Introduction to Sociological Theory

Question 1

What do Functionalists think?

Answer 1

Everyone in society is in agreement about basic norms and values. It is a structural and consensus theory, they believe that systems and institutions serve a useful function in maintaining the healthy cohesion of society. A healthy society is where there is a strong collective consensus.

Question 2

What is the Organic Analogy?

Answer 2

A functionalist concept. Society is reliant on all interconnecting parts and institutions to work effectively.
Family - prepares you for education, primary socialisation
Education - prepares you for work
Work - gives you a purpose in society
Media - creates norms and values whilst influencing the other agents.

Question 3

What did Parsons (Functionalist) say?

Answer 3

Parsons argued that society was based on value consensus, everyone shares common norms and values through the agents of socialisation. The family is a key agent in reinforcing norms and values. Means that society can run smoothly.

Question 4

What did Durkheim (Functionalist) say?

Answer 4

Believed in the importance of social solidarity, which is instilled through the hidden curriculum e.g. hierarchy.

Question 5

Why do people face inequality, according to Functionalists?

Answer 5

Make them want to work harder - functional because they aspire to be like the working class.

Question 6

What is The New Right?

Answer 6

Political and Social movement. Often regarded as neo-functionalists. They think that stratification serves important functions: inequality promotes economic growth and competition.

Question 7

What did Saunders (New Right) find?

Answer 7

Believes that Britain is close to being meritocratic. He argues that the apparent inequality in a capitalist society may be due to the unequal distribution of ability and effort. Children from middle class parents may deserve to be more successful because they have a greater inherited ability to work harder.

Question 8

What did Murray (New Right) say?

Answer 8

Claims that the underclass are lazy, workshy, immoral, criminal and dependant on benefits. It suggests it is their own fault because they have a culture based on idleness, failure and criminality.

Question 9

What did Jordan (New Right) find?

Answer 9

Jordan disagrees with Murray and argues that the underclass have the same values and attitudes as everyone else, and that they would love to work if they had the chance. They feel a sense of shame because they cannot provide for their families. Unemployment often brings a sense of shame, guild, low self esteem, insecurity and poor mental health.

Question 10

What is Marxism?

Answer 10

Marx studied capitalist societies and believed there were only 2 social classes: a ruling class and a working class.
Believed that the means of production shaped the rest of society.
Saw society divided into two major parts:
Infrastructure - economic base
Superstructure - societies agents of socialisation
THE INFRASTRUCTURE SHAPES THE SUPERSTRUCTURE

Question 11

What is capitalism? (the infrastructure)

Answer 11

Capitalism is a system based around private ownership and the maximisation of profit through the exploitation of workers.
Conflict:
- The proletariat need the bourgeoisie because without them they would have no jobs
- The bourgeoisie need the proletariat to do the work and make them money.

Question 12

What is the false class consciousness?

Answer 12

Because the Proletariat are alienated and believe in the ruling class ideology this keeps them unaware of their unequal position. This means that the Proletariat are in a state of false class consciousness where they have no real idea of their true position in society.

Marx argued that once the Proletariat know about their exploited position they would rebel and revolt against the Bourgeoisie for equality and create a fair communist society.

Marx believed that a revolution would occur and all societies would become communist.

Question 13

What did Westergaard (Neo-Marxist) say about Marxism?

Answer 13

Class differences became stronger in the UK in the late 20th century. The top 10% of the population have seen massive increases in their incomes whilst those in the lowest incomes have seen virtually no rise.

Question 14

What did John Scott say about social closure?

Answer 14

Toffs and Snobs
Social closure: families ensure social closure because they encourage marriage partners from other rich families and emmersion of children into a ‘high culture’.
Old Boy Network
Intermarriage.

Question 15

What is the role of the media according to Neo Marxists?

Answer 15

Create a need for consumers goods.

Work harder to profit the Bourgeoisie.

Question 16

Arguments for Marxism being relevant?

Answer 16

Richest 1% owns 21% of wealth
Gap between rich and poor has widened.
In the global economy, the developing world has become the Proletariat.
Power is still in the hands of the small few e.g. Oxbridge
The w.c. are more likely to experience inequalities in health and have fewer life chances.

Question 17

Arguments about Marxism not being relevant?

Answer 17

Under capitalism the standard of living has improved.
Revolution has not occurred as Marx predicted.
Minimum wage limits exploitation.
Doesn’t account for the growing middle class.
Self employed e.g. plumbers earn lots.

Question 18

What is Pluralism?

Answer 18

Pluralists state that there is no one group who owns all the power. They argue that in democratic, free market societies, power is spread out among diverse competing interest groups.

Question 19

What do Pluralists think about the media?

