Research Methods 2 - Policy Flashcards
Factors affecting social policy?
Governments ideological standing (research more likely to e biased towards researchers who agree with it)
Cost (what’s the priorities)
Electoral popularity (what’s popular with voters)
Interest groups that influence governments
Globalisation e.g. EU policies, etc.
Indirect influence e.g. research that becomes mainstream
Positivist and Functionalist approach to social policies?
Sociology can be directly related to policy
‘Science’ that seeks to find an answer to social problems so easy to make policy out of
E.g. formal education system needed for social cohesion and specialist skills for role division
Policies are believed to be for the good of all
Favour ‘piecemeal social engineering’ - tackling one problem at a time carefully
Criticisms of functionalist and positivist view on policy?
Single policies make little impact in context of adverse societal structure e.g. equality of opportunity policies in schools and educational attainment nullified by effect of class
Marxist approach to social policy?
State policies serve capitalism with ideological legitimisation
Welfare state makes it appear they care, but still exploited labour force e.g. NHS, and still keep working class in their place e.g. benefits system
Research is limited if it reveals truth that capitalism will put profit before human need as it isn’t liked
Only solution is to overthrow capitalism, so researchers should be critical and reveal relationships instead of serve capitalist government
Criticisms of Marxists?
Impractical and unrealistic outlook
Researchers have had impact on social policy e.g. new right in 80s on crime, education change from tripartite to comprehensive, etc.
Feminists view on social policy?
Patriarchy perpetuated by state policy e.g. tax benefits for nuclear family makes it difficult for alternatives
Feminist research has had an impact on policy e.g. liberal feminists anti-discrimination law, education, etc. and radical feminists on domestic violence etc.
Criticisms of feminist look on social policy?
Reformist policies not enough. Both Marxists and radical feminists call for something more drastic
New right on social policy?
Minimal state input
Murray (1984) generous welfare state weakens family and increases dependancy culture and irresponsibility
Sociologists job to suggest policies based on individual restoration e.g. Social Justice Policy Group (2007) ‘Breakdown Britain’ enables people to help themselves
Strong emphasis on social control e.g. Wilson and Kelling ‘Broken Windows’ influential for zero tolerance policy
Liked by Conservatives and also some shown in New Labour
Criticisms on new right and policy?
Research questioned on quality and objectivity E.g. Murray on single parents and absent fathers leading to crime, and Social Justice Policy Group
Social democratic view on policy?
Supportive of policy to help welfare state
Townsend, sociologists should be involved in policy making. He recommended more public spending on health and welfare services
Black Report (1980) on class inequalities in health commissioned by Labour and released 1 year after Conservatives came to power. Had 37 recommendations including free school meals and better benefits for disabled. Thatchers government refused to implement any recommendations because of cost and tried to stop its publication
Criticisms of social democracy view on policy?
Marxists - Problems grounded in capitalism so policies won’t help enough
New right - costs too much, people are too dependent, etc.
Postmodernists - sociologists interpret versions of truth and therefore all research is relative and cannot be a stable enough ground for policy making
