Theory (from theory and methods topic)

Question 1

Define organic analogy

Answer 1

The theory that society runs like a body, is a part of the body breaks down the body does not function properly

Question 2

Define value consensus

Answer 2

The needs for society to have common agreed upon set of beliefs and values

Question 3

Define Socialisation

Answer 3

The process of learning norms and values - primary and secondary

Question 4

Define social control

Answer 4

Conformity and complacency- mechanisms in society that regulate our behaviour I.e. the judicial system, police

Question 5

Define social order

Answer 5

Society running smoothly , enforces normal way of behaving

Question 6

What are the 3 similarities parsons found between social and biological organisms?

Answer 6

Both have self regulating systems of inter-related , independent parts that fit together in fixed ways
Both organisms will die if system needs are not met
Both have functions to support / maintain their system e.g economy helps meet needs for food and shelter

Question 7

How is social order achieved according to parsons?

Answer 7

Through a shared culture or central value system. It is possible if people agree in the norms and values in society ( value consensus)
Would integrate individuals into social system and direct them to to meet systems needs through socialisation and social control

Question 8

What are the systems needs according to parsons?

Answer 8

Goal= attainment = society needs goals and allocated resources to achieve them, completed through government
Instrumental needs = adaptation and integration
Expressive role = latency

Question 9

Define parsons instrumental societal need

Answer 9

Adaptation = the system meets its members material needs through the economy, sub-system
Integration= different parts of the system must be connected to pursue shared goals - this is the role of religion , media and education

Question 10

Define Parsons expressive societal role

Answer 10

Latency= pattern maintenance which prepares people for their roles in the future society (meritocracy)
- tension management

Question 11

What are the differences between parsons traditional and modern societies?

Answer 11

1) Ascription = Achievement
2) Diffuseness= specificity
3) particularism = universalism
4) Affectivity = Affective neutrality
5) collective orientation = individual orientation

Question 12

Define parsons diffuseness vs specificity

Answer 12

Diffuseness = relationships are broad with a range of purposes
Specificity= relationships are narrow and limited to specific purposes

Question 13

Define parsons particularism vs universalism

Answer 13

Particularism = norms emphasis treating different people differently
Universalism = norms emphasise treating different people the same

Question 14

Define parsons Affectivity vs affective neutrality

Answer 14

Affectivity= immediate gratification of desires
Affective neutrality= self discipline and the deferment of gratification

Question 15

What are Merton’s 3 critiques of Parsons?

Answer 15

1) indispensability- parsons assumes everything in society is indispensable= Merton suggests functional alternatives
2) functional unity- all parts of society are tightly integrated as a whole- M = some parts of society have functional autonomy = organic analogy is wrong
3) Universal functionalism=, not everything functions positively for all groups = M argues dysfunctional is neglected by functionalists

Question 16

External Criticisms of Functionalism

Answer 16

Positivists= functionalism is unscientific as it cannot be tested e.g. crime is functional and dysfunctional
Marxism= society isn’t harmonious- divided into classes with unequal power
Action perspective- deterministic- socialized into meeting systems need - ignores free will or choice
post-modernist= functionalism is a meta-narrative - not possible in a modern fragmented society

Question 17

what is alienation?

Answer 17

the proletariat lose control of the products + feel left out in society + like you don’t control the products produced

Question 18

what is the social relationship of production?

Answer 18

how the relationships are organised when making goods (related to the division of labour) e.g. boss and worker relationships

Question 19

what is the mode of production?

Answer 19

a combination of both the means of production and the social relations of production

Question 20

what is the superstructure?

Answer 20

anything that isn’t part of the economic base e.g. culture, ideology, institution

Question 21

what is an ancient society?

Answer 21

everything is shared, hunter-gatherers in society

Question 22

what is a feudal society?

Answer 22

royalty control society by virtue of their heritage and religion. society and production is based on the exploitation of the peasants

Question 23

what is a capitalist society?

Answer 23

capital (money) determines society. Society and production are based on the exploitation of one class, the working class

Question 24

what is a communist society?

Answer 24

the future, the w/c will develop a class consciousness and class will not exist

Question 25

what is Historical materialism?

Answer 25

human beings have needs so they use the means of production past humans did this through labour but now we have machines + co-operate with one another and enter social relations of production lead to developing a ruling class materialism= we need material needs that cost money

Question 26

what are the economic base and the ideological superstructure?

Answer 26

the foundation of a society is the economic base= the means of production which the m/c own on the top is the ideological superstructure= set of ideologies, or distorted beliefs, which the ruling class construct to legitimise their power and allow them to exploit the w/c

Question 27

Who is Mary Wollstonecraft?

