...Outline and Assess functionalist explanations for ethnic inequality Functionalists hold the view that ethnic inequality is a dysfunctional for society, and that ethnic minorities need to become more similar to the white majority. This is known as Assimilation theory, which is staunchly criticised by the Marxists who believe racism exists to justify the inequalities that are so wide spread by the Bourgeoisie via Capitalism. Weberianism concurs with Marxists (so they diverge from the Functionalists) to an extent, but they introduce status into the explanation. Postmodernists take a approach antagonistic to all of the afore mentioned approaches, and that is to argue that blanket terms such as ethnicity are no longer relevant in the modern era, where our identities are defined by consumerism and globalisation. Functionalists outline the Assimilation Theory, suggested by Patterson. Patterson believes that the influx of immigrants into Britain in the 1950s disturbed what was a homogenous society with social stability and a high degree of social integration, leading to a value consensus. The norms and values brought in with the immigrants led to a Cultural Clash, where each different ethnicity were seen to be against the norm. This created many stereotypes e.g. boisterous West Indians. Prejudice also came about, buoyed by xenophobia, competing for jobs between ethnicities and a lack of similarity (Assimilation) with foreigners. Patterson continues by arguing this has caused self-segregation...
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...Social Inequality essay plans for Part b) 30 mark question Evaluate the usefulness of sociological explanations of ethnic inequalities.(30) Evaluate the view that society is institutionally racist (30) Adapt according to question given Introduction Ethnic inequalities are still significant in the UK – give a few examples. Suggest some explanations e.g Racism, Institutional racism, social class of ethnic minorities (Marxism), welfare dependency (New Right). This essay will identify and assess these explanations. AO1 Define types of Racism e.g Barker and new racism, institutional racism – McPhearson report on murder of stephen lawrence – racism in met police. Jenkins suggests recruitment to jobs is more word of mouth and disadvantages ethnic minorities. Modood 1994 28% of african caribbean people surveyed said they felt they had been refused a job on grounds of race. AO2 There are many government acts such as Race relations acts which should prevent discrimination AO2 However because racism is implicit (hidden) now it can be difficult to prove in court. AO1 Marxists such as Westergaard and Resler argue that race is a distraction from the real issue which is social class. It is capitalism which disadvantages certain groups and ethnic minorities are more likely to be in lower classes. AO2 However this ignores the existence of racism in society e.g in education where black boys have the highest exclusion rates in school. AO1 Another marxist explanation by Castles...
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...Introduction Assess the role of education form the functionalist perspective Functionalists believe that education performs very important roles for individuals, the economy and the wider social structure. It provides secondary socialisation, passing on shared culture enables individuals to develop their potential and regulates their behaviour. Functionalists argue that education has three broad; socialisation where education helps to maintain society by socialising young people in to key cultural values, such as achievement, individualism, equality of opportunity, social solidarity and democracy. The second one is skills provision in which education teaches the skills required by a modern industrial society. These may be general skills that everyone needs such as literacy and numeracy or the specific skills needed for particular occupations. And the final function is role allocation, where education allocates people to the most appropriate jobs for their talents using examination and qualifications. This is seen to be fair because there is equality of opportunity, everyone has the chance to achieve success in society on the basis of their ability. ...read more. Middle Educational mechanisms such as grades, examinations, references and qualifications are used to sort individuals. Society is this a meritocracy in which people are rewarded for intelligence, ability and effort. Functional importance is decided by length and specialist training required for particular occupations...
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...Outline and Assess Sociological Explanations of Age Inequality (40 Marks) Most theoretical explanations of age inequality focus on the inequalities faced by the youth and the elderly. Functionalists look at different roles taken on during ageing and have a positive outlook of the stages of ageing as it is believed to benefit society. In contrast, Marxists focus on an underlying class struggle and believe that age is a social construct made to uphold capitalism. However, the Weberian outlook is more complex as it has an interactionist approach and delves deeper into different experiences of age. Similarly, Postmodernists stress the importance of recognising that identities have become fluid and experiences are not fixed so age inequalities have become blurred. However, many of these explanations can be criticised and it is important to note that some of them do not directly refer to age inequality but can be applied to it. The functionalist approach is that society benefits from the way it treats people according to their age. Parsons, believes that people learn their role in society according to their age. He sees a child in their teen years as someone who is going through the transition of becoming an adult, whereas old age is considered as a time of dependency, created by pensions and a drop in status as the elderly become cut off from mainstream society. Eisenstaedt agrees with this as he also argued that differential age groups enable individuals to learn and acquire...
