SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL POLICY

Question 1

Outline the positivist and functionalist perspective on social policy and sociology

Answer 1

Positivists and functionalists see sociology as a science which would discover the causes of social problems and provide objective scientific information in which policies can be based upon.

Question 2

Outline the Marxist view on sociology and social policy

Answer 2

Social policy’s benefit the state and not the people. They are implemented to act as a cover up for the exploitation of the lower classes and have a means of preventing revolution. The sociologists role should be to raise awareness of exploitation.

Question 3

Outline new rights view on social policy

Answer 3

Believe the state should have minimal involvement in society. Social policy undermines people’s responsibility and their freedom of choice.

Question 4

What are the social democratic view on sociology?

Answer 4

They believe that sociologists should spend there time researching social problems and making policy recommendations in order to eradicate them.

Question 5

Outline the postmodernist view on social policy and sociology

Answer 5

It is impossible to uncover the objective truth so all research findings are not fit to be the basis of policy’s

Question 6

Define social problems

Answer 6

A piece of social behaviour that causes private or public misery

Question 7

Define a sociological problem

Answer 7

Any pattern or relationship that causes for a sociological explanation

Question 8

What are factors which might effect whether policy makers use sociological findings

Answer 8

Whether the research matches the governments ideology

Cost