Theory (from theory and methods topic) Flashcards
Define organic analogy
The theory that society runs like a body, is a part of the body breaks down the body does not function properly
Define value consensus
The needs for society to have common agreed upon set of beliefs and values
Define Socialisation
The process of learning norms and values - primary and secondary
Define social control
Conformity and complacency- mechanisms in society that regulate our behaviour I.e. the judicial system, police
Define social order
Society running smoothly , enforces normal way of behaving
What are the 3 similarities parsons found between social and biological organisms?
Both have self regulating systems of inter-related , independent parts that fit together in fixed ways
Both organisms will die if system needs are not met
Both have functions to support / maintain their system e.g economy helps meet needs for food and shelter
How is social order achieved according to parsons?
Through a shared culture or central value system. It is possible if people agree in the norms and values in society ( value consensus)
Would integrate individuals into social system and direct them to to meet systems needs through socialisation and social control
What are the systems needs according to parsons?
Goal= attainment = society needs goals and allocated resources to achieve them, completed through government
Instrumental needs = adaptation and integration
Expressive role = latency
Define parsons instrumental societal need
Adaptation = the system meets its members material needs through the economy, sub-system
Integration= different parts of the system must be connected to pursue shared goals - this is the role of religion , media and education
Define Parsons expressive societal role
Latency= pattern maintenance which prepares people for their roles in the future society (meritocracy)
- tension management
What are the differences between parsons traditional and modern societies?
1) Ascription = Achievement
2) Diffuseness= specificity
3) particularism = universalism
4) Affectivity = Affective neutrality
5) collective orientation = individual orientation
Define parsons diffuseness vs specificity
Diffuseness = relationships are broad with a range of purposes
Specificity= relationships are narrow and limited to specific purposes
Define parsons particularism vs universalism
Particularism = norms emphasis treating different people differently
Universalism = norms emphasise treating different people the same
Define parsons Affectivity vs affective neutrality
Affectivity= immediate gratification of desires
Affective neutrality= self discipline and the deferment of gratification
What are Merton’s 3 critiques of Parsons?
1) indispensability- parsons assumes everything in society is indispensable= Merton suggests functional alternatives
2) functional unity- all parts of society are tightly integrated as a whole- M = some parts of society have functional autonomy = organic analogy is wrong
3) Universal functionalism=, not everything functions positively for all groups = M argues dysfunctional is neglected by functionalists
External Criticisms of Functionalism
Positivists= functionalism is unscientific as it cannot be tested e.g. crime is functional and dysfunctional
Marxism= society isn’t harmonious- divided into classes with unequal power
Action perspective- deterministic- socialized into meeting systems need - ignores free will or choice
post-modernist= functionalism is a meta-narrative - not possible in a modern fragmented society
what is alienation?
the proletariat lose control of the products + feel left out in society + like you don’t control the products produced
what is the social relationship of production?
how the relationships are organised when making goods (related to the division of labour) e.g. boss and worker relationships
what is the mode of production?
a combination of both the means of production and the social relations of production
what is the superstructure?
anything that isn’t part of the economic base e.g. culture, ideology, institution
what is an ancient society?
everything is shared, hunter-gatherers in society
what is a feudal society?
royalty control society by virtue of their heritage and religion. society and production is based on the exploitation of the peasants
what is a capitalist society?
capital (money) determines society. Society and production are based on the exploitation of one class, the working class
what is a communist society?
the future, the w/c will develop a class consciousness and class will not exist
what is Historical materialism?
human beings have needs so they use the means of production
past humans did this through labour but now we have machines + co-operate with one another and enter social relations of production
lead to developing a ruling class
materialism= we need material needs that cost money
what are the economic base and the ideological superstructure?
the foundation of a society is the economic base= the means of production which the m/c own
on the top is the ideological superstructure= set of ideologies, or distorted beliefs, which the ruling class construct to legitimise their power and allow them to exploit the w/c
Who is Mary Wollstonecraft?
wrote during the time of the French revolution= if we are fighting for mens rights then we must also fight for womens rights
founding mother of feminism
tried to establish a school but friend died in childbirth
what is the difference between sex and gender?