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...Outline and assess postmodernist explanation of age inequality (40 marks) Age explanations have changed over the years and various sociological theories have different explanation on age inequality. In this essay I’m going to analyse various explanation on age inequality by weberians, Marxist, functionalists and postmodernist. Postmodernist are the only theory which is applicable to today’s world. Postmodernists believe that age inequalities have been blurred due to various explanations. Jane Pilcher states that modernity and industrialisation are responsible for the low status of both young and old within society, as they have both been excluded from the workplace. The boundaries are becoming now blurred however, people are not acting in the way that they are expected to. Stages in the life course can no longer be clearly identified. Medical advances have lead to Ivf leads to older pregnancies, cosmetic surgery allows people to look younger for longer period of time, and children dress almost identical to adults. Various of phrases have even be developed to describe the blurring of age groups such as mutton dressed as lamb to describe the older ages dressing more younger. People now have choice in how age will affect their life. Pilcher however acknowledges that age inequality does still exist although she states that it is becoming less rigid. This belief can be supported by another postmodernist such as Featherstone and Hepworth as they go on to suggests that the...
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...Outline and assess sociological explanations of gender inequality in contemporary UK (40) Intro: * There are many sociological explanations of gender inequality, for example, functionalist views contrast hugely with Marxists. * For hundreds of years, women have been seen as unequal, however in the late 19th and 20th century up until today, there has been a huge increase in the belief of gender inequality and numerous feminist movements to try and conquer gender inequality. Functionalists: * Different, not unequal * Men and women serve different social roles in society, fam & workplace. * Parsons: women = expressive. Men = instrumental (breadwinner). Differences are innate and prescribed at birth. Warm bath 4 husband * Murdock: One of roles of fam = to socialise children into gender roles to fit instrumental & expressive roles for society * Human Capital Theory: many women choose to prioritise role as homemaker, fitting with expressive instincts, therefore choosing their own position * Marxist feminists would argue that gender differences = used to exploit women through capitalism at work and in home. * Ansley: Women used to benefit economy, absorbing frustration & anger of husbands who are also exploited at work. ‘Women are the takers of shit’. * Benston: focused on economic aspects of gender inequality. Women = a reserve army of labour. Contribution of domestic labour to capitalism. Marxists: * More critical...
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...Outline and assess functionalist’s explanations of the role of the education system in society. As a theory which places heavy emphasis on the analysis of institutions and their relationship with society, especially with regards to the functions of institutions, Functionalists place a significant amount of focus on the education system. Functionalists believe that education has 3 basic roles. The first being socialistion, the second being to teach skills required by a modern industrial society and the third being to role allocate. However, this perspective is not always accepted, it’s macro theory approach is often seen as too wide bearing to be applied to the study of the education system as well as critics which dispute the functions of the education system as portrayed by functionalists. Nevertheless, its macro theory approach puts the education system in context and is therefore a theory which is notable when discussing the role of the education system. Firstly, it cannot be ignored that one of the main principles of the theory is that society is based upon consensus, - agreement between norms and values. As an institution of secondary socialisation, Functionalist theorists see the education system as one of the main institutions which help to achieve value consensus within society, allowing society to operate in a smooth manner. Durkheim suggested that the education system is an institution which helps to create a “collective consciousness”, uniting society into one body...
