering. Refer to the university and to at least one of the student group responses.
Marking your answer...
This may take a few seconds
Sign up for free to see your full marking breakdown and personalised study recommendations.
Create Free Account Log inThis is a free VCE Units 3 & 4 Sociology practice question worth 6 marks, testing your understanding of Othering process. It falls under Ethnicity in Unit 3: Culture and ethnicity. Submit your answer above to receive instant AI-powered marking and personalised feedback.
In this unit, students explore expressions of culture and ethnicity within Australian society in two different contexts – Australian Indigenous cultures, and ethnicity in relation to migrant groups. Students critically examine the historical suppression and increasing public awareness of Australian Indigenous cultures, and investigate ethnicity as a key sociological category, considering how ethnic identities are formed, experienced, and shaped by various forces.
Students examine the sociological concepts of race and ethnicity, the process of othering, and the theory of cultural hybridity. They investigate Australia’s ethnic diversity, multiculturalism, factors influencing belonging and inclusion, and the ethical implications of research into ethnic groups, including a case study of a specific ethnic group.
the process of othering
StudyPulse has thousands of VCE Sociology questions with full AI feedback, mark breakdowns, progress tracking, and study notes across every Key Knowledge point including Othering process.
