theories and debates Flashcards
consensus theories
- functionalism
- neo functionalism
- new right
conflict theories
- traditional marxism
- neo marxism
- feminism
Durkheim - collective consciousness/social solidarity (functionalism)
- emphasised a shared moral code or collective consciousness that stops society from falling into anomie and maintains social solidarity
- in traditional society social order stems from mechanical solidarity where people perform similar tasks to survive (eg farming) and the main source of regulation is religion so people have shared interests
- in modern society social order stems from organic solidarity where jobs become increasingly different so there is a chain of interdependence on one another
- the biological analogy is the idea that society works like the human body with separate specialised organs and functions
Parsons - value consensus (functionalism)
- developed Durkheim’s collective consciousness further into the value consensus
- similarly to the biological analogy he suggests 4 functional prerequisites need to be met for society to survive: adaptation, goal maintenance, integration, pattern maintenance
- society is a self regulating system and changes in one part of the system produce change elsewhere to keep society in equilibrium
- structural differentiation is the idea that social institutions become more specialised, with new institutions developing to perform new functions or fulfil existing functions more efficiently
Merton - manifest and latent functions (neo-functionalism)
certain actions of the system may be functional for some but dysfunctional for others (eg the class system) with some institutions having no function for society at all
- manifest functions - functions that are obvious
- latent functions - functions that are hidden
- functional alternatives - more than one institution can perform the same function
strengths of functionalism
- gives sociologists a useful theoretical framework to apply to any society
- accounts for gradual change
weaknesses of functionalism
- overly positive
- cannot explain rapid change
- deterministic
- ignores inequality and conflict
new right approach
political perspective rather than an approach influential for the Conservative Thatcher Government with its central beliefs including the importance of ‘traditional values’, the need for harsh punishment and a dislike of the welfare state
new right opinion of families
highly critical of SPFs for 2 reasons:
- believe male and female role models are needed for adequate socialisation
- expensive as too much of their income comes from the welfare state, offering the underclass perverse incentives to work
Murray - underclass (new right)
suggested that the underclass (long term unemployed, welfare dependents, single mothers) patterns carry from one generation to the next
new right opinion on crime
the underclass and SPFs cause crime as its benefits outweigh the costs in rational choice theory, so harsher punishments must exist to combat crime
Marx - traditional marxism
- fundamental parts of society are the classes
- bourgeoisie own the means of production and the proletariat are exploited by having to work for them to make a living
- proletariat do not realise the unfairness due to capitalist ideology, which creates false class consciousness
- the main function is therefore to transmit dominant capitalist ideology to keep the working classes at the bottom
- eventually the proletariat will see through this due to alienation and recessions and have a revolution to remove the bourgeoisie and create a socialist or communist society
strengths of marxism
- accounts for social conflict
- explains how capitalist society functions as a whole
- accounts for revolutionary social change motivated by conflict
- evidence based in how communist revolutions have occurred in countries such as Cuba, China and Russia
weaknesses of marxism
- unscientific as can’t be disproven
- deterministic in implying w/c are all brainwashed
- failed predictions with religion not disappearing in communist countries or some returning to capitalism
- out of date as postmodernists say class boundaries have become more blurred or non-existent
- other conflicts in society such as religion
Gramsci - cultural hegemony (humanistic neo-marxism)
suggested capitalism had endured because capitalist ideology was too powerful and their ideas have cultural hegemony (dominance) and argued that the superstructure divides into 2 main parts:
- political society - made up of the institutions that rule by force
- civil society - made up of institutions that rule by consent
civil society plays a key role in maintaining cultural hegemony by allowing the w/c to have a dual consciousness (eg religion)
strengths of humanist neo-marxism
- more useful than classic marxism in modern society
- much clearer on factors that could trigger a revolution
- evidence in mass media for challenges to cultural hegemony or ruling class ideological domination
weaknesses of humanist neo-marxism
- many of the same problems of classical marxism
- hegemony may not exist
- lack of empirical evidence
radical feminism
strong view of the causes of patriarchy and that this is due to men taking an active part and benefitting from it
Firestone - biological patriarchy (radical feminism)
suggest that patriarchy stems from biology as women have to give birth
Brownmiller - fear of assault (radical feminism
suggests the fear of rape and domestic violence is how women remained controlled
lesbian separatist feminists (radical feminism)
suggest only lesbians can be true feminists as they are free from men
strengths of radical feminism
- evidence that men do dominate and oppress women physically in the home (Dobash and Dobash)
- offers a clear answer to how to end patriarchy
weaknesses of radical feminism
- criticisms of unrealistic idea and double standards
- marxists suggest capitalism is the source of oppression not patriarchy
- tautological argument (patriarchy causes rape which is evidence of patriarchy)
- not taken into account the equalities women have now gained in society
liberal feminism
do not have a unified theory of what causes patriarchy and instead believes that it is maintained through socialisation into gender roles, stereotypes and ignorance
- suggests achieving equality through gradual change in the social system and equal opportunity laws such as the Sex Discrimination Act or the development of paternity leave
strengths of liberal feminism
- most popular form as its message appeals to many women
- legal changes they have campaigned for have brought more equality for women
weaknesses of liberal feminism
- other feminists say that their changes do not go far enough and equality cannot be achieved in the current social system
- radical feminists criticise the idea that patriarchy is not beneficial to men
marxist feminism
suggest that patriarchy exists as it is beneficial to capitalism by reproducing women to carry out domestic tasks
- the only way to end patriarchy is a communist revolution
Bartlett - ‘familism’ ideology (marxist feminism)
capitalism produces a ‘familism’ ideology in that it is natural for women to be at home and carry out domestic duties as it is essential for the subordination of women
Ansley - ‘takers of shit’ (marxist feminism)
women are the ‘takers of shit’ from their w/c husbands who take out their alienation and frustration from work on their wives and children
strengths of marxist feminism
- offers a definite answer to what causes patriarchy and how to end it
- takes into account economic factors that other theories ignore
weaknesses of marxist feminism
- communism didn’t bring equality in the countries where it took place
- doesn’t explain why, under capitalism, there is far more exploitation of women than men
black feminism
points out that race and class as well as gender in particular oppress black women
- most feminists say the key source of oppression is family but this may be a key source of empowerment for black women
- argue most black women experience labour as a necessity rather than a choice although m/c feminists want women to have the right to work
- m/c feminists may argue for the right to have an abortion or enjoy sex but in third world countries abortions can be forced and rape is common
strengths of black feminism
- first theory to recognise that women experience patriarchy in different ways
weaknesses of black feminism
- offers no answers to the causes of patriarchy
- may place black women in one homogenous group and ignore other factors that oppress women
post-structural/difference feminism
suggests that all women experience patriarchy differently due to age, sexuality, disability, class, race etc
- offers no universal answer to patriarchy and instead wants to understand women’s experiences and the origins of patriarchy
strengths of post-structural/difference feminism
- most up to date theory which recognises the importance of looking at gender as a whole and not just women