Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL POLICY - Coggle Diagram
SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL POLICY
SOCIAL POLICIES
laws made by the government which aim to improve society or deal with a social policy
SOCIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS
WORSLEY
- any pattern of relationships that calls for an explanation - any social behaviour or phenomena which requires explantation
e.g. why poor people are more likely to commit crime
SOCIALPROBLEMS
social behaviour that causes public friction and misery, and requires a collective responde
e.g. poverty, juvenile delinquency + divorce
FUNCTIONALIST VIEW
believe the state acts in the best interests of society and see social policy as being good for all
social policies help society to run more smoothly and efficinetly
they promote equal opportunity and social cohesion
they often favour social policies which are referred to as piecemeal social engineering, meaning they favour a cautious approach tackling one issue at a time
sociologists should investigate social problems scientifically, and provide explanations as well as solutions to social problems
NEW RIGHT VIEW
they believe that people should be self reliant
therefore they believe that the state should not interfere too much in the private lives of the citizen
are particularly against the welfare state which they see as undermining peoples sense of responsibility
believe social policy should aim to restore peoples sense of responsibility
MARXIST VIEW
believe the state represents the interests of the ruling class, and social policies will reflect the interests of the ruling class as well
social policies:
provide ideological legitimation
to mask capitalist exploitation
e.g. the welfare state provides capitalism with a human face, making it look like the state cares for the sick and poor
maintain the labour force
e.g. the NHS keeps workers fit for labour
means of preventing revolution
by placating (less angry) the working class ad making it seem as if the state is looking after the WC
policies such as the maximum working hours
sociologists should therefore reveal the unpleasant truth about capitalists policies rather than solve the problems
will cause class consciousness to occur and a revolution to start
POSTMODERNIST VIEW
aren't really interested in social policy
however, do support policies that have diversity and choices
late modernists believe that social policies need to adapt constantly to globalisation
FEMINIST VIEW
believe the state and society is patriarchal and therefore social policies are designed to maintain this patriarchy
e.g. family policies which benefit married couples and maternity policies are aimed at keeping women at home
feminist research has had an impact in a number of policy areas including equal opportunities and genre neutrality
however, these policies are often seen as reflecting the Liberal Feminist view, not radical or Marxist feminist view
FACTORS AFFECTING THE INFLUENE OF SOCIOLOGY ON SOCIAL POLICY
ELECTORAL POPULARITY
research findings may be unpopular with voters so governments may decide not to follow those recommendations
IDEOLOGICAL AND POLICY PREFERENCES
if a researchers values or perspectives are in line with the governments then it is more likely to have a chance at influencing policy
e.g. the
New Right
has considerable influence in the conservative government of the 1970s and 1980s
GLOBALISATION
social policy isnt just made by a nation in isolation
international organisations such as the IMF and EU may influence social policy within individual nations
COST/FUNDING
governments may not have the budget to implement a sociologist recommendations
whoever is funding the research may influence the recommendations and findings that the study publishes
CRITICAL SOCIOLOGY
sociologists such as
Marxists
are critical of the state and therefore unlikely to influence policy