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...Outline and assess postmodernist explanation of age inequality (40 marks) Age explanations have changed over the years and various sociological theories have different explanation on age inequality. In this essay I’m going to analyse various explanation on age inequality by weberians, Marxist, functionalists and postmodernist. Postmodernist are the only theory which is applicable to today’s world. Postmodernists believe that age inequalities have been blurred due to various explanations. Jane Pilcher states that modernity and industrialisation are responsible for the low status of both young and old within society, as they have both been excluded from the workplace. The boundaries are becoming now blurred however, people are not acting in the way that they are expected to. Stages in the life course can no longer be clearly identified. Medical advances have lead to Ivf leads to older pregnancies, cosmetic surgery allows people to look younger for longer period of time, and children dress almost identical to adults. Various of phrases have even be developed to describe the blurring of age groups such as mutton dressed as lamb to describe the older ages dressing more younger. People now have choice in how age will affect their life. Pilcher however acknowledges that age inequality does still exist although she states that it is becoming less rigid. This belief can be supported by another postmodernist such as Featherstone and Hepworth as they go on to suggests that the...
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...Outline and assess Marxists explanations of class inequality There are many concerns in sociology as to whether class is still important. Many argue that it is not important as an individual’s identity is based on status, values and intelligence. Postmodernists claim that class is now dead. We can now be defined by consumption (what we spend money on) rather than class. However, others argue that class in still an influence on people’s lives, affecting certain aspects such as health and education. Marxism is a conflict theory that believes class division within society still exists between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat through the unequal distribution of wealth, power and status. The relationship between the two classes is based upon exploitation and class conflict. The proleteriat produce more goods only to get paid a low wage in return which enables the bourgeoisie to gain large profits. They believe the middle class also exists, but it is fragmented and undergone through the process of polarisation, either rising to the bourgeoisie or falling into the proletariat. The higher classes will get smaller and richer while the working class will get larger and poorer, eventually leading to revolution. Marshall argues that the underclass does not exist, claiming that the underclass would work if appropriate work was available. They also point out that half of those who claim benefits are in full-time work. They believe the concept of underclass is an ideological justification...
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...OUTLINE AND ASSESS FUNCTIONALIST EXPLANATIONS OF CRIME AND DEVIANCE (50) INTRODUCTION * Structural theory * Believe that society is good and order is necessary * Therefore at first glance crime appears to be negative, but functionalists believe crime can be beneficial to social system PARAGRAPH 1 - DURKHEIM * Believed in consensus and need for social order + that crime was inevitable * He believed crime and deviance were product of lack of attachment to prevailing consensus over collective values * Durkheim believed the speed of change in modern societies was likely to generate deviance and crime as the modern world rapidly reinvents itself * Intro of new economic process and technology combined with social/geographical mobility leave people feeling unsure about their place in the world, so people lose a sense of what it is to be normal and develop sense of anomie (normlessness) * Crime and deviance are bound to increase now * After fall of Soviet Union crime increased rapidly in Russia as whole social fabric was transformed * Durkheim said crime was necessary for society and he notes 3 main benefits of crime: 1. Reaffirming the Boundaries – when someone is taken to court, the sanction and the publicity reaffirm existing values 2. Changing Values – sometimes when someone is charged with a crime, a degree of sympathy occurs for the person prosecuted leading to a change in values, which can lead to change in law to reflect...
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...rule the workers or 'proletariat'. • The bourgeoisie have the wealth and the power to rule. The proletariat are exploited because they are not treated fairly. • Marxists argue that the education system plays a key role in disseminating the ideology of the ruling class. • Education acts as a force of oppression for the children of the working classes Key questions (AO1) What do Marxists believe? (AO1) How do Marxist theories apply to the education system? (AO2) What strengths are there to the Marxist view of education system? (AO2) How have Marxist views been criticised by other writers? Summary of key points Marxists see capitalist society as being ruled by the economy. The minority, the ruling class or 'bourgeoisie' rule the majority, namely the workers or 'proletariat'. The bourgeoisie have the wealth and the power to rule. The proletariat are exploited because they are not treated fairly. This is the basis of class inequality. Institutions such as organised religion, the mass media, the political and the education systems all reinforce the ideology that the rich and powerful should control society. They promote an ideology or belief that our society is fair and just and that the proletariat should quietly accept capitalist society. Marxists argue that the education system plays a key role in promoting the ideology of the ruling class. Traditionally, the Labour Party has been associated...
