What do functionalists and positivists see the sociologists role as?
TO provide the state with objective, scientific information.
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How do functionalists and positivists aim to influence social policy?
By investigating social problems and discovering their causes, sociologists provide the necessary information on which the state can base its policies.
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Functionalists and Positivists favour 'Piecemeal social engineering' what is this?
A cautious approach, tackling one issue at a time. This is criticised by Marxists as they feel some problems can be changed by changing society as a whole
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What social policies do the Social Democratic perspective favour?
ones that involve a major redistribution of wealth of income from the rich to the poor.
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Social Democratic - What did TOWNSEND study? What social policies did he suggest?
Conducted research into poverty. Made recommendations for policies such as fairer, higher benefit levels, more public spending on health, education and welfare
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Social Democratic - What was the Black Report? Who commissioned it?
A report on class inequality that made 37 recommendations for reducing inequalities such as free school meals. The labour govt of 1977 commissioned the report but the new conservatives refused it on grounds of expense
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Why do Marxists critiicise the Social Democratic Perspective's reports and recommendations?
They reject the idea that the policies proposed in the black report will solve inequalities because the problem cannot be solved without abolishing capitalism
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Why do postmodernists criticise attempts by sociologists to influence social policy?
Because for PM it is impossible to discover the objective truth. All knowledge produced by research is uncertain and therefore cannot provide a satisfactory basis for social policy
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How do Marxists view social policy?
The state represents the ruling class, and its policies serve the interests of capitalism not those of society as a whole
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What 3 functions do Marxists claim social policies provide?
1)Provide ideological legitimation e.g. welfare state gives capitalism a human face 2)Maintain the labour force e.g. NHS 3)Means of preventing a revolution e.g, welfare state was created after WW2 as a way of buying off the W/C
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What do Marxists see the sociologists main role as being?
To criticise capitalist social policy, not to serve the capitalist state. The sociologist must reveal the exploitation that underpins capitalism, and the way in which the r/c use social policies to mask the exploitation
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WHat do feminists believe about the state and social policies?
Society is patriarchal, benefiting men at womens expense, and the state perpetuates women's subordination through its policies
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Give an example of a social policy that subordinates women?
Family policies are based on the idea of a nuclear family. They encourage that type of family and make it the morm, meaning it is harder for people to live in other types of families. Child benefit gets paid automatically to mom, why??
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Give two ways in which feminist research has impacted educational social policy
1)Learning materials promote positive images of females 2)Teacher training encourages teachers to avoid gender bias and include both sexes
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Give a radical feminist idea that has lead to a change in social policy
The idea of separatism lead to the creation of women's refuges for women escaping domestic violence.
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What do the New Right believe about the state? What are they particularly opposed to?
It should have minimal involvement in society. They oppose using state provision of welfare to deal with social problems. In their view, state intervention in areas such as family life encourages dependency and robs people of their freedom
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What do the New Right see the role of the sociologist to be?
to propose alternative policies to the present ones. These policies should aim to restore individuals' responsibility for their own families' welfare, rather than leaving this to the state
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Give an example of a New Right influenced social policy
Breakdown Britain report proposed new policies aimed at the family such as, marriage and parenting classes, and support from the tax and benefit system for mothers who stay at home.
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
How do functionalists and positivists aim to influence social policy?
Back
By investigating social problems and discovering their causes, sociologists provide the necessary information on which the state can base its policies.
Card 3
Front
Functionalists and Positivists favour 'Piecemeal social engineering' what is this?
Back
Card 4
Front
What social policies do the Social Democratic perspective favour?
Back
Card 5
Front
Social Democratic - What did TOWNSEND study? What social policies did he suggest?
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