Sociology perspectives and social policies
- Created by: ecotts
- Created on: 31-03-18 14:02
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- Sociological perspectives and social policies
- Functionalism
- Role of sociology
- Positivist view sociology as a science
- through scientific research they can discover both problems & solutions to society
- it is to provide the state with objective informations that can be used to based policies on
- EXAMPLE; Durkhiems research led to him proposing an education system based on merit and abolition of inherited wealth
- he said this would lead to a more cohesive society
- EXAMPLE; Durkhiems research led to him proposing an education system based on merit and abolition of inherited wealth
- Positivist view sociology as a science
- relationship between sociology and social policy
- The state serves the interests of society as a whole
- They would produce social policies that were for the good of all
- The policies help run more smoothly and efficiently
- EXAMPLE
- Educational policies that promote equal opportunities
- EXAMPLE
- they tend to look at one issue at a time
- 'Piecemeal social engineering'
- The state serves the interests of society as a whole
- Criticisms
- Marxist criticise the piecemeal approach
- issues in wider society need to be tackled before specific issues can be addressed
- EXAMPLE
- You need take bigger problems of inequality in society and bring change before you can produce policies that equalising opportunities
- Marxist criticise the piecemeal approach
- Society is based on value consensus; free from conflict
- Role of sociology
- Marxism
- see society as divided by a conflict which the ruling capitalist class exploit the labour of the working class
- Role of the state
- the state represent the ruling class and its social policies protect capitalism not society
- they legitimised the ideological by providing the welfare state, this helps to mask capitalism by making it seem like they care
- maintains the labour force for further exploitation
- relationship between sociology and social policy
- They see reports like the Black report are easily buried by capitalism
- they will not carry out such recommendations as they put profits before human needs
- Role of the sociologist
- It is to critsice social policy & revel the exploitation that under pins capitalism
- they way the ruling class uses social policies to mask this exfoliation and prevent a revolution through minor concessions
- It is to critsice social policy & revel the exploitation that under pins capitalism
- Cristicims
- Their view is impractical & unrealistic
- Social democrats criticise them for rejecting the idea that sociological research can bring change in a capitalist society
- Their view is impractical & unrealistic
- Feminism
- They see society as based on conflict between gender rather than class
- They see society based on patriarchy benefitting men at women's expense
- Role of the state
- The state perpetuates women subordination through their social policies
- EXAMPLE
- The state based its policies on the nuclear family so offers benefits to married couples not cohabitating
- which makes it difficult for other kinds of families
- The state based its policies on the nuclear family so offers benefits to married couples not cohabitating
- EXAMPLE
- The state perpetuates women subordination through their social policies
- Relationship between sociology and social policy
- they see their research as having an impact in education, having seen changes in the images of female in teaching material
- it is now positive which teacher training not being gender bias etc
- Feminist movement has also had an impact of policies for equality
- Sex discrimination act and equal pay act
- they see their research as having an impact in education, having seen changes in the images of female in teaching material
- Critisms
- Marxist and radical feminist say that society needs far-reaching changes that the existing state cannot achieve
- They reject the idea that change in the law can liberate women
- Marxist and radical feminist say that society needs far-reaching changes that the existing state cannot achieve
- They see society as based on conflict between gender rather than class
- The New Right
- Role of the state
- The state should have minimal involvement with society
- They are opposed to the states involvement with the family, education and health
- They feel that this takes away peoples choices and takes away their feelings of responsibility
- The state should have minimal involvement with society
- Relationship between sociology and social policy
- Sociologist have to come up with new policies that will restore the responsibility that the welfare state has taken
- they see that social policies enable people to help themselves rather than have a welfare stage to do it for them
- criticisms
- The quality of data used in studies have been questioned
- They have also been criticised for not using sociological studies but politically biased ones
- EXAMPLE
- They study breakdown Britain was produced by a think tank set up by Iain Duncan Smith a former leader of the Tori party
- EXAMPLE
- Role of the state
- Functionalism
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