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Key Sociological Theories - Coggle Diagram
Key Sociological Theories
Functionalism
consensus theory
believes society works
Durkheim
organic analogy
Functional Prerequisites
Education
Family
Media
Parliament
Law + Forces
each aspect of society serves a function
positive view of the world
structures and systems shape peoples behaviour
The New Right
consensus theory
institutions are breaking down
value consensus is disintegrating
sense of morality is lost
negative view of society
4 key principles
emphasis on the individual
reduced role of the state
marketize everything
force a return to traditional values + structures
Marxism
conflict perspective
bourgeoisie own means of produtions
bourgeoisie exploit workers for surplus profit
proletariat own nothing except for their labour
Ideological superstructure
Family
Education
Media
Law
Religion
false class consciousness - proletariat don't recognise that they're being exploited as a class together
macro theory
Karl Marx thought subordinate class would seize power + overthrow dominant class when they realise they're exploited
Feminism
conflict theory
patriarchal society
theoretical perspectives against 'malestream' theories
Liberal feminism
liberation through legislation
equality of opportunity
equal rights
women's liberation would be achieved by putting an end to discriminatory practices and pushing for equal rights so women have just as many opportunities for men
Radical feminism
consciousness raising
radical structural change
private is political
political lesbianism
patriarchy shapes society to favour men's biology as there are fundamental differences between men and women
argue women are kept in disadvantaged positions by domination from men
Marxist feminism
female subordination serves capitalism
adopt Marxist view
economic dependance women have on men is created by capitalism
cheap female workers are provided to be exploited and do household chores cheaply
women have low paid, low status jobs
argue solution to women's oppression is to abolish capitalism
Difference feminism
intersectional
post modern
considers intersecting social structures of gender, race, social class, sexual orientation, religion, ability and age etc as interrelated and shaping one another
Postmodernism
global
virtual
unstructured
fragmented
unpredictable
Blurring of boundaries
disintegration + fragmentation
rules governing expectations of roles have broken down
real + fake, truth + lies, space + time all blurred
Bricolage
increasing choice over who we are, how we're perceived and how we live
Meta narrative collapse
the end of big stories
traditional + modern societies dominated by single big stories which tried to explain everything
people lost faith in big stories as their importance collapsed
Action Theories
action shapes society
Max Weber
"man is an animal suspended in webs of significance that he himself has spun"
micro theory
small scale
humans act consciously with choice
interpretivist
Meanings
shape action
essential for understanding what's going on +how we act
give us the knowledge we have about social situations + interactions
meanings + social reality exist in our heads
when everyone has the same knowledge the situation becomes real as everyone experiences it + society grows out of these actions
Symbolic interactionism
way we behave is reliant upon the meanings we put on symbols
Herbert Blumer
we act depending on meanings
meanings are different for different people
meanings can change
we act in any situation according to how we interpret different symbols
Ethnomethodology
study of ways in which a particular group applies shared meanings to help everyone gain a sense of social order
Neoliberalism
economic doctrine
state shouldn't provide services such as education, health + welfare
based on idea state mustn't dictate to individuals how to dispose of their own property
state shouldn't regulate a free market economy + government should encourage competition, privatisation + deregulating markets