social policy

Question 1

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Answer 1

One way in which sociology might influence a government’s social policy is through the identification of a social problem that requires policies to solve it. Policies are often designed to solve problems in society, for example, differential educational achievement or patterns of crime and deviance.

Sociological research brings  these problems to the attention of the public, media and government as well as providing evidence to show  the extent of the problem. For example, lots of research showed that social class differences in educational 
achievement are already apparent at pre‐school age.

Question 2

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Answer 2

This evidence contributed towards the Labour government of 1997‐2010 developing Sure Start centers, as a form of compensatory education. The same government introduced EMA payments to pupils from low‐income households, partly as a result of research by Smith and Noble (1995) that showed lack of money for educational resources and travel was a barrier to continuing in education.

These are clear examples of social research identifying social problems, leading to government adopting policies to solve them. However, the party in power might respond very differently to the same research due to ideological differences. For example, the coalition government elected in 2010 scrapped EMA and cut many Sure Start centers, despite access to the same sociological evidence.

Question 3

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Answer 3

Another way sociology might influence government policy is through developing theories that seek to explain social problems and identify possible solutions and strategies to these. Max Weber argued that sociology should provide evidence for policy‐makers without making judgements or proposing policies.

Functionalists see their role as researchers is to provide the government with objective scientific information. As society is based on a value consensus the role of the government is to serve the interests of society as a whole; to make society run more efficiently and smoothly.

Question 4

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Answer 4

Functionalists favour social policies that are referred to as ‘piecemeal social engineering’; a cautious approach, tackling one specific issue at a time to make society work better. For example, Durkheim said that a meritocratic education system would result in the best people occupying the most important positions in society. While Marxists and radical feminists have argued for the kind of fundamental, radical reform unlikely to be embraced by governments, other sociologists have had a lot more influence.

E.g. New Right sociologists like Murray influenced the conservative government of Margaret Thatcher and left realist sociologists like Lea and Young influenced Tony Blair’s New Labour government. The right realist sociologist, James Q. Wilson developed his broken windows theory that directly influenced government policy in New York and, to a lesser extent other US cities and the UK, encouraging zero tolerance policing. Murray’s work on the underclass influenced welfare policies under Thatcher and Major. Therefore, it is not just evidence that influences social policy, but theory too.