Intro To Sociology Flashcards
Structuralism
They are concerned with the overall structure of society and how behaviour of human beings is seen as the result of external social forces. The main purpose of sociology is too study the overall structure of society and not the individual.
Structuralism approach
Macro - society as a whole
Social action or interprevist theory
Concerned with the behaviour of individuals and society and social structures are seen as the creation of individuals. There is an emphasis on free will
Social action or interprevist theory approach
Micro - emphasis on individual/small group
Consensus perspectives
Argue society is characterised by harmony and agreement, society is in agreement over society’s norms and values and suggest the role of institutions is to socialise individuals into a value consensus to enable society to function correctly.
Conflict perspectives
Argue society is better seen as being made up of competing groups, one dominant group and one subject group
Modernist perspectives
Social research can reveal truth about which types of societies are best and work to construct a better society through social policy and radical means
Post modernist perspectives
Postmodernists reject the idea of truth and the idea social progress is possible
Func overview
Compare society to a human body and all the different parts are like organs and essential to overall health.
They all have their own role and function and if these parts of society fail there would be a negative consequence on all of us and therefore people should do as they’re told for the good of society
Marx overview
Society is divided into two classes:
Bourgeoisie (ruling class)
Proletariat (workers)
They are in conflict as the ruling class only stay in power by exploiting the workers
Fem overview
Believe society is divided into sex
Men have power (patriarchy)
Feminists want me and women to have equal rights
Internationalist overview
Believe you need to understand the meanings individuals give to their own actions in order to understand why they do what they do
Postmodernist overview
Now we live in an unstable, fragmented, media saturated society because it changes so rapidly and this society has no truth in single theory or science
New right overview
Conservative political perspectives influenced by both labour and conservative policies
They believe the state cannot meet people’s needs and people are best left to meeting their needs in a free market
Durkheim - functionalist ideas
- writing in the middle of modernity and experiencing the industrialisation and urbanisation of France.
- believed that the social changes ushered in by modernity threatened social order and his sociology is a response to this
- wants to ensure modern societies were harmonious and orderly
What did Durkheim believe
The importance of organic solidarity and what societies must do to achieve organic solidarity
Believed individuals have biological tendencies to be naturally selfish and look out for themselves, regulating the natural selfish desires
Too much freedom is bad for society
Society has to restrain these tendencies by creating a sense of social solidarity
Modern societies run the risk of excessive individualism and face a ‘crisis of moral regulation’
Social solidarity
Where there is a sense of feeling part of something greater. A shared feeling of working together to achieve the collectively agreed goals of society
Durkheim beliefs continued
Society is more important than any individual and therefore it’s everyone’s job to ensure it functions and survives, without it we would cease to develop and eventually die out
Talcott Parsons - functionalist ideas
Argued the institutions in society were like organs in the body, each perform specific functions that were necessary to the maintenance of the whole.
What are functional prerequisites and examples
Societies had certain functional prerequisites and are needed in society in order to survive
E.G. production of food, care for the young, socialisation of new generations into society
4 functions identified by parsons
AGIL
adaptation
goal attainment
integration
latency
Adaptation (AGIL) - Parsons
Adapt to the environment and the production of goods and services
Goal attainment (AGIL) - Parsons
Decide what goals society as a whole should aim to achieve
Integration (AGIL) - Parsons
Achieve social cohesion
Latency (pattern maintainence) (AGIL) - Parsons
Socialise the young into shared values
What did parson argue
Societies needs must come before the needs of the individual and this is what it’s so key to stress the importance of the family and education passing on particular norms and values that bind people together in value consensus
Gramsci (1891-1937) ideas
Ruling class were so powerful they controlled ideology within society in 2 ways:
Coercion - used the army, police and courts to accept rule
Consent - used ideas and values to persuade
Louis Althusser ideas
State performs political and ideological functions that ensure reproduction of capitalism and divides into 2 state apparatus:
Repressive: institutions within society and suppress and control working class through force
Ideological: suppress and control working class through manipulation and conditioning the way they think
Ways the ruling class can manipulate
Family
Education
Media
Religion
Justice system
What 6 things did Karl Marx argue
6 key things:
1) capitalist society is divided into 2 classes
2) economic power control other social institutions
3) bourgeoisie control proletariat
4) ideological control over others
5) false class consciousness is created to make proletariat submissive
6) revolution and communism are the eventual consequence of capitalist society
Labour power
People’s capacity to work, people sell their labour power to the employer, the employee only buys the labour power not the whole person
Bourgeoisie
Own and control wealth of the country
Proletariat
Gain a living by selling their labour power to the bourgeoise for a price
Class conflict
The interests of the capitalist class are in conflict with the interests of the working class
Dominant ideology
Set of ideas and beliefs of the most powerful groups in society which influences the rest of society
False class consciousness
The working class don’t realise they’re being exploited and living ‘brainwashed’ state where they live a reasonable life
Repressive state apparatus
Institutions within society that suppress and control the W/C through physical force
Ideological state apparatus
Institutions within society that suppress and control the W/C through manipulating and conditioning the way they think
