Theories Topic 6 : Social Policy Flashcards
2 bodies that produce research to feed into the formation of social policy
The institute of public policy research
The Joseph rowntree foundation
AO2 example of social policy tackling social issues
William Beveridge - Beveridge Report 1942
= led to the creation of the welfare state
Tackling poverty, I’ll health, poor housing, insufficient education and employment
9 ways sociology influences / contributes to social policy
Giddens
- Providing an awareness of cultural differences
- Providing self awareness and understanding
- Changing assumptions
- Providing a theoretical framework
- Providing practical professional knowledge
- Identifying social problems
- Providing the evidence
- Identifying the unintended consequences of policies
- Assessing the results
Giddens - Providing an awareness of cultural differences
Seeing society from different perspectives allows us to become more aware of different cultures - easier for policy makers to tailor policies more effectively
Giddens - providing self awareness and understanding
Helps to reflect on ourselves and key issues. If we can understand experiences such as racism, sexism etc can empower people to change their lives
Groups can form to pressurise government
Giddens - changing assumptions
McNeil - sociological research can indirectly influence SP by being absorbed into common sense assumptions
Helps us make sense of reasonable policies but ridicule silly ones
Giddens - providing a theoretical framework
Governments base their policies on a framework (EG thatcher influenced by NR view / New Labour influenced by Giddens)
Giddens - providing practical professional knowledge
Sociologists work in a range of occupations, and they provide professional inputs as SP is formed in a range of ideas
Giddens - Identifying social problems
Can identify social problems for governments to act upon their research
Giddens - providing the evidence
Sociologists conduct the research - policy makers then draw on this to form evidence-based policies
Giddens - identifying the unintended consequences of policies
Sociological research can evaluate existing policies and draw out unintended consequences of these policies (EG if crime has reduced in one area, is this because it has been displaced to another?)
Giddens - assessing the results
Sociological research can help establish whether policies have worked
AO2 for providing a theoretical framework
Murray influenced Thathcer’s govt (cut welfare state)
Giddens influenced New Labour govt (focus on social cohesion)
James Wilson (RR) developed the broken windows thesis that influenced policy in New York
AO2 for identifying social problems
Labour 1997-2010 = compensatory education through sure start centres
Labour 1997-2010 = lack of funding in education led to EMA
Black report 1980 = identified huge inequalities in health
What influences whether governments introduce social policies
Electoral popularity
Ideological preferences of governments
Interest groups
Globalisation
Cost
Public opinion
What influences whether governments introduce social policies - electoral popularity
Research might result in sociologists recommending a policy that may prove unpopular with voters. Governments will be reluctant to introduce an unpopular policy that might lose them an election
Ministry of Justice’s - prison cuts crime so little that it doesn’t justify the money put into the prison system
= politicians care about what works with voters (rehabilitating people doesn’t)
What influences whether governments introduce social policies - ideological preferences of governments
+ AO2
If a researcher’s political perspective is similar to the political ideology of the government, they will stand more chance of influencing that government’s policies
Politicians are selective in their use of research and will only utilise it if it supports their political stance
Davies = government distorted research to justify policy decisions that were really based on ideological grounds
= EG prostitution and cannabis policies
AO2:
The Black Report and Acheson Report both produced very similar research, highlighting the health gap between different socio-economic groups
= conservatives refused to implement its findings
What influences whether governments introduce social policies - interest groups
Pressure groups that seek to influence policies in their own interests
What influences whether governments introduce social policies - globalisation
UK’s SP may be influenced by global factors
= EG UK’s aid to less developed countries should be spend on free education or health care to lift people out of poverty
What influences whether governments introduce social policies - cost
Govs may feel sympathetic to the research but may not have the funds to turn it into a social policy
= EG coalition government austerity policies to save money
What influences whether governments introduce social policies - public opinion
Some research may be reported by the media and consequently spark public debate - may make govts feel they have to act upon this
Different sociological views on social policy - positivism
The role of sociological research was to discover the cause of social problems and to come up with scientifically-based solutions to them
Different sociological views on social policy - functionalism
Sociologist’s role is to provide the state with objective data, collected in a scientific manner
Different sociological views on social policy - radical feminism
State is perpetuating women’s subordination through its SP
