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Theory and methods (Wood) > Topic 1- Consensus, conflict, structural and social action theories > Flashcards

Topic 1- Consensus, conflict, structural and social action theories Flashcards

1
Q

Consensus

A

Society is primarily harmonious and social order is maintained through widespread agreement

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2
Q

Conflict

A

Primarily conflict ridden and unstable and emphasises social differences and conflicts in groups

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3
Q

Durkheim (Functionalist)

A

Saw society changing from a simple structure to a more complex one which weakens social solidarity
Saw society as existing separately from its members as external social factors shape peoples behaviour

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4
Q

Structuralism

A

the sociology of system or structure

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5
Q

Parsons (Functionalism)

A

Drew an analogy between the workings of society and the human body
Like the human body, any society has functional prerequisites- basic needs

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6
Q

Parson’s GAIL model

A

Goal attainment
Adaptation
Integration
Latency

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7
Q

What did Durkheim say about the establishment and maintenance of social order

A

Suggested that people are basically selfish and that society would soon fall into chaos unless they learned to share some common values

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8
Q

Structural differentiation

A

Gradual process in which separate, functionally specialised institutions develop, each meeting a different need

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9
Q

Merton

A

Criticises the 3 assumptions of Parsons

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10
Q

3 assumptions of Parsons

A

-Indispensability- everything in society is functionally indispensable but Merton sees this as an untested assumption
-Functional unity- Parsons assumes that society is united but Merton says this isn’t necessarily true
-Universal functionalism- Questions Parsons assumption that all social institutions performed beneficial positive functions

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11
Q

Manifest functions

A

Intended and recognised consequences

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12
Q

Latent functions

A

Unintended or unrecognized consequences

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13
Q

Evaluation of functionalism (Strengths)

A

-Produces a general theory of the workings of society
-Recognises the importance of social structures in society
-Offers an explanation as to why most people generally conform to the rules of social life

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14
Q

Evaluation of functionalism (weaknesses)

A

-SAT argues that its presented as over socialised and is too deterministic
-Metanarrative- postmodernists
-Doesn’t explain social change very effectively
-It over emphasises the beneficial aspects of functions performed

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15
Q

Marxism

A

Modernist theory that believed that a scientific analysis of society and the discovery of the laws of its development

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16
Q

Marx

A

The economy was the driving force in society
Workers produce more than what is needed to pay their wage

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17
Q

Materialism

A

Is the view that humans are beings with material needs such as food

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18
Q

Dominant ideology

A

The class that owns the means of production also owns and controls the means of mental production

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19
Q

Evaluation of classical marxism (strengths)

A

-Recognises the importance of the economy and how economic changes can influence
-Focus on private ownership of the means of production
-Recognises the importance of society’s social structure

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20
Q

Evaluation of classical marxism (weaknesses)

A

-Marx’s predictions have not come true
-Overemphasises the extent of conflict
-Overemphasises social class as a source of inequality
-Too deterministic

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21
Q

Neo-Marxist

A

Developed and modified the ideas of Marx’s classical Marxism partly due to some of the criticisms

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22
Q

Gramsci’s concept of hegemony

A

He saw ideology and peoples ideas having relative autonomy from the economic base
=The concept of hegemony was leaning towards a social action approach to society

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23
Q

Althusser

A

=Economic level
=Political level
=Ideological level

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24
Q

Evaluation of neo Marxism (strengths)

A

-Tried to overcome some of the weaknesses of classical Marxism
-Concept of hegemony recognises the importance of peoples ideas

