Theory - Social Policy Flashcards
(17 cards)
What is the difference between a ‘social problem’ and a ‘sociological problem’?
Worsley (1977) argues a social problem is a problem for society, causing tension or pain and requiring the collective action of society to be solved, whereas a sociological problem is any social phenomena that sociologists may seek explanations for, whether or not they are problems for wider society.
What are the 7 factors affecting whether sociological research is used in policy?
- Electoral popularity of the reccomended policy
- Policy preferences of the government and interest groups (who are able to pressure the government)
- Globalisation and policy preferences of IGOs like the IMF (the Washington Consensus)
- Critical sociology and whether research is too extreme to be used
- Cost of proposed policy
- Funding sources and whether the research been altered to fit the paymasters wishes
What are the 5 perspectives on sociology and social policy?
- Positivism and functionalism
- Social Democracy
- Marxism
- Feminism
- The New Right
What is the functionalist view on social policy?
According to Parsons, the state is an sub-system in society so serves the needs of the wider system, as such it should implement rational social policies for the good of all, solving the goal-attainment needs of the system.
What is the positivist view of sociology’s role in social policy? Give an example.
Based on their roots in the enlightenment project and their belief in social facts, sociologists’ role is to discover to social realities and use them to aid government in making social policy informed the truth, thus maximising its utility. For example, Durkheim proposed a meritocratic education system and the abolition of inherited wealth.
What form of social policy do functionalists prefer? How is this criticised?
Functionalists prefer ‘piecemeal social engineering’ (a cautious approach that tackles one problem at a time); however, this takes the view that the problems in society are individual, rather than holistic, and not linked to wider structures - conflict theorists argue that problems like underachievement can’t be death with through equal opportunity policy because it’s never going to be able to deal with the root causes of the problem and may even mask it.
How do postmodernists criticise positivists’ view of sociology and social policy?
Postmodernist theory, like Lyotard’s ‘language games’, argues it is impossible to discover objective truths so social research does not provide an adequate base for legislation.
What is the social democrat view on social policy and sociologist’s role?
Social democrats call for major redistribution of wealth and income from the rich to the poor and believe that sociologists should research social problems and make policy recommendations to eradicate them.
Give 2 examples of social democrat studies.
- Townsend (1979) called for higher benefit levels, and more public spending on health, education and welfare.
- The Black Report (1980) on class inequalities in health called for free school meals for all children, improved working conditions, etc.
Give a criticism of social democracy.
Marxists argue that no amount of policy will be able to reform the inherently exploitative and oppressive system of capitalism, it will often even disregard policy that helps the w/c - The Black Report (1980) was ignored by the Thatcher Government, who called for the opposite of what they recommended.
Why don’t marxists believe in social policy?
The state is part of the superstructure so will never be able to liberate the w/c: it will create policy that actively hurts the w/c (recent policy to strengthen police control on protests), refuse to help the w/c (Black Report), or create policy that helps the ruling class (Oil deals). Even if they make policy that helps the w/c, it only works to legitimise capitalism and prevent revolution.
Give 2 criticisms of the Marxist perspective on social policy.
- Social democrats argue that people are suffering now and need help now, 4.5 million children live in poverty, ⅓ of all children in the UK
- Popper argues this theory is unfalsifiable: good social policy proves the superstructure because it legitimises capitalism; bad social policy proves the superstructure because it hurts the w/c
What is the liberal feminist perspective on social policy and sociologists’ role?
Based in their enlightenment values, sociologists should propose policy that protects women’s rights and creates cultural changes to mitigate sexism, like the Equality Act (2010) or GIST/WISE.
What is the radical feminist perspective on social policy?
Radical feminists argue that society is innately based on patriarchy and the state introduces policy to further subordinate women, such as promoting the nuclear family (creating a self-fulfilling prophecy) - because it is innate (Firestone (1979)), social policy will never liberate women; however they do like refuges for women escaping domestic violence like Women’s Aid Federation, cause it reflects their separatism.
What is the poststructuralist perspective on sociology’s role in social policy?
Post-structural feminists see any policy recommendation as a form discourse and an attempt to impose one’s own discourse over others’, a form of oppression.
What is the New Rights perspective on social policy?
The New Right has a large neoliberal/libertarian influence that calls for minimal state intervention, specifically in regards to provisions like welfare, which they see as inhibiting the free market from creating ‘market solutions’ due to the ‘invisible hand’. However, they also call for traditional (‘Victorian’) values like the nuclear family and heterosexuality, so are willing for state intervention to mitigate ‘permissive social values’.
Give a criticism of the New Rights perspective on social policy.
There’s an internal contradiction: they call for both more state intervention (influenced by neoconservatism and belief in human imperfection) and less state intervention (influenced by neoliberalism and belief in rationalism).
