topic 3: conservative theories

Question 1

describe functionalism

Answer 1

— structuralist
— consensus
— society structured from institutions that work together to create social harmony (organic analogy)

Question 2

Durkheim, Parsons, Eisenstadt on youth culture

Answer 2

ONE ☝️ youth culture in 50s provides DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS FOR ALL YOUNG PEOPLE

Question 3

Cohen, Cloward and Ohlin on youth subcultures

Answer 3

number of DIFFERENT youth SUBcultures that operate for different reasons

Question 4

Parsons on youth culture

Answer 4

— age differences ➡️ smooth functioning of society

— industrial societies need to TEACH children how to be well-rounded, successful adults: this learning stage becomes youth

— youth culture helps young people deal w transition (+financial problems associated w it)

— youth fairly allocated low income/low status role to reflect limited skills + experience in MERITOCRACY

Question 5

critiques of Parsons on youth

Answer 5

— overemphasises conformity and cultural homogeneity

— POSTMODERNISM: increasing diversity and choice for young people

— MARXISM: differences according to social class

— FEMINISM: differences according to gender

— increased suicide + mental health issues show that transition isn’t always smooth running

— METHODOLOGY: only looked at findings of middle aged men in their USA 🇺🇸 communities

Question 6

Eisenstadt on youth culture

Answer 6

— “development of personal identity, psychological autonomy and self-regulation”

— rebellious style + behaviour: help find sense of IDENTITY 🆔

— groups like YMCA and Scouts supervise risk taking and youthful boundaries

Question 7

critique of Eisenstadt

Answer 7

MIRZA: shows young black women despite facing racism DIDN’T REBEL

Question 8

Durkheim on youth culture

Answer 8

transition between childhood and adulthood full of CHANGE (new norms+values, relationships, puberty)
—> can result in ANOMIE

youth culture PREVENTS ✋ personal anomie
— maintains social order in peers
— helps make sense of big changes

stabilisation of future adult selves

Question 9

critique of Durkheim

Answer 9

— overemphasises conformity and homogeneity in youth culture

— doesn’t explain why youth subcultures tend to be male dominated

Question 10

Functionalism explanations for youth SUBcultures

Answer 10

— COHEN 🐓😖
youth join deviant subcultures to gain status (bc of status frustration)
COUNTER: WILLIS

— CLOWARD + OHLIN
youth join deviant subcultures to get MONEY 💰 when legitimate opportunities r unavailable

— DECKER + VAN WINKLE
joining gangs: PULLS (status, excitement) and PUSHES (socioeconomic struggles outside of gang)
COUNTER: Archer 🏹 we should recognise dysfunctionality of gangs

— VENKATESH(?)
Defense mechanism against high violence, tough areas

Question 11

describe New Right sociology

Answer 11

— politically motivated
— linked to Conservative politics, neoliberalism
— meritocracy

Question 12

Murray on deviant youth subcultures

Answer 12

UNDERCLASS (below class structure, extreme poverty + long term unemployment)
— lack moral values 😈 (espec marriage 💍 and family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦)
— parents pass down deviant criminal values to children
— more likely to be single mothers 👩‍👦who dont bring up kids properly

SO youth from underclass grow into deviant and criminal subcultures, main cause of crime

Question 13

Charlesworth

Answer 13

Murray is wrong ❌

— underclass have similar values to most other people
— miserable economic conditions are detrimental to mental and physical health
— despite this, only a few turn to crime
😔

Question 14

Murray and Herrnstein

Answer 14

🔔
Some have biological 🧬 predisposition to aggressiveness, impulsiveness, and violence

—> increased likelihood of crime if not curbed by sufficient socialisation (nuclear family w strict father)

Low IQ linked with poverty and crime

cognitive elite have higher positions in society JUSTIFIED

Question 15

Korem

Answer 15

rise in youth crime and gangs from middle class: blamed it on broken homes 🏠 + poor socialisation

Question 16

critiques of New Right sociology

Answer 16

— INTERACTIONISM: 🏷 labelling social groups as stupid is method of controlling bottom of hierarchy and justifying top of hierarchy

— MARXISM: some youth subcultures are noble and intelligent to resist capitalist exploitation 💪

— some youth subcultures are highly educated upper/middle class (hippies, Jack Wills Crew)

—

Question 17

Marsland

Answer 17

WELFARE DEPENDENCY has undermined underclass’s sense of commitment, obligation, responsibility and independence.

They become lazy 😴

Welfare state and benefits system creates culture of dependency, creating + maintaining underclass and perpetuating crime and deviance

Question 18

Dahrendorf

Answer 18

yes, underclass is growing exponentially 📈📈📈
BUT its bc of globalisation 🌍 and automation of working class manual jobs not ❌ welfare dependency

Question 19

Owen Jones (Marxism)

Answer 19

New right DEMONISES WORKING CLASS:
scapegoats 🐐 them to justify upper class privileged positions (often privately educated politicians)

Question 20

Snider (Marxism)

Answer 20

WHITE-COLLAR CRIME (tax evasion) = more expensive for state then welfare benefit claimants.

Why don’t we blame rich capitalist criminals??

Question 21

Wilson and Kelling

Answer 21

right realists / new right
broken windows 🪟 theory
—> ZERO TOLERANCE APPROACH should be taken against criminal YSCs
—> even minor crime (e.g. broken windows) should be fixed IMMEDIATELY
—> if people see existing crime, they’ll be encouraged to commit more crime