SOCIAL POLICY

Question 1

What is SOCIAL POLICY?

Answer 1

the PLANS and ACTIONS of GOVT to TACKLE ‘SOCIAL PROBLEMS ‘

Question 2

GIDDENS - What are 3 WAYS SOCIOLOGY can INFLUENCE SOCIAL POLICY

Answer 2

• PROVIDING SELF-AWARENESS and SELF UNDERSTANDING
• IDENTIFY SOCIAL PROBLEMS
• PROVIDE EVIDENCE

Question 3

How does SOCIOLOGY Influence Social Policy by- PROVIDING SELF-AWARENESS and SELF UNDERSTANDING

Answer 3

GIDDENS
- PROVIDES an UNDERSTANDING of OUR POSITION In SOCIETY, DEVELOPS SELF AWARENESS
- ALLOWS PEOPLE to REFLECT on EXPERIENCES like Racism, Domestic Violence and can Have the EFFECT of EMPOWERING THEM To CHANGE Their LIVES
- CAN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE To FORM PRESSURE GROUPS - CRITICISE The INADQUANCIES and EXEERTING SOCIAL POLICIES, FORMING NEW ONES to ADRESS THEIR NEEDS With EVIDENCE To SUPPORT THEM -> EXERTING PRESSURE On GOVT To IMPLEMENT THEM

Question 4

How does SOCIOLOGY Influence Social Policy by - IDENIFTYING SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Answer 4

GIDDENS
- SOCIOLGISTS Do ‘BLUE SKY’ THINKING and Can LOOK TO the FUTURE, ASK QUESTIONS and IDENTIFY SOCIAL PROBLEMS that ARISE From OPEN MINDED THINKING
- IDEAS are ABLE to SHOW SOCIAL PROBLEMS Have WIDER STRUCTURAL CAUSES BEYOND the BEHAVIOUR Of INDIVIDUALS, e.g the Relationship between Poverty and Crime
- MANY SOCIAL PROBLEMS Have BEEN IDENTIFIED By SOCIOLOGISTS e.g. the NATURE and EXTENT of DISCRIMINATION RESULTING in EQUAL PAY and EQUALITY ACTS

Question 5

How does SOCIOLOGY Influence Social Policy by- PROVIDING THE EVIDENCE

Answer 5

GIDDENS
SOCIOLGISTS FREQUENTLY DO SURVEYS, COLLECT STATS and ANALYSE PROBLEMS Which POLICY MAKERS can Then DRAW ON To FORM EVIDENCE-BASED POLCIES

Question 6

Explain how POLITICS have an INFLUENCE on POLICY MAKERS

Answer 6

• GOVT’s HAVE to be ABLE To AFFORD TO IMPLEMENT Social Policy
• GOVT’s may HAVE to MAKE FINANCIAL SAVINGS Such as CUTTING BENEFITS that MAY CREATE SOCIAL PROBLEMS like FAMILY BREAKDOWN and HOMELESS
• GOV’s have to CONSIDER POLICY MAKING WITHIN CONSTRAINTS of EU LAW or OTHER GOVT’s
• GOV’s FREQUENTLY CHOSE to IGNORE EVIDENCE or USE IT SELECTIVELY
• Policy ADVICE To POLITICAL PARTIES Is PROVIDED By RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS ‘Think Tanks’

Question 7

What is the FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE on SOCIAL POLICY

Answer 7

• see SOCIETY as BASED on VALUE CONSENSUS and FREE from FUNDAMENTAL CONFLICT
• see the STATE as SERVING the INTERESTS of SOCIETY As a WHOLE , PRODUCING and IMPLEMENTING RATIONAL SOCIAL POLICY FOR the GOOD OF ALL
• SOCIOLOGISTS ROLE is to PROVIDE STATE with OBJECTIVE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION
• BY INVESTIGATING SOCIAL PROBLEMS and DISCOVERING Their CAUSES, SOCIOLGISTS PROVIDE the NECESSARY INFO on which the STATE Can BASE it’s POLICIES

Question 8

What is the MARXIST PERSPECTIVE on SOCIAL POLICY

Answer 8

• Unlike Functionalist , Marxists -> DON’T SEE STATE and ITS POLICIES As BENEFITTING ALL MEMBERS Of SOCIETY
• The STATE REPRESENT the RULING CLASS and it’s POLICIES SERVE the INTERESTS Of CAPITALISM
• MAINTAIN the LABOUR FORCE For FURTHER EXPLOITATION
• Are a MEANS of PREVENTING REVOLITOPM When CLASS CONFLICT INTENSIFIES and THREATENS the STABILITY Of CAPITALISM
• the SOCIOLOGIST’s MAIN ROLE SHOULD Be To CRITICISE CAPITALIST SOCIAL POLICY, Must REVEAL the EXPLOITATION That UNDERPINS CAPITALISM

Question 9

What is the FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE on SOCIAL POLICY

Answer 9

• SOCIETY is PATRIARCHAL and the STATE PERPETUATES WOMEN’s SUBORDINATION THROUGH it’s POLICIES
  e.g. FAMILY POLICIES May ASSUME the ‘NORMAL Family’ is a NUCLEAR with a HETEROSEXUAL MARRIED Couple and Thus IF the STATE ASSUME THIS And OFFER BENEFITS To MARRIED COUPLE BUT NOT to Others -> POLICIES May PRODUCE a SFP ENCROUARGE the ‘NORM’ Family Type
• Mant of the POLICIES REFLECT the LIBERAL VIEW that ANTI-DISCRIMINATION REOFRMS Will Ultimately BRING About GENDER EQUALITY

Question 10

3 Arguments for YES - SOCIOLOGISYS SHOULD be INVOLVED In APPLIED SOCIAL POLICY RESEARCH

Answer 10

• COMTE & MARX saw the STUDY of the SOCIAL WORLD as a MEANS of IMPROVING SOCUETYm REFLECTING the MODERNSIT CONCERN with SCIENTIFIC STUDY and a BELIEF in PROGRESS - ENLIGHTENMENT PROJECT
  - IDENTIFY and EXPLAIN SOCIAL PROBLEMS -> FEMINISYSTS would TAKE This APPORACH as they BELIEVE in EXISTING SP SUPPORT PATRIARCHY and DISCRIMINATION and THEREFORE NEED to be CHANGED THROUGH Their RESEARCH EVIDENCE. This EVIDENCE has FOCUSED On EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, FAMILIES and DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
• For FUNDING -> the LARGE FUNDING AGENCY For RESEARCH are GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. The ESRC are INDEPENDANT GOVT FUNDED BODY for the PROMOTION of SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH. THOSE who CHOOSE NOT to GET INVOLVED with APPLIED RESEARCH will FIND THEMSELVES SHORT of FUNDS

Question 11

Argument for NO - SOCIOLOGISYS SHOULDN’T be INVOLVED In APPLIED SOCIAL POLICY RESEARCH

Answer 11

POSTMODERNISM - believe SOCIOLGISTS SHOULDN’T be INVOLVED in SOCIAL POLICY RESEARCH as SOCIOLOGY ONLY PROVIDES Just ONE INTERPRETATION of the WORLD. - BAUMAN says SOCIOLOGISTS PROVIDE a COMMENTARY on SOCIAL LIFE and It’s NOT POSSIBLE to POSSES a MONOPLY Of WISDOM in UNDERSTANDING the WORLD
- Suggests SOCIOLOGISTS ROLE IS to CONTRIBUTE to SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING, NOT SOCIAL POLICY