Social Theories

Question 1

Consensus approaches to inequality

Answer 1

Durkheim,functionalists and new right. See society as a hierarchy system of different layers. Differences can be explained by differences in people. See the poor as being less moral, less committed and lazy.

Question 2

Conflict approaches. To social inequality

Answer 2

Marxists, feminists and race theorists claim they society is made up of competing groups. Marxists look at social class while feminists look at gender.

Question 3

How can consensus approaches be criticised

Answer 3

The structural differences in society are overlooked. E.g feminists point out gender differences and inequalities that women face.The logic of consensus approaches implies that this is cause women are less worthy Than men.

Question 4

How an conflict approached be criticised

Answer 4

Criticise foe reducing considerations of inequality to a single dimension such as class,race or gender. In reality inequality is far more complex and some inequalities aggregate.
A second criticism is that the approach. Is deterministic assuming for example that lower class people experience inequality.

Question 5

Interactionism approaches to inequality.

Answer 5

Weberian and neo weberians claim that there are a range of different types of inequality and that some people are more likely to experience inequality than others because of complex social characteristics such as access to wealth, class and status.
Symbolic interactionists and postmodernists tend to deny that structural inequalities exist because that see society as being formed of complex interactions where people can create meaning for themselves.