Download Sociology - The Hazeley Academy

Year 13
Summer
Homework
Sociology
Deadline: Monday 12th
September 2016
Sociology
AQA Year 2 Sociology – Theories & Methods
Objectives:
To consolidate knowledge and understanding on theoretical perspectives and apply understanding assessment skills
to A2 exam questions.
Tasks: To complete an A level Sociological Theories Booklet. Students must complete the following:
• Complete revision summary topic sheets (A3 booklet) 5 hours
• Complete two 10 mark questions:
1. Outline and explain two reasons why sociologists may not influence government policy. [10 marks] 1
hour
2. Outline and explain two reasons why values may enter sociological research. [10 marks] 1 hour
Assessment
Summary revision pages (20% of final grade)
Activities/Tasks will be assess on level of effort and detail
A Grade – all topics have been completed and show detailed
responses throughout.
B Grade – all topics have been completed, with examples and
some detailed explanation
C Grade – all topics have been completed and correct
D Grade – all topics have been completed but some inaccuracies
E Grade – Topics have been completed and are correct/ or some
inacuracies
U – Topics are incomplete and/or largely inaccurate
Exam Questions (80% of final grade)
Exam questions are worth a total of 20 marks
A Grade – 80%
B Grade – 70%
C Grade – 60%
D Grade – 50%
E Grade - 40%
U – Below 40%
PLC
Summer homework task links to PLC topic – Theories & Methods
Resources/Research:
AQA Sociology Book Two – Webb,Westergaard,Trobe,Townend
http://www.podology.org.uk/# - Website with sociology articles, podcasts and videos
http://www.s-cool.co.uk/a-level/sociology - Revision website that provides overview of key terms.
http://www.theguardian.com/education/sociology - The Guardian Newspaper (sociology)
@hazeleysocio – Hazeley academy sociology twitter page
Google classroom code – a5f0ym (12C) nawutc (12D)
Wider Reading:
Sociology is constantly changing – so reading a newspaper is vital – if you don’t get one add a few of these sites to
your favourites and browse.
• BBC www.bbc.co.uk
• Office for National Statistics
www.statistics.gov.uk
• The Daily Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk
• Social Science Information Gateway
• The Government (for details of social policies,
(Sociology) www.sosig.ac.uk/sociology
etc) www.open.gov.uk
• Sunday Times www.sunday-times.co.uk
• The Guardian www.guardian.co.uk
• The Times www.thetimes.co.uk
• Market and Opinion Research International
(MORI) www.mori.com
• Sociology Central www.sociology.org.uk
• The Observer www.guardian.co.uk
Submission Date: All work must be submitted by Monday 12th September 2016
Theory and methods A2
Topic
Revised –
green/red/amber
1. Quantitative and qualitative methods of research; their strengths and limitations; research design.
2. Sources of data, including questionnaires, interviews, observation (participant and nonparticipant), experiments, documents, and official
statistics; the strengths and limitations of these
The distinction between primary and secondary data, and between quantitative and qualitative data.
The relationship between positivism, interpretivism and sociological methods; the nature of ‘social facts’.
The theoretical, practical and ethical considerations influencing choice of topic, choice of method(s) and the conduct of research.
Consensus, conflict, structural and social action theories.
The concepts of modernity and post-modernity in relation to sociological theory
The nature of science and the extent to which sociology can be regarded as scientific
The relationship between theory and methods
Debates about subjectivity, objectivity and value freedom
The relationship between sociology and social policy
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
1-5 AS – you will need to recap this.
