Sociology And Social Policy

Question 1

Define

Answer 1

Social policy refers to the actions governments take in order to influence society, or to the ac- tions opposition parties and ‘social movements’ (Marxism and Feminism) propose to do if they were to gain power.

Question 2

The barriers to certain social policies getting implemented

Answer 2

 Electoral popularity
 Ideological preferences of governments
 Globalisation
 Cost/ Funding

Question 3

Positivism applied to social policy

Answer 3

 Sociologists should work with governments to uncover objective ‘causes’ of social problems such as crime/ suicide etc.
 Examples: Durkheim’s study of Suicide

Evaluation: Consverative theory which supports the status quo

Question 4

Social Democratic Perspectives applied to social policies

Answer 4

 Agree with the above, and generally favour wealth redistribution
 Peter Townsend’s work on Poverty leading to better welfare provision

 Evaluation: Welfare breeds dependency

Question 5

Neoliberal and New Right Perspectives applied to social policies

Answer 5

 Believe the government should interfere less in social life
 Believe in policies to encourage competition and are anti-welfare
 Examples of policies supported: 1988 Education Act, Benefit cuts, Right Realism crime control.
 Evaluation: all of the above perpetuate inequalities

Question 6

Marxist perspectives applied to social policy

Answer 6

 Policies tend to benefit elites by maintaining wealth inequalities and providing ideological control
 Examples of Policies criticised: Private schools, 1988 education act, selective law enforcement
 Evaluation: Many social democratic policies seem to benefitted the working classes

Question 7

Feminist Perspectives applied to social policy

Answer 7

 Lib Fem - working with governments to legislate for more equal opps
 Examples of policies supported – equal pay acts, divorce act, maternity and paternity acts.
 Radical Feminism argues more needs to be done to tackle Pornification and DV Post and
Late modernism applied to global social policy – support all of the above, but more needs to be
done.
 Evaluation: enforcing radical feminist ideas means more interference in private lives

Question 8

Postmodern Perspectives on social policy

Answer 8

 Postmodernists generally not interested in social policy (but should be pro-diversity)
 Examples of policies supported: 2010 Equality Act (possibly)
 Evaluation: Bit of a cop-out!

Question 9

Late Modern Perspectives on social policy

Answer 9

 Late Modernists believe social policies need to adapt constantly to globalisation
 Examples of policies responding to globalisation: New Labour and New Right education
policies, numerous crime control policies.
 Evaluation: Tend to assume policies are neutral responses to globalisation