Answer 27

wrote during the time of the French revolution= if we are fighting for mens rights then we must also fight for womens rights founding mother of feminism tried to establish a school but friend died in childbirth

Question 28

what is the difference between sex and gender?

Answer 28

sex= biological characteristic assigned at birth of a person gender = what you identify as later on socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society consider appropriate for men and women

Question 29

what is liberal feminism?

Answer 29

patriarchy harms men and women society is improving e.g. maternity/ paternity leave sex discrimination act Somerville

Question 30

how do liberal feminists critique functionalism?

Answer 30

critiques functionalist view of gender roles (Parsons instrumental and expressive roles) by arguing both are equally capable of performing roles in both spheres e.g. the new man, gender equality policy LF aim to break down barrier between spheres

Question 31

Evaluate liberal feminists

Answer 31

radical feminists= society is still patriarchal lib fem exaggerate progress

Question 32

what is radical feminism?

Answer 32

society is still patriarchal e.g. glass ceiling + glass cliff gender pay gap for people in the same position Oakley= division of labour Dobash + Dobash = triple shift Millet

Question 33

what is the glass cliff?

Answer 33

companies put women in positions of power when companies are failing so it looks bad on women

Question 34

evaluate radical feminists

Answer 34

Somerville = women are breaking through glass ceiling , discrimination laws help women

Question 35

what is Marxist feminism?

Answer 35

women are oppressed due to capitalism and patriarchy functions women reproduce the labour force, socialise children into capitalist ideologies Ansley= women absorb anger that should be targeted at capitalism "women are the takers of shit"

Question 36

evaluate Marxist feminism

Answer 36

intersectional feminists (difference feminists) gender + class is not enough to explain how inequalities impact e.g. ignore ethnicity as a factor

Question 37

what is intersectional feminism

Answer 37

takes into account the many ways in which women experience discrimination e.g. Kimberiu Crenshaw the discrimination white straight women face us different from those faced by women of colour, LGBTQ women and women of other minorities

Question 38

what is the first wave of feminism?

Answer 38

liberal feminists concerned with human + civil rights and freedom of the individual social change should be gradual and careful not dramatic / revolutionary equality legislation can secure equal opportunities for women

Question 39

how did the first wave of feminism seek to improve society?

Answer 39

gendered socialisation+ education= more domestic labour from men / more male school role models this will encourage cultural change+ gender equality will be norm optimistic theory

Question 40

what was the second wave of feminism (radical POV)?

Answer 40

Firestone= women's oppression is due to them being able to have kids- dependent on men all men benefit= unpaid domestic labour + sexual services relationships involve power= political when one person uses power to dominate

Question 41

how did the second wave of feminism seek to improve society? (rad POV)

Answer 41

sexual politics must be transformed separatism + political lesbianism (Greer) consciousness raising= women share experiences + see they r connected through collective action e.g. marches

Question 42

what is the second wave of feminism (Marx. POV)

Answer 42

women not oppressed by stereotyping + patriarchal oppression of men but by capitalism primary role as unpaid home maker = dependent economic position of women= important functions in capitalism: women source of cheap exploitative labour reserve army of labour reproduce workforce absorb anger= Ansley

Question 43

what is the third wave of feminism?

Answer 43

intersectionality different women have different experiences Crenshaw very white westernised view of feminism disagree with essentialism

Question 44

evaluation of second wave of feminism

Answer 44

they show greater understanding of importance of structural factors than lib. fem fail to explain female subordination in non capitalist societies e.g. cuba does not explain why women not men perform unpaid domestic labour

Question 45

what did Mead say about symbolic interactionism?

Answer 45

taking the role of the other develops through social interaction need this ability to function in society

Question 46

What did Blumer say about symbolic interactionism?

Answer 46

1) actions based on we give to situations , events, people etc 2) meanings arise from interaction process 3) meanings we give to a situation results from interpretive procedures like taking the role of the other

Question 47

what did Goffman say?

Answer 47

dramaturgical approach we manipulate others impression of us aim is to carry convincing performance of the role we have adopted backstage is who we really are

Question 48

what did Weber say?

Answer 48

social action= personal form that a person can adopt in their way of thinking and behaviour. verstehen is essential to understand human activity and social transformation

Question 49

What were Weber's 4 classifications of action?

Answer 49

instrumental rational action= most effective way of achieving a goal value rational action= so goal oriented, doesn't need to find the most effective way traditional action= predetermined by norms and traditions even if deemed as ineffective affectual action = behaviour that conveys feelings + emotions

Question 50

What were Weber's structure + action methods?

Answer 50

structural cause = new belief systems developed can alternate peoples viewpoints which can in turn affect their action subjective meaning= the meaning that a genuine "real" individual operates under

Question 51

evaluate weber

Answer 51

Alfred Schutz = overly distinctive and fails to account for the shared character and concepts one cannot intentionally try to influence someone else's already completed action.