You can make synoptic links when looking at the theories and the broad terms – socialisation, culture and identity, social differentiation, power and stratification,
Summer homework – Complete summary A3 booklet on Sociological Theories and answer the two questions below. Due Mon 12th Sept 2016
1. Outline and explain two reasons why sociologists may not influence government policy. [10 marks]
2. Outline and explain two reasons why values may enter sociological research. [10 marks]
Concepts – consensus, conflict, determinism, structuralism, social action approaches, interpretivism, integrated approaches, macro, micro, positivism, anti-positivism,
functional prerequisites, collective conscience, organic analogy, systems needs (goal attainment, adaptation, integration, latency), structural differentiation, manifest and
latent functions, dysfunction, base, superstructure, means of production, relations of production, false consciousness, capitalism, communism, hegemony, ideological
state apparatus/repressive state apparatus, verstehen, rational action, value rational action, traditional action, affectional action, labelling, looking glass self, typifications,
dramaturgical model, structuration theory, globalisation, metanarrative, hyperreality, simulacra, patriarchy, separatism, consciousness raising, political lesbianism, reserve
army of labour, essentialism, principles of falsification, hpothetico-deductive method, paradigms, scientific revolutions, closed systems, open systems, reconstructed logic,
logic in use, objectivity. subjectivity, value-free, value-laden
Functionalism CONSENSUS STRUCTURALISM(organic analogy):
Durkheim (Collective conscience, also see study on suicide):
Strengths/weaknesses
Parsons (Functional prerequisites, GAIL model, structural
differentiation):
Prerequisite or
system need
Goal attainment
description
Sub-system
Adaptation
Integration
Marxism CONFLICT STRUCTURALISM
Traditional Marxism –
Base and superstructure:
Means of production and relations of production:
Latency
Exploitation and surplus value:
Merton (manifest and latent functions, dysfunction):
Capitalism, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat:
Labour power:
Dominant ideology and false class consciousness:
Revolution and communism:
Neo – Marxists –
Althusser (RSA/ISA):
Gramsci (hegemony and relative autonomy):
Strengths of Marxism
Weaknesses of Marxism
Action theories
1. Weber (verstehen, ‘The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism’, types of
action – rational, value rational, traditional, affectional)
Social action or interpretivist theories (includes WEBER, SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM, PHENOMENOLOGY AND ETHNOMETHODOLOGY). How
does this theory see society?
Evaluation: Weber advocates verstehen but we cannot ever be that person, so can
never be sure we have truly understood their motives
Action theories
2. Symbolic interactionism
Mead:
Giddens – structuration theory – combining structure and action
Becker – labelling theory:
Cooley – looking glass self:
Goffman – dramaturgical model:
3. Phenomenology
Schutz – typifications:
4. Ethnomethodology
Garfinkel:
Evaluation:
Postmodernism – what is modernism? What is postmodernism? Globalisation, metanarratives,
media saturated society (Baudrillard), simulacra, hperreality, pick n mix identities, Buaman,
Lyotard…
Postmodernism evaluated
Feminism (include Liberal – Oakley. Marxist – Ansley, Barrett. Radical –Firestone, Brownmiller, Greer. Dual systems –
Walby. Difference feminism)
Feminism evaluated
Yes, sociology is a science and wants to be a
science – the scientific method, Merton CUDOS,
Popper, positivism, Durkheim, social facts, realist
view, closed systems/open systems, Sayer (realist),
Baskhar criticising Popper (he’s a realist too),
objectivity, value freedom
Hold up… science isn’t very scientific – Kaplan, reconstructed logic, logics
in use, values and beliefs of researcher, funding, deadlines, time/money,
desire for researcher to ‘prove’ hypotheses…
Sociology shouldn’t be a science and isn’t a
science – Kuhn, Paradigms, scientific revolutions,
interpretivism, subjectivity, meaning, verstehen,
no such thing as value freedom, pick a
side(Becker)
Sociology and science
1.Is a value-free sociology possible?
(Yes – Comte, Durkheim, Marx, positivists)
Sociology and the value freedom debate
(some elements of the sociology and science debate can also be used)
Value freedom =
Value laden =
3. Is a value-free sociology desirable? (Gouldner, Becker,
Myrdal)
Objectivity =
Subjectivity =
2. Values have an essential role in sociological research (WEBER)
Factors influencing values – funding
bodies, Politics affecting the
publishing of research (e.g. The Black
Report 1980), sociologists own
personal values, sociologists own
perspective (e.g. Marxist, Feminist…),
sociologists preference for methods
(interactionists = qualitative
methods)
A) Values as a guide to research:
B) Data Collection and hypothesis testing:
C) Values and interpretation of data:
D) Values and the sociologist as a citizen:
Weber sees values as relevant to the sociologist in choosing what to
research, in interpreting the data collected, and as a citizen and
member of society in deciding the use to which the findings should
be put. However, the sociologists values should be kept out of the
actual process of gathering the facts.
4. Feminist sociology doesn’t try to be value free (see CGP revision
guide)
Sociology and social policy
1. The difference between social
problems and sociological
problems (Worsley)
3. But not all sociological research succeeds in
influencing policy – because….
5. Sociologists shouldn’t be involved in
applied social policy research
2. The contribution/influence of sociology on
social policy
4. Sociologists should be involved in applied social policy research
Also see
different
sociological
perspectives are
going to have
different views
on the state and
social policy –
functionalism,
positivist, the
social
democratic
perspective,
Marxism,
feminism and
the new right