sex= biological characteristic assigned at birth of a person
gender = what you identify as later on
socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society consider appropriate for men and women
what is liberal feminism?
patriarchy harms men and women
society is improving
e.g. maternity/ paternity leave
sex discrimination act
Somerville
how do liberal feminists critique functionalism?
critiques functionalist view of gender roles (Parsons instrumental and expressive roles) by arguing both are equally capable of performing roles in both spheres
e.g. the new man, gender equality policy
LF aim to break down barrier between spheres
Evaluate liberal feminists
radical feminists= society is still patriarchal
lib fem exaggerate progress
what is radical feminism?
society is still patriarchal
e.g. glass ceiling + glass cliff
gender pay gap for people in the same position
Oakley= division of labour
Dobash + Dobash = triple shift
Millet
what is the glass cliff?
companies put women in positions of power when companies are failing so it looks bad on women
evaluate radical feminists
Somerville = women are breaking through glass ceiling , discrimination laws help women
what is Marxist feminism?
women are oppressed due to capitalism and patriarchy functions
women reproduce the labour force, socialise children into capitalist ideologies Ansley= women absorb anger that should be targeted at capitalism
“women are the takers of shit”
evaluate Marxist feminism
intersectional feminists (difference feminists)
gender + class is not enough to explain how inequalities impact
e.g. ignore ethnicity as a factor
what is intersectional feminism
takes into account the many ways in which women experience discrimination e.g. Kimberiu Crenshaw
the discrimination white straight women face us different from those faced by women of colour, LGBTQ women and women of other minorities
what is the first wave of feminism?
liberal feminists
concerned with human + civil rights and freedom of the individual
social change should be gradual and careful not dramatic / revolutionary
equality legislation can secure equal opportunities for women
how did the first wave of feminism seek to improve society?
gendered socialisation+ education= more domestic labour from men / more male school role models
this will encourage cultural change+ gender equality will be norm
optimistic theory
what was the second wave of feminism (radical POV)?
Firestone= women’s oppression is due to them being able to have kids- dependent on men
all men benefit= unpaid domestic labour + sexual services
relationships involve power= political when one person uses power to dominate
how did the second wave of feminism seek to improve society? (rad POV)
sexual politics must be transformed
separatism + political lesbianism (Greer)
consciousness raising= women share experiences + see they r connected through collective action e.g. marches
what is the second wave of feminism (Marx. POV)
women not oppressed by stereotyping + patriarchal oppression of men but by capitalism
primary role as unpaid home maker = dependent economic position of women= important functions in capitalism:
women source of cheap exploitative labour
reserve army of labour
reproduce workforce
absorb anger= Ansley
what is the third wave of feminism?
intersectionality
different women have different experiences
Crenshaw
very white westernised view of feminism disagree with essentialism
evaluation of second wave of feminism
they show greater understanding of importance of structural factors than lib. fem
fail to explain female subordination in non capitalist societies e.g. cuba
does not explain why women not men perform unpaid domestic labour
what did Mead say about symbolic interactionism?
taking the role of the other
develops through social interaction
need this ability to function in society
What did Blumer say about symbolic interactionism?
1) actions based on we give to situations , events, people etc
2) meanings arise from interaction process
3) meanings we give to a situation results from interpretive procedures like taking the role of the other
what did Goffman say?
dramaturgical approach
we manipulate others impression of us
aim is to carry convincing performance of the role we have adopted
backstage is who we really are
what did Weber say?
social action= personal form that a person can adopt in their way of thinking and behaviour.
verstehen is essential to understand human activity and social transformation
What were Weber’s 4 classifications of action?
instrumental rational action= most effective way of achieving a goal
value rational action= so goal oriented, doesn’t need to find the most effective way
traditional action= predetermined by norms and traditions even if deemed as ineffective
affectual action = behaviour that conveys feelings + emotions
What were Weber’s structure + action methods?
structural cause = new belief systems developed can alternate peoples viewpoints which can in turn affect their action
subjective meaning= the meaning that a genuine “real” individual operates under
evaluate weber
Alfred Schutz = overly distinctive and fails to account for the shared character and concepts
one cannot intentionally try to influence someone else’s already completed action.