Question 52

what are the key features of a modern society?

Answer 52

political industrialisation science+ technology used to explain the world = enlightenment period

Question 53

Globalisation effecting peoples lives

Answer 53

technological changes = online cultures more interconnected economic changes= global market- stock trading political changes= creation of a global civil society changes in culture and identity= can communicate with others on a global scale

Question 54

what is Glocalization ?

Answer 54

a product or service that is developed and distributed globally but is also adjusted to accommodate the users or consumers in a local market e.g. global fast food chains offering geographical specific menus

Question 55

what does Foucault say?

Answer 55

meta-narrative + enlightenment = no sure thing as objective knowledge e.g. func. cannot fully explain the world

Question 56

what does Lyotard say?

Answer 56

Myth of truth= all big theories claim to be able to explain the world and how it runs Loss faith in science Loss of meta-narrative

Question 57

What does Baurdillard say?

Answer 57

hyper reality simulacra = over media saturation has led to difficulty distinguishing between reality and fiction

Question 58

What does Bauman say?

Answer 58

pick + mix identities identity is based on choice = influenced by globalisation

Question 59

What is late modernity?

Answer 59

rapid changes = continuation of modernity features of modernity intensified

Question 60

What does Beck say about late modernity?

Answer 60

risk society= past dangers where mainly natural in origin but now dangers are manufactured late modernity= period of individualism= traditions no longer governs how we act = consider actions based on level of risk= calls this risk consciousness

Question 61

What is hegemony

Answer 61

Ideological and moral leadership

Question 62

What are Gramsci's 2 ways of maintaining power

Answer 62

Coersion= uses army,police, courts and prison to force other classes to accept this rule Consent (hegemony)= uses ideas and values to persuade the subordinate classes that its rule is legitimate

Question 63

Where does Gramsci differ from Marx?

Answer 63

The hegemony of the ruling class is never complete The ruling class are a minority= have to compromise with m/c in order to maintain power The proletariat have dual consciousness = ideology also influenced by material conditions of their life- aware of exploitation and capable of seeing through dominant ideology

Question 64

What is Gramsci's solution to capitalism

Answer 64

Counter-hegemony bloc = w/c able to offer moral and ideological leadership in society Produce their own "organic intellectuals"= class conscious and can offer a credible alternative to what society will look like under communism

Question 65

Evaluations of Gramsci

Answer 65

Under estimates the role of coercive, political and economic forces

Question 66

Althussers super structure

Answer 66

The economic level- all activities which involve producing something or meeting a need The political level- all forms of organisation The ideological level- all ways people see themselves in their world

Question 67

Pros of Althussers super structure

Answer 67

Political and ideological levels allow reletive autonomy from the economic level- two way casualty

Question 68

Define rsa and Isa

Answer 68

Rsa= armed bodies of men e.g. police which can physically quash dissent or rebellion Isa= hard to maintain order this way over long period of time - most effective way manipulate the way people think and instill a false consciousness avoiding necessity of physical oppression

Question 69

Althussers criticisms of humanism

Answer 69

Gramscis theory is a myth because all our ideas are determined by capitalist structures - wont allow ideas to emerge that will threaten its existence

Question 70

Althusser say socialism will come about

Answer 70

Crisis of capitalism -systemic collapse needs to happen first before a new one can be built

Question 71

Evaluations of Althusser

Answer 71

Humanistic Marxists = discourages political activism as it suggests there is little one can do to change society Ignores active struggles of w/c have changed society in better ways in many countries

Question 72

Positivism

Answer 72

sociology is patterned and can be observed patterns can be used to create social facts social facts can be verified using inductive logic collects data and then forms conclusions e.g. Durkheim's study of suicide

Question 73

what are social facts

Answer 73

manners of acting thinking and feeling external to the individual which are invested with a coercive power by virtue of which they exercise control over him Durkheim thought that these could be used to improve society- links to the organic analogy

Question 74

Interpretivism

Answer 74

people are conscious beings= ethics sociology is about meanings which are unobservable= qualitative methods causality is impossible to determine= too many factors e.g. weber= vestehen

Question 75

Falsifiability sociology should be a science

Answer 75

sociology should be a science Karl Popper science involves the hypothetico - deductive method drawing questions based on research falsify = try to prove themselves wrong

Question 76

Paradigms sociology could be considered a science

Answer 76

science must have a single paradigm scientific revolution anomalies occur which force the paradigm to be questioned

Question 77

Kuhn and paradigms

Answer 77

paradigms are created which forms the framework in which all future scientific research is conducted sociology is pre-scientific as there are many paradigms which shape the interest of the research e.g. Marxism should not be a science= the conflict between perspectives is the foundation of sociology itself