Sociology and social policy

Question 1

What are the 3 key questions raised about sociology and social policy?

Answer 1

1. Should it be the job of sociologists to influence social policies?
2. What kind of policies do different perspectives favour?
3. How far does sociological research actually influence government policies?

Question 2

What is social policy defined as?

Answer 2

Plans and actions of governments to tackle social problems

Question 3

What does Worsley define social problem as?

Answer 3

‘Some piece of social behaviour that causes public friction and or private misery”

Question 4

What does Worsley define sociological problem as?

Answer 4

“any pattern of relationships that calls for explanation”

Question 5

How does electoral popularity affect whether research succeeds in influencing social policy?

Answer 5

-How popular the research is with voters

Question 6

How does the ideological preferences of the government affect whether research succeeds in influencing social policy?

Answer 6

-If the researcher’s value stance is similar to the political ideology of the government, they have more chance of influencing policy

Question 7

How does globalisation affect whether research succeeds in influencing social policy?

Answer 7

-International organisations such as the EU have the power to influence social policy

Question 8

How can critical sociologist groups affect whether research succeeds in influencing social policy?

Answer 8

-Sociological groups such as marxism or Radical Feminism maybe regarded as too extreme or hostile, and therefore unlikely to influence policy

Question 9

How does cost affect whether research succeeds in influencing social policy?

Answer 9

-Government may not have sufficient funds to implement an appropriate policy

Question 10

How can funding bodies affect whether research succeeds in influencing social policy?

Answer 10

Sociologists may be forced to ‘tone-down’ research findings if it is not suitable for the funding body

Question 11

Who have the power to define the problem?

Answer 11

Those with power e.g. leading officials- able to define what is a problem and what isn’t, and what (if anything) should be done

Question 12

What is the Functionalist perspective on social policy?

Answer 12

-The state produces rational social policies that re beneficial for society as a whole

Question 13

What do policies ensure?

Answer 13

Society runs smoothly and efficiently

Question 14

What type of approach do Functionalists favour?

Answer 14

Cautious approach i.e. tackle one specific problem at a time

Question 15

Who criticises Functionalism?

Answer 15

Marxists- we need to change the basic structure of society in order to solve specific social problems e.g. underachievement in schools is a result of wider social structures like poverty

Question 16

Who share a similar view to Marxists?

Answer 16

The social democrat perspective

Question 17

What do they favour?

Answer 17

Redistribution of wealth to the poor

Question 18

What did Townsend find?

Answer 18

-Research on poverty
-Made recommendations for policies such as higher benefit levels and increased public spending on welfare

Question 19

What was the Black report?

Answer 19

-1980
-Made 37 far-reaching policy recommendations
-One included Free-school meals
-However, failed to be implemented under Thatcher’s conservative government

Question 20

Who criticises the Social Democrat perspective?

Answer 20

Marxists
-They argue no problem can be solved without abolishing capitalism
Postmodernists
-Criticise attempts to influence policy as they argue sociologists can only take the role of the ‘interpreter’, not the ‘legislator’

Question 21

What do Marxists argue about social policy?

Answer 21

They represent the ruling class ideology

Question 22

What are the 3 roles of social policies according to Marxists?

Answer 22

1. Ideological legitimation to mask capital exploitation
2. Maintain the labour force for further exploitation
3. Prevent revolution

Question 23

What should the main role of sociologists be?

Answer 23

Criticise capitalist social policy, not serve the capitalist state

Question 24

Who criticises marxists?

Answer 24

Social democrats- criticise them for rejecting the idea that research can help to bring about progressive policies in society

Question 25

What do Feminists argue about social policy?

Answer 25

The state perpetuates women’s subordination through patriarchal social policies

Question 26

What is the impact of family policies?

Answer 26

-May assume that the ‘normal family’ is the conventional, nuclear type
-If the state assumes this, and offers benefits to married couples, a self-fulfilling prophecy may be created
-May make it more difficult for other family types to exist in today’s society

Question 27

What do many policies in education favour?

Answer 27

Liberal feminist view- anti-discrimination will bring about gender equality

Question 28

How have radical feminists influenced social policy?

Answer 28

-Idea of ‘separatism’

Question 29

What do the New Right argue about the creation of social policy?

Answer 29

State should have minimal involvement

Question 30

Who is a key New Right Thinker?

Answer 30

Murray- over-generous welfare benefits have created perverse incentives, creating a dependancy culture

Question 31

What is the role of sociologists policies according to the New Right?

Answer 31

-They should aim to restore individual’s responsibility for their own welfare, rathe than leaving it to the state e.g. parenting classes

Question 32

What is a criticism of the New Right?

Answer 32

-The validity of the data which Murray bases his claims about lone-parents and delinquent children has been challenged