25
Evaluation of neo Marxism (weaknesses)
-Marx recognised the importance of ideas and meanings -Underplay the importance of the economy in shaping social reality -Gramsci has been criticised for overemphasising the role of ideas -
26
Social action or interpretivist
Individual behaviour in everyday social institutions
27
Mead and Blumer
Symbolic interactionism -Sees society as built by interactions between people which take place on the basis of meanings held by individuals 1.People act in terms of symbols 2.Develop out of the interaction of an individual with others 3.People try to interpret the meanings others give to their actions
28
Cooley
'Looking glass self' -That our view of ourselves was formed not by the social structure, but through the responses of other people
29
Goffman
Studied the ways people construct meanings and interpretations in the process of interaction using a dramaturgical model Impression management- used through symbols like clothing
30
Husserl
Phenomenology -The world only makes sense because we impose meaning and order on it by constructing mental categories -Giving meaning to our experiences
31
Schultz
The categories and concepts we use aren't unique to ourselves -He called these typification's -Enables us to organise our experiences into a shared world of meaning
32
Garfinkel
Ethnomethodology -Refers to the description of methods or interpretive procedures which people use to make sense of
33
Evaluation of social action theory (strengths)
-Shows that humans create and negotiate meanings and make sense of the world -Recognises that to fully explain peoples actions, it is necessary to understand the motivations -High levels of validity
34
Evaluation of social action theory (weaknesses)
-Structural theories argue that it doesn't pay enough attention to the structures of society -Doesn't really explain peoples motivations -It ignores the distribution of power in society -Metanarrative
35
Weber
He emphasised the importance of understanding the subjective meanings people held and how they viewed the world
36
Evaluation of Weber (Strengths)
-His ideas correct the over emphasis on structural factors shown by functionalism -Stress the importance of understanding subjective meanings
37
Evaluation of Weber (Weaknesses)
-Schultz- too individualistic -Weber's typology is difficult to apply -Weber's use of verstehen is hard to apply
38
Feminist theories
Malestream sociology concentrates most on men and assumes the findings can be applied to women as well
39
Walby
'A system of social structures and practiced in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women
40
What are Walby's 6 structures of patriarchy
-The household -Paid work -The state -Sexuality -Male violence -Cultural institutions
41
Liberal feminists
Distinguish between sex and gender Women's inequality arose primarily from factors like stereotyping and socialisation
42
Oakley
Research on housework
43
Sharpe
Research on gender
44
Evaluation of liberal feminism (strengths)
-Has produced evidence demonstrating that gender differences are socially constructed -Challenge the division of role -Important effects on social policies
45
Evaluation on liberal feminism (weaknesses)
-Only deals with reducing the effects of women's subordination, rather than challenging the causes
46
Radical feminism
Regards patriarchy as the most fundamental form of inequality
47
Firestone and Ortner
Links women's subordination to women's biology which makes them dependent and vulnerable
48
Rich
Men continue to force women into a narrow 'compulsory heterosexuality'. Women should begin to free themselves from oppression
49
Evaluation of radical feminism (weaknesses)
-It fails to recognise that social class and ethnicity are also important sources of inequality -Doesn't offer explanations of how patriarchy might be abolished -Not all men are engaged with the domination of women
50
Marxist feminism
Gender inequality arises primarily from the nature of capitalist society
51
Ansley
'Takers of shit'- helps to keep capitalism stable
52
Barrett and McIntosh
Ideology of the 'cereal packet' family is patriarchal and harmful to women
53
Evaluation of Marxist feminism (Weaknesses)
-Patriarchy has existed in all known societies not just capitalist societies -Its men who benefit from women's subordination
54
Black feminism
Developed in response to what it saw as the ethnocentrism of feminism as a whole
55
Mirza
Although Black British women suffer many of the same problems as white British women, they have the added dimensions which makes their experience of life different
56
Evaluation of Black feminism (strengths)
-Recognises essentialism The idea that all women share the same fundamental essence is wrong Takes into account that the diversity of women's experience
57
Evaluation of Black feminism (Limits)
Liberal and radical feminists are critical as by emphasising the differences between women, difference feminism deflects attention away from those problems shared by all women
58
Post structural feminism
Sees no fixed essence of what it is to be a woman It recognises the diversity of women's lives and struggles

Theory and methods (Wood) (6 decks)

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