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...Version 1.0 General Certificate of Education January 2012 Sociology SCLY4 2191 Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods; Stratification and Differentiation with Theory and Methods; Unit 4 Mark Scheme Mark schemes are prepared by the Principal Examiner and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation meeting attended by all examiners and is the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation meeting ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every examiner understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for the standardisation meeting each examiner analyses a number of students’ scripts: alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed at the meeting and legislated for. If, after this meeting, examiners encounter unusual answers which have not been discussed at the meeting they are required to refer these to the Principal Examiner. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. Further...
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...Outline and assess feminist explanations of social inequality Feminists stress the importance of woman being treated as equal to men in society and work to ensure that males and females are entitled to the same rights. Most believe that women are disadvantaged in society due to their gender and that this disadvantage is socially constructed; there are numerous types of feminists which take different approaches in explaining key concepts such as status, power the labour market and other disadvantages some individuals face within society. Most feminist explanations of inequality focus on discrimination surrounding gender, however Oakley provides an explanation for age inequality; she argues that inequalities experiences by children are inextricably linked to those of women and the patriarchal nature of society. Children are controlled by adults in relation to the age they can start work, their education, where they play and use of their time. Gannon (1999) goes on to argue that some are controlled by abuse and neglect and that older women are materially deprived compared to men as a result of time out of employment and the gender pay gap. However Wyness (2006) opposes this view and argues that children are controlled by both women and men in society. Liberal feminists desire equal opportunities for men and women which they argue can be achieved through legislation and changing attitudes. They argue that gender roles are socially constructed through the family, education...
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...“Outline and assess the view that the role of education is to meet the needs of the economy” There are a few theories that agree with the idea that the purpose and role of education is to gain qualifications and the ideal job suited for the particular person, which aids the needs of the economy. Functionalists, new rights and social democrats support this idea of education and the economy, especially the positive side of the capitalist system. However social democrats are aware of the negative side of seeing education aiding the economy, alongside Marxists and the liberal theories. They are all highly critical of the capitalist system. As for postmodernism, it goes against all these theories and refuses to give a grand theory of education aiding the economy. Functionalists believe that education plays an important role in helping the economy. Durkheim believes that it is crucial for society to have social order and social solidarity; to successfully have this there is the value consensus that aids society with unwritten rules that everyone follows, such as not to steal or not to murder. Education has the goal of teaching that we need to act as one and to be homogeneous by having essential similarities and in doing this becoming successful in understanding the teaching of wrong and right within society. Durkheim also believes that school prepares for division of labour, as schools teach the students the skills that are needed for the work force. With regards to the specialised...
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...Outline and assess the Marxist approach to crime and deviance (50) Crime is defined as an act that is punishable by law. It is socially constructed, meaning society decides what is considered to be a crime. Deviance is a violation of society’s norms. Individuals decide what is and isn’t deviant based on their own norms and values, therefore, deviance can also be viewed as a social construct. What is considered to be a crime or act of deviance may differ from different cultures since crime and deviance is culturally relative, where crimes are specific to a culture based on their own norms and values. Marxism is a conflict theory which sees society as a structure in which the economic base determines the shape of the superstructure, which is made up of all the other social institutions, such as the law or the education system. Their function is to serve the interests of the bourgeoisies and maintain a capitalist society. For Marxists, crime is ultimately a result of capitalism. Crime is inevitable to capitalism because capitalism is criminogenic, meaning it causes crime. Capitalism is based on exploitation of the working class, using them to serve the ruling class. It is damaging to the working class and gives rise to crime. Traditional Marxists argue that crime is a result of class inequality and poverty. Individuals in a state of poverty commit crime in order to rebel against their exploitation by the ruling class. David Gordon (1971) argued that crime is a rational response...
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