what are the key features of a modern society?
political
industrialisation
science+ technology used to explain the world = enlightenment period
Globalisation effecting peoples lives
technological changes = online cultures more interconnected
economic changes= global market- stock trading
political changes= creation of a global civil society
changes in culture and identity= can communicate with others on a global scale
what is Glocalization ?
a product or service that is developed and distributed globally but is also adjusted to accommodate the users or consumers in a local market e.g. global fast food chains offering geographical specific menus
what does Foucault say?
meta-narrative + enlightenment = no sure thing as objective knowledge e.g. func. cannot fully explain the world
what does Lyotard say?
Myth of truth= all big theories claim to be able to explain the world and how it runs
Loss faith in science
Loss of meta-narrative
What does Baurdillard say?
hyper reality
simulacra = over media saturation has led to difficulty distinguishing between reality and fiction
What does Bauman say?
pick + mix identities
identity is based on choice = influenced by globalisation
What is late modernity?
rapid changes = continuation of modernity
features of modernity intensified
What does Beck say about late modernity?
risk society= past dangers where mainly natural in origin but now dangers are manufactured
late modernity= period of individualism= traditions no longer governs how we act = consider actions based on level of risk= calls this risk consciousness
What is hegemony
Ideological and moral leadership
What are Gramsci’s 2 ways of maintaining power
Coersion= uses army,police, courts and prison to force other classes to accept this rule
Consent (hegemony)= uses ideas and values to persuade the subordinate classes that its rule is legitimate
Where does Gramsci differ from Marx?
The hegemony of the ruling class is never complete
The ruling class are a minority= have to compromise with m/c in order to maintain power
The proletariat have dual consciousness = ideology also influenced by material conditions of their life- aware of exploitation and capable of seeing through dominant ideology
What is Gramsci’s solution to capitalism
Counter-hegemony bloc = w/c able to offer moral and ideological leadership in society
Produce their own “organic intellectuals”= class conscious and can offer a credible alternative to what society will look like under communism
Evaluations of Gramsci
Under estimates the role of coercive, political and economic forces
Althussers super structure
The economic level- all activities which involve producing something or meeting a need
The political level- all forms of organisation
The ideological level- all ways people see themselves in their world
Pros of Althussers super structure
Political and ideological levels allow reletive autonomy from the economic level- two way casualty
Define rsa and Isa
Rsa= armed bodies of men e.g. police which can physically quash dissent or rebellion
Isa= hard to maintain order this way over long period of time - most effective way manipulate the way people think and instill a false consciousness avoiding necessity of physical oppression
Althussers criticisms of humanism
Gramscis theory is a myth because all our ideas are determined by capitalist structures - wont allow ideas to emerge that will threaten its existence
Althusser say socialism will come about
Crisis of capitalism -systemic collapse needs to happen first before a new one can be built
Evaluations of Althusser
Humanistic Marxists = discourages political activism as it suggests there is little one can do to change society
Ignores active struggles of w/c have changed society in better ways in many countries
Positivism
sociology is patterned and can be observed
patterns can be used to create social facts
social facts can be verified using inductive logic
collects data and then forms conclusions
e.g. Durkheim’s study of suicide
what are social facts
manners of acting thinking and feeling external to the individual which are invested with a coercive power by virtue of which they exercise control over him Durkheim thought that these could be used to improve society- links to the organic analogy
Interpretivism
people are conscious beings= ethics
sociology is about meanings which are unobservable= qualitative methods
causality is impossible to determine= too many factors
e.g. weber= vestehen
Falsifiability
sociology should be a science
sociology should be a science
Karl Popper
science involves the hypothetico - deductive method
drawing questions based on research
falsify = try to prove themselves wrong
Paradigms
sociology could be considered a science
science must have a single paradigm
scientific revolution
anomalies occur which force the paradigm to be questioned
Kuhn and paradigms
paradigms are created which forms the framework in which all future scientific research is conducted
sociology is pre-scientific as there are many paradigms which shape the interest of the research e.g. Marxism
should not be a science= the conflict between perspectives is the foundation of sociology itself