Answer 19

Pluralists argue that the media companies compete for customers meaning they provide the kind of content those customers want and need to make profit. If a company doesn’t provide news, customers will stop buying it. This illustrates the idea that the consumers, not the owners of the media companies, control media content. Pluralists therefore state that the media content does not reflect the bias views of the media owner, but that of the diverse opinions of the general public.

Pluralists state that audiences are active rather than passive and are therefore not easily manipulates, as Marxists suggest.

Question 20

What did Max Weber (Weberism) argue?

Answer 20

The differences of status and power were important and were not always linked to economics of class inequalities as Marx suggested. Max argued that the concept of class, status and party all help explain the differences between social groups.

Question 21

What is class according to Weberism?

Answer 21

Marketability. Defined in terms of position in the economic marketplace. Positions can vary according to source of income, occupational skills and educational qualifications.

Question 22

What is status according to Weberism?

Answer 22

How society views you. The degree of prestige/honour attached to a social group in society e.g.occupation. Different status groups compete with each other for greater share of self esteem. Members of status groups tend to share common values.

Question 23

What is party according to Weberism?

Answer 23

Political power you possess. The exercise of power pressure groups e.g. political parties
Parties use power to enhance economic wealth.

Question 24

What is fragmentation according to Weberism?

Answer 24

Traditional class strucuture has split and class groups are now fragmented.

Question 25

What is the dual labour market?

Answer 25

Labour market is divided into two:

• secondary labour market - lower pay/status, women and ethnic groups
• primary labour market - higher pay/status e.g. access to health care.

Question 26

What is embourgeoisement?

Answer 26

Convergence of working class and middle class lifestyles.

Question 27

Why did Weber think there was no uprise?

Answer 27

Differences in status undermine any common cause. Social classes were too internally divided into competing status groups and this undermines any potential for a common group to uprise.

Question 28

What do Interactionists look at?

Answer 28

Labelling leads to a self fulfilling prophecy.
Moral panics, deviancy amplification and folk devils.
Micro-perspective. Concerned with small scale interactions of social actors and how these create/shape society. The media can amplify and create deviance.

Question 29

What is moral panic?

Answer 29

Occurs when society is scared that a person/group behaviour is a threat to social order. The media exaggerates this behaviour and suggests it is damaging to society, this will influence societies stereotypes and judgements.
It creates moral panic.

Question 30

What did Stan Cohen research?

Answer 30

Stan Cohen looked at the Mods and Rockers. The newspapers stressed the violent nature of of a fight between The Mods and The Rockers. Cohen comments that before the media coverage, although divisions existed, they had little significance. As the media were experiencing a ‘slow news’ day, they exaggerated the events and then ore people joined in.

Question 31

What is the evaluation of Interactionism?

Answer 31

Has been criticised for an over emphasis on ‘the individual’, at the expense of social structures and power relationships.
Concentrates too much on the small-scale, relatively trivial aspects of social life.
By focussing on individuals common sense subjective, all knowledge about social world is relative.
Doesn’t address or explain questions of social order and social change.

Question 32

What is ethnography?

Answer 32

When you study a group by being part of that group e.g. using participant observations and in depth interviews.

Question 33

What is liberal feminism?

Answer 33

Differences between men and women are as a result of socialisation. The different ways that boys and girls are treated from birth discourages women from developing their full potential. To liberate women it is necessary to educate that men and women are equal in potential, this their concern is with fighting for equal rights.

Question 34

What is a radical feminist?

Answer 34

Hold the most extreme view, they believe that men are the enemy and that men dominate and oppress women in society.
They believe that women are exploited for the benefit of men, and that men use aggression to control women and maintain their dominant position. Particularly concerned with: domestic violence, marital rape, pornography and sex trafficking.
In order to be freed from such problems women need to separate themselves completely from male domination and control.

Question 35

What is Marxist Feminism?

Answer 35

Recognises both the role of capitalism and patriarchy. In capitalist society women are exploited through capitalism as they are paid less than men for their labour. They are also exploited in the home as they carry out unpaid housework.
In capitalist society women hold a less powerful and lower status position than men.

Question 36

What is Black feminism?

Answer 36

Argued that white feminists have ignored the position of ethnic minority women. Such women have a double disadvantage as they are oppressed by racism and patriarchy. They are concerned with issues which may affect women from particular backgrounds e.g. forced marriage.

Question 37

What is Post feminism?

Answer 37

Challenges assumptions around gender identities, suggests that there are now a range of identities from which women and men can choose from. Acknowledges that experience of women varies according to their class, ethnicity and age. Explores a more complex range of factors influencing women’s experiences including their own choices.