VALUES In SOCIOLOGY

Question 1

Explain the VIEW that SOCIOLOGY is VALUE FREE

Answer 1

• we should SEEK to COPY The METHODOLOGY of the PHYSICAL SCIENCES -> the IMPORTANCE of OBJECTIVITY, Not Distorted by Personal Belief
• MARX - Believed His ANALYSIS of SOCIETY was OBJECTIVE and SCIENTIFIC
• POSTITVITS - the NATURE of SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH Is NO DIFFERENT From that of The PHYSICAL SCIENCES - BOTH Branches of Science STUDY a SERIES of PHENOMENA That EXIST - Totally INDEPENDENTLY Of the Scientists - can be Measured and Classified
• Positivists refer to SOCIAL FACTS - are STATS Obtained by DIRECT OBSERVATION or If Not Possible through by QUANTITATIVE METHODS - These are OBJECTIVE to POSITIVISTS as they’re UNTAINED By PERSONAL OPINION

Question 2

What is the VIEW that SOCIOLOGY is VALUE-LADEN and 2 REASONS WHY

Answer 2

CANNOT Be VALUE FREE as it’s a MISTAKE

• CAREER TRAJECTORIES
• PERSONAL BELIEFS and INTERESTS

Question 3

Explain how SOCIOLOGY is VALUE-LADEN Through - CAREER TRAJECTORIES

Answer 3

• GOULDNER (1968) - SOCIOLOGISTS have PERSONAL AMBITIONS and CAREER GOALS
• They WANT to be PUBLISHED, PROMOTED and be RENOWNED In their FIELD
• Their DESIRES could INTRUDE KNOWINGLY Or SUBCONSCIOUSLY Into Their RESEARCH Approaches
• This INVOLVES ACCEPTING the DOMINANT PARADIGM at ANY PARTICULAR TIME Within ALL ACADEMIC SUBJECTS. - This Would ENCOURAGE SOCIOLOGISTS to STUDY AREAS of SOCIOLOGY That Are FAVOURABLE IN DISCIPLINE
• e.g. the Area of Whether SOCIAL CLASS is IMPORTANT Or Not In RESEARCH is FAVORABLE Whereas the STUDY of GREEN CRIME Arguably ISN’T As SOCIALLY ACCEPTED as it’s Arguably a PERIPHERAL TOPIC

Question 4

Explain how SOCIOLOGY is VALUE-LADEN Through - PERSONAL BELIEFS

Answer 4

• SOCIOLOGISTS Are PEOPLE , Like Us, With a SET Of PERSONAL VALUES and BELIEFS and These THOUGHTS are ARGUABLY IMPOSSIBLE To ESCAPE FROM
• GOULDNER - argues that RESEARCHERS HAVE to MAKE BASI ASSUMPTIONS On SOCIAL LIFE such as WHETHER PEOPLE are RATIONAL Or IRRATIONAL Or IF SOCIETY Needs Planned Intervention By Governments.
• WITHOUT ASSUMPTIONS, You CANNOT START A STUDY and Yet ASSUMPTION REFLECT VALUES About What Might BE GOOD For SOCIETY And People.
• ALSO SOCIOLOGISTS can be INTERESTED in CERTAIN AREAS Of STUDY, it CAN REFLECT PERSONAL ISSUES or a DESIRE to EXPLORE What INTERESTS THEM
• this MAKES VALUES DIFFICULT to REMOVE FROM SOCIETY

Question 5

How does GOULDNER ARGUE that SOCIOLOGY SHOULDN’T BE VALUE FREE EVEN if IT WAS POSSIBLE - VALUE COMMITMENT

Answer 5

• it’s NOT POSSIBLE To be FREE From VALUES JUDGEMENTS -> Suggest that VALUE FREEDOM it ITSELF a VALUE-LADEN CONCEPT
• Those CLINGING ON to the IDEOLOGY of VALUE FREEDOM have SOLD OUT to PROTECT Their CAREERS by REFUSING to STAND and CRITICISE SOCIETY as it is and THOSE with POWER Within It
• PRETENDING To BE VALUE FREE and NOT TAKING SIDES SUPPORTS The POWERFUL In an UNEQUAL SOCIETY - Can’t be Neutral when Studying the Poorest and Most Disadvantaged
• Sociologists SHOULDN’T TRY to Be VALUE FREE but that THERE SHOULD Be a Clear VALUE-COMMITMENT With a PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY For and VALUE-COMMITMENT To IMPROVE the LIVES Of the EXPLOITED and OPPRESSED In an UNEQUAL SOCIETY and Take SIDE AGAINST THE SOURCE of the OPRRESION

Question 6

How does BECKER ARGUE that SOCIOLOGY SHOULDN’T BE VALUE FREE EVEN if IT WAS POSSIBLE

Answer 6

• CHALLENGED SOCIOLOGISTS To ASK THEMSELVES to QUESTION WHAT SIDE They’re On
• Argued NO KNOWLEDGE Is VALUE FREE, it MUST FAVOUR SOMEBODY and THEREFORE we HAVE To CHOOSE WHOM To FAVOUR
• SOCIOLOGISTS Should Be COMMITTED To SOCIAL CHANGE For HUMAN IMPROVEMENT and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY For the MORAL IMPLICATIONS and USES of THEIR WORK
• Sociologists SHOULD be COMMITTED to SOCIAL CHANGE and IMPROVEMENT Of SOCIETY
• FOCUES on PEOPLE Who’re LABELLED as ‘OUTSIDERS’ ; the Poor, Deprived
• GIVES A VOICE to UNDERDOG In SOCIETY

Question 7

What is the FEMINIST Perspective NOT BEING VALUE FREE

Answer 7

• EQUAL OPPORTUNITY / Equality
• PATRIARCHY RECOGNISED
• SUBORDINATION of WOMEN RUNS Through ALL AREAS Of LIFE
• SEEK to INCLUDE WOMEN’S FEELING, Personal EXPERIENCES
• Prefer QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS to GIVE WOMEN a VOICE

Question 8

What is the MARXIST Perspective NOT BEING VALUE FREE

Answer 8

• RECOGNISE CAPITALISM
• EXPLOITATION / MANIPULATION
• EXAMINE ISA’s
• SEEING HOW We’re BRAINWASHED By RULING CLASS IDEOLOGY
• Althusser

Question 9

What is the LIBERAL Perspective NOT BEING VALUE FREE

Answer 9

• SOCIOLOGY SHOULD Be SYMPATHETIC To the DISADVANTAGED and The OPRESSED
• BECKER, GOULDNER
• The “UNDERDOGS”