Values in sociology

Question 1

How many different viewpoints are there?

Answer 1

3

Question 2

What are the 3 different viewpoints?

Answer 2

1)Sociology can and should be value free (Positivistic view of Durkheim)

2)Sociology should be value free but that is impossible (Interpretivists / Social Action theory)

3)Sociology shouldn’t and can’t be value free (Some Marxist and Feminists / Committed Sociology)

Question 3

What does value free mean?

Answer 3

Objective

Question 4

What is the positivist view of values in sociology?

Answer 4

Sociology can and should be value free

Sociologists can be like physicists + chemists if they use certain research methods that enable them to keep their distance from those they study
QUANTitative methods only

Question 5

What is the interpretivist view of values in sociology?

Answer 5

Sociology should be value free but that is impossible

If you want good research that gives validity and verstehen, subjectivity is inevitable (eg Paul Willis’ research on the lads)

Question 6

What is the committed sociology view of values in sociology?

Answer 6

Sociology shouldn’t and can’t be value free

you need to take the side of the underdog, the oppressed, the poor etc
and try to change the world
don’t